Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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The performing arts sector includes all forms of theatre, dance, opera and music theatre, variety and cabaret.

In the 12 months before interview in 2002, an estimated 17.4% of the Tasmanian population aged 18 years and over (60,100 people) attended a theatre performance, 15.7% (54,100) attended an opera or musical, 9.8% (33,900 people) attended a dance performance, and 18.3% (63,100) attended a performance of other performing arts at least once.

Theatre consists of live performances by actors or puppets, and of plays where the entire or major part of the performance does not use song and music. Included are alternate, playback, puppet, fringe, youth and community theatre, theatre sports and theatre of the deaf as well as drama, comedy, mime and theatre-in-education.

The highest participation rate for those attending theatre performances was for people aged 18-24 years (22.3%), followed by people aged 45-54 years (19.4%); for dance performances, the highest participation rate was for people aged 35-44 years (12.2%); for opera or musicals, the highest participation rate was recorded by people aged 55-64 years (22.3%); and for other performing arts, the highest participation rate was for people aged 18-24 years (28.1%).

ATTENDANCE AT PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS, Tasmania - 2002