4172.0 - Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 21/10/2009   
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Contents >> Arts Education >> TRAINING IN THE ARTS

TRAINING IN THE ARTS

The 2007 survey of Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities collected information about whether the people involved in selected arts or cultural activities had qualifications relevant to those selected activities. Some 912,300 people aged 15 years and over in Australia had completed a course or qualification at some time in their lives related to one of the selected arts or culture activities in which they were involved. Of the selected activities, visual arts (336,000 people) and crafts (185,500 people) were the most common relevant qualifications obtained.

18.1 PERSONS INVOLVED IN SELECTED ACTIVITIES WITH A RELEVANT QUALIFICATION(a), By sex - April 2007

Males
Females
Persons
'000
'000
'000

Visual art activities
Drawing
62.6
78.4
141.0
Painting
21.6
65.1
86.7
Sculpture
*8.5
*14.4
23.0
Photography
55.1
61.2
116.3
Print making
*4.1
17.3
21.4
Creating artwork with a computer
47.4
66.4
113.8
Other visual art activities
**2.4
*2.5
*4.9
Total visual art activities
138.7
197.3
336.0
Craft activities
Pottery or ceramics
*3.6
16.6
20.2
Textiles
**1.6
52.3
53.8
Jewellery making
*5.5
23.7
29.2
Furniture making or wood crafts
56.6
*4.1
60.7
Glass crafts
**0.6
*8.2
*8.8
Other craft activities
*8.0
25.0
33.0
Total craft activities
72.4
113.1
185.5
Writing
69.5
80.7
150.2
Publishing
17.8
19.8
37.6
Designing websites
36.5
19.9
56.4
Design
91.3
94.5
185.8
Designing computer games, or other interactive software
24.3
*6.0
30.3
Music
Live performer
43.5
54.8
98.3
No involvement as a live performer
*7.2
*12.2
*19.3
Total music
50.6
66.9
117.6
Performing arts
Performer
25.1
52.2
77.3
No involvement as a performer
11.9
25.0
36.9
Total performing arts
37.0
77.2
114.2
Total(b)
405.6
506.6
912.3

* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
** estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use
(a) It was the respondents decision whether their course or qualification was related to a particular activity.
(b) Components may not add up to total as some persons may have been involved in more than one activity.
Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Work in Selected Culture and Leisure Activities, April 2007.


Tertiary arts education data are available from the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). According to DEEWR, there were 71,875 students undertaking a course in the field of creative arts at higher educational institutions (excluding TAFE) in Australia in 2008. The data shows a 5.4% increase in creative arts tertiary students between 2007 and 2008, compared with a 3.5% increase in the number of all higher education students during the same period.

18.2 NUMBER OF STUDENTS UNDERTAKING HIGHER EDUCATION(a), In the field of creative arts(b) - 2008

Creative arts students 
All students

2008
New South Wales '000
23.1
332.5
Victoria '000
17.9
278.8
Queensland '000
14.2
193.3
South Australia '000
4.8
76.0
Western Australia '000
8.3
111.8
Tasmania '000
1.4
20.2
Northern Territory '000
0.2
7.0
Australian Capital Territory '000
1.8
27.8
Multi-State '000
0.3
18.8
Total '000
71.9
1 066.1
2007
Total '000
68.2
1 029.8
Change between 2007 and 2008 %
5.4
3.5

(a) Students enrolled in higher education courses in each Australian Higher Education Provider.
(b) Creative arts comprises of the following educational fields: Performing arts, Visual arts and crafts, Graphic and design studies, Communication and media studies and Other performing arts.
Source: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Students 2008 (full year): Selected Higher Education Statistics.


Data on vocational education can be obtained from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). According to NCVER data, vocational training organisations, such as TAFE institutes, reported 43,600 students enrolled in courses in the field of creative arts in 2008, down slightly from 44,100 students in 2007.

18.3 STUDENTS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING COURSES(a), In the field of creative arts(b)(c) - 2008

Students
'000

New South Wales
16.0
Victoria
11.2
Queensland
5.4
South Australia
2.0
Western Australia
6.1
Tasmania
0.8
Northern Territory
1.2
Australian Capital Territory
0.9
Australia
43.6

(a) Excludes VET delivered in schools, where the delivery has been undertaken by schools.
(b) Whose major field of education was the Creative arts.
(c) Creative arts comprises the following fields of education: Performing arts; Visual arts and crafts; Graphic and design studies; Communication and media studies; and Other creative arts.
Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Students and Courses 2008.


According to the 2008 survey of Education and work, the most common qualification in the cultural industry was Graphic arts and design studies with 74,300 people holding qualifications. Other common qualifications within the cultural industry were Architecture with 41,000 people and History with 35,200 people holding qualifications. Graphic arts and design studies was the most common qualification for both males and females.

18.4 PERSONS WITH A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION(a), Main field of study for highest non-school qualification - By sex - 2008

Males
Females
Persons
'000
'000
'000

Architecture and urban design
Architecture
28.8
12.2
41.0
Urban design and regional planning
*4.7
*5.1
9.8
Landscape architecture/ interior and environmental design
*6.0
17.3
23.3
Total(b)
39.9
34.7
74.5
Studies in human society
Sociology
np
np
12.0
Anthropology
np
np
*3.6
History
14.0
21.2
35.2
Other studies in human society
10.6
16.7
27.3
Total(c)
27.7
50.4
78.1
Librarianship and information management and curatorial studies
Librarianship and information management
*5.1
26.2
31.3
Total(d)
*5.1
28.0
33.1
Performing arts
Music
14.3
14.9
29.3
Drama and theatre studies/Dance
7.4
10.9
18.3
Total(e)
22.4
27.9
50.2
Visual arts and crafts
Fine Arts
8.1
13.4
21.6
Photography
9.0
*5.5
14.5
Crafts/Jewellery making/Floristry
*4.4
11.8
16.2
Visual arts and crafts n.f.d./n.e.c.
*4.2
10.5
14.7
Total
25.8
41.1
66.9
Graphic and design studies
Graphic arts and design studies
36.9
37.4
74.3
Fashion design/Textile design
np
np
18.9
Graphic and design studies n.f.d./n.e.c.
np
np
**1.3
Total
38.9
55.6
94.6
Journalism
*4.6
11.8
16.4
Religious studies
17.4
13.8
31.2

* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution
** estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
(a) Non-school qualification refers to educational attainments other than those of pre-primary, primary or secondary education.
(b) Includes Architecture and urban environment n.f.d./n.e.c.
(c) Includes studies in human society n.f.d./n.e.c., Archaeology, Human geography, Indigenous studies and Gender specific studies.
(d) Includes Librarianship and information management and curatorial studies n.f.d.
(e) Includes Performing arts n.f.d./n.e.c.
Source: ABS data available on request, Survey of Education and Work, 2008.





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