4172.0 - Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/12/2011   
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Contents >> Employment and Voluntary Work >> Census of Population and Housing

CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING

The 2006 Census of Population and Housing found there were approximately 296,183 people whose main job in the week prior to Census night was in a cultural industry (classified by ANZSIC 1993) compared to 299,266 in 2001.

While industries as a whole reported a 10% increase in employment from 2001 to 2006, employment in cultural industries decreased by 1%. The size of the change over that period differed for individual cultural industries. For example, the largest increase in employment was in the photographic studios industry (45%). This was followed by a 28% increase in the other periodical publishing industry. The largest decrease in employment was 46% in the libraries, museums and the arts undefined industry followed by the libraries industry at 39%.

5.1 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES(a)(b) - 2001 and 2006

Persons 2001
Persons 2006
Percentage Change
no.
no.
%

Newspaper printing or publishing
25 737
27 533
7.0
Other periodical publishing
8 716
11 166
28.1
Book and other publishing(c)
11 322
9 094
-19.7
Film and video production
7 702
8 215
6.7
Film and video distribution
1 057
850
-19.6
Motion picture exhibition
10 079
8 852
-12.2
Radio services
5 879
5 230
-11.0
Television services
17 388
15 836
-8.9
Film, video and TV services undefined(d)
1 262
898
-28.8
Music and theatre productions
10 812
8 621
-20.3
Creative arts
9 345
9 325
-0.2
Other services to the arts(e)
5 643
5 582
-1.1
Libraries
11 451
6 986
-39.0
Museums
5 422
6 204
14.4
Libraries, museums and the arts undefined(f)
977
526
-46.2
Parks and gardens(g)
10 322
8 840
-14.4
Photographic studios
4 868
7 059
45.0
Design(h)
67 362
71 936
6.8
Other cultural industries
83 922
83 430
-0.6
Total cultural industries(i)
299 266
296 183
-1.0

(a) In their main job in the week before Census Night.
(b) Industries defined by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, 1993 (cat. no. 1292.0).
(c) Includes publishing undefined.
(d) Comprises motion picture, radio and TV services undefined, film and video services undefined and radio and TV services undefined.
(e) Comprises sound recording studios, performing arts venues, services to the arts n.e.c and services to the arts undefined.
(f) Includes arts undefined.
(g) Comprises zoological and botanic gardens, recreational parks and gardens and parks and gardens undefined.
(h) Comprises architectural services, commercial art and display services and advertising services.
(i) Includes persons employed by religious organisations.
Source: Employment in Culture, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 6273.0).


As displayed in table 5.2, in the 2006 Census 345,950 people stated that they were employed in the cultural industries (classified by ANZSIC 2006). The major employing industries were printing (37,543 people employed), other cultural industries (32,518), newspaper and book retailing (28,010), newspaper publishing (26,573) and other specialised design services (18,632). The smallest employing industries were music publishing (234 people employed), music and other sound recording activities (814) and motion picture and video distribution (871).

Compared with employment in all industries, those employed in cultural industries were more likely to:
  • be female (49% in cultural industries, compared with 46% in all industries)
  • work between 1 and 34 hours each week (34% compared with 30% in all industries)
  • have a weekly income below $400 a week (25% compared with 21% in all industries).

About 45% of the people employed in the cultural industries had a cultural occupation (i.e. their work was culturally-orientated such as a writer, painter or curator), with the remainder having non-cultural occupations such as receptionists, sales assistants, clerks, cleaners and security guards.

5.2 PERSONS EMPLOYED IN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES(a)(b)(c), By whether working in cultural occupations(d) - 2006

Cultural occupations
Other occupations(e)
Total
Percentage of occupations which are cultural
Industry
no.
no.
no.
%

Libraries and archives
5 249
1 757
7 006
74.9
Museum operation
2 619
3 793
6 412
40.8
Zoological and botanic gardens operation
596
1 975
2 571
23.2
Nature reserves and conservation parks operation
1 385
4 759
6 144
22.5
Printing
17 960
19 583
37 543
47.8
Newspaper publishing
12 386
14 187
26 573
46.6
Magazine and other periodical publishing
3 726
4 852
8 578
43.4
Internet publishing and broadcasting
308
850
1 158
26.6
Book publishing
2 370
4 004
6 374
37.2
Music publishing
36
198
234
15.4
Reproduction of recorded media
298
1 988
2 286
13.0
Music and other sound recording activities
495
319
814
60.8
Book and magazine wholesaling
266
3 357
3 623
7.3
Entertainment media retailing
300
5 332
5 632
5.3
Newspaper and book retailing
233
27 777
28 010
0.8
Architectural services
20 373
9 713
30 086
67.7
Advertising services
8 092
19 555
27 647
29.3
Other specialised design services
12 907
5 725
18 632
69.3
Motion picture and video production
5 381
1 983
7 364
73.1
Post-production services and other motion picture and video activities
515
383
898
57.3
Motion picture and video distribution
114
757
871
13.1
Motion picture exhibition
2 258
6 642
8 900
25.4
Radio broadcasting
2 495
2 731
5 226
47.7
Free-to-air television broadcasting
7 813
4 833
12 646
61.8
Cable and other subscription broadcasting
556
2 372
2 928
19.0
Performing arts operation
2 768
1 552
4 320
64.1
Creative artists, musicians, writers and performers
11 923
2 558
14 481
82.3
Performing arts venue operation
719
1 956
2 675
26.9
Video and other electronic media rental
145
10 832
10 977
1.3
Professional photographic services
5 242
1 875
7 117
73.7
Arts education
12 059
3 647
15 706
76.8
Other cultural industries(f)
15 604
16 914
32 518
48.0
Total cultural industries
157 191
188 759
345 950
45.4

(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.
(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.
(c) Industries defined by the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).
(d) The cultural occupations included are a subset of the ANZSCO First Edition Alternative View Culture and Leisure. For more information see Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).
(e) Includes not stated or inadequately described.
(f) Comprises religious organisations and funeral, crematorium and cemetery services.
Source: ABS data available on request, Census of Population and Housing, 2006.


The 2006 Census of Population and Housing found that there were 284,791 people whose main job in the week prior to Census night was in a cultural occupation (classified by ANZSCO). Some of the more common cultural occupations included design workers, architects and urban planners and printing workers.

According to the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, more males (55%) than females (45%) worked in cultural occupations. In particular, males dominated the occupations of broadcasting, film and recorded media equipment operator, camera operator, light and sound technician and television equipment operator. Conversely, females greatly outnumbered males in occupations such as library and archive workers and other arts support workers. More information can be found in ABS (2008d) Employment in Culture, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 6273.0).

According to the 2006 Census, the median weekly income for all persons working in cultural occupations was $741, compared with $718 for all employed persons.

5.3 EMPLOYED PERSONS BY OCCUPATION(a)(b)(c) - 2006

Persons employed
Occupation
no.

Built, collectable and environmental heritage workers
9 763
Library and archive workers
25 741
Other heritage workers
68
Writers and print media workers
23 769
Performing artists and music composers
15 412
Performing arts support workers
14 745
Visual arts and crafts professionals
14 153
Architects and urban planners
32 038
Design workers
59 333
Broadcasting, film and recorded media equipment operators
8 125
Printing workers
31 073
Other arts support workers
21 119
Other arts workers
4 271
Other cultural occupations
25 181
Total cultural occupations
284 791
Other occupations(d)
8 819 396
Total employed persons
9 104 187

(a) Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.
(b) In their main job in the week before Census Night.
(c) The cultural occupations included are a subset of the ANZSCO First Edition Alternative View Culture and Leisure. For more information see Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).
(d) Includes not stated or inadequately described.
Source: ABS data available on request, Census of Population and Housing, 2006.








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