4920.0 - Arts and Culture: State and Territory Profiles, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/11/2013  Final
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CULTURAL PARTICIPATION

This report uses data from the first Cultural Participation survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to present an overview of people aged 15 years and over living in Australian Capital Territory and their interaction with the cultural sector via participation in a selection of cultural activities.

Conducted in 2010-11 as part of the ABS Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS), the survey collected data from individuals about their participation in fourteen selected cultural activities in the 12 months prior to interview. Broadly speaking, the list of cultural activities included performing arts, singing or playing a musical instrument, dancing, writing, visual art activities and craft activities. More detail regarding the types of cultural activities included in the survey can be found in the Glossary of the publication listed below. Information was also collected about the characteristics of participants, and the number of selected cultural activities in which people participated and whether payments were received for their involvement.

The data contained in this report, including additional demographic data pertaining to cultural participation in the Australian Capital Territory, is available in the data cubes attached to Participation in Selected Cultural Activities, Australia, 2010–11 (cat. no. 4921.0) on the ABS website.

PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES BY ACTIVITY TYPE

More than a third (37% or 104,400 people) of the population aged 15 years and over living in the Australian Capital Territory participated in at least one cultural activity in the 12 months prior to interview. The rate of participation for the Australian Capital Territory was higher than the national rate.

The majority of participants (56,800 people or 54%) participated in one activity while 22,700 people (22%) participated in two activities and 12,900 (12%) participated in three activities.

With a participation rate of 15%, textile crafts, jewellery making, paper crafts or wood crafts was the most popular cultural activity in the Australian Capital Territory attracting 41,900 participants. By comparison, 12% participated in sculpting, painting, drawing or cartooning, including digital pieces.

Rates of participation in the Australian Capital Territory were similar to those at the national level across the majority of cultural activities, except for sculpting, painting, drawing or cartooning, including digital pieces and textile crafts, jewellery making, paper crafts or wood crafts which had higher rates in the Australian Capital Territory.

PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES(a)(b)(c), ACT and Australia, 2010–11

Graph: PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES(a)(b)(c), ACT and Australia, 2010–11




CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPANTS

Age and sex

In the Australian Capital Territory, people aged 15-24 years were more likely to have participated in cultural activities in the 12 months prior to interview than those in any other age group (49%). However, there is not enough evidence to conclude that the differences between the participation rates of people aged 15-24 years and people aged 25-34 years are statistically significant. Participation rates generally declined with age.

Overall, women had a higher participation rate (41%) than men (33%) with survey results showing women were more likely to participate in cultural activities at a higher rate across almost all age groups. However, there is not enough evidence to conclude that the differences between the participation rates of women and men aged 15-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years and 55-64 years are statistically significant.

PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES(a)(b), By age and sex, ACT, 2010-11

Graph: PARTICIPATION IN SELECTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES(a)(b), By age and sex, ACT, 2010-11



Country of birth

Of the 104,400 participants in cultural activities in the Australian Capital Territory, those born in Australia participated at a higher rate (39%) than those born overseas (30%). The rate of participation for people born overseas varied based on the type of country in which they were born. People born in other than main English speaking countries had a lower rate of participation in cultural activities (25%) than those born in main English speaking countries (39%). For a list of main English speaking countries please refer to the Glossary of the publication listed at the beginning of this report.

Labour Force Status

Of the 209,100 people employed in the Australian Capital Territory in the week prior to interview, 37% (77,400 people) participated in a cultural activity. People employed in a part-time capacity had a higher participation rate in cultural activities (43%) than those employed full-time (35%). There is not enough evidence to conclude that the differences between people employed in a part-time capacity and people employed full-time are statistically significant. People who were unemployed had a participation rate of 38% while those not in the labour force had a participation rate in cultural activities of 36%.

Household composition and income

Survey results show that couples with children (40%) participated in cultural activities at a higher rate than couples with no children (34%). However, there is not enough evidence to conclude that the participation rate of couples with children is statistically different from the rates of couples with no children.

People living alone (37%) were more likely to participate in cultural activities than single parents with dependent children (30%). However, there is not enough evidence to conclude that the participation rate of those from lone person households is statistically different from couples with dependent children.

People from households with income in the third quintile had the highest reported participation rate in cultural activities at 41% followed be those from households in the highest income quintile (38%). There is not enough evidence to conclude that differences in rates of participation across income quintiles are statistically significant.

Highest educational attainment

As reported from the survey, people holding a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate qualification participated in cultural activities at a rate of 51% whilst those holding a Bachelor degree and those with a Postgraduate degree had participation rates of 41%.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPATION

Payment status

An estimated 15% of people in the Australian Capital Territory who participate in a cultural activity (15,500 people) received some form of payment for their participation.

Survey results show that a higher proportion of men (19%) than women (12%) were paid for their participation, however, there is not enough evidence to conclude that the difference is statistically significant.