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Arts and Culture Monitor 2020 Survey Report

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Executive summary

Art and culture continues to be of high importance to the community.

84% agree the Western Australian Government should invest in arts and culture to ensure they are available to the public
94% agree it is important for school children to have access to arts and culture as part of their education.

Perceptions of individual and community value remain at a 12 year high.

When asked ‘how valuable is the role of arts and culture in your life?’, the Value Index Score is 66.

This is the equal highest rating over the past 12 years, up from a low of 56 in 2013.
Perceptions of individual value are lower among males and those with lower levels of education. Regionally, perceived value is lowest in the Wheatbelt, Mid West and Gascoyne.
Individual value is higher among females, people with higher level education, residents in the western and inner metropolitan suburbs, and those with a disability or impairment.

Arts and culture is seen to have a valuable role in the community with a Value Index Score of 77.

This is the equal highest score over the past 12 years, up from a low of 68 in 2013.
Perceptions of community value are relatively similar across the community, though higher among females than males.
Regionally, community value is lower in the Mid West region.

Most people believe the arts benefits the broader community, not just those who participate.

Only 20% agree that “the arts only helps those people who participate, not the broader community”.

Results have remained relatively steady over recent years.
People with higher education and residents in the Kimberley and Peel are most likely to recognise broader community benefits.

Most believe arts and culture contributes to WA’s sense of community and identity.

When asked ‘how valuable is the contribution of arts and culture to your sense of community in WA?’, the Value Index Score is 72, on par with recent years.

The Value Index Score is fairly consistent across the community; slightly higher among females, parents with younger children and residents in the Gascoyne region.

When asked ‘how valuable is the contribution of arts and culture to the identity of the state?’, the Value Index Score is 73, on par with recent results.

The Value Index score is fairly consistent across the community; slightly higher among females, people with a disability, in inner north metropolitan suburbs and in the Great Southern and Peel regions.

The arts continue to make people feel good.

The Agreement Index Score is 77; equal to the highest score.

Level of agreement is similar across the community; slightly higher among females, people with higher levels of education and residents in the western and inner metropolitan suburbs.
Perceptions vary across the regions. Similar to last year, there is strongest agreement in the Kimberley and lowest agreement in Goldfields-Esperance.

Access to art and culture continues to get easier, but wide gap between metro and regional.

The Ease of Access Index Score has risen to a high of 68, steadily climbing from 53 in 2012.

63% feel it is easy to access or participate in arts and cultural activities in WA, up a further 5% points.
While ease of access is improving and is fairly similar across the community by age, gender, education and other factors, it continues to be lower for people with a disability or impairment.
Access also continues to be more difficult for people living in regional WA, especially in the Gascoyne and Pilbara, followed by the Kimberley and Wheatbelt.

Annual participation in the arts was closer to 2018 levels, after stronger results in 2019.

74% of respondents participated in an arts and cultural activity over the past 12 months.

While participation was down from 82% in 2019, it is more similar to 78% participation in 2018.
Similarly, participation over summer dropped to 71%, down from 82% in 2019 but closer to summer participation of 74% in 2018.
Overall, 93% of respondents recalled attending or participating in an arts or cultural activity before, on par with previous results.
Participation is highest among females and in the western suburbs and increases with level of education and income.
In the regions, participation is highest in the Kimberley and lowest in the Gascoyne region.

Interest in content and fun are the main motivators for participating in arts and cultural activities.

The top four reasons for participating in arts and cultural activities continue to be an interest in the content, to have fun, to experience new things and to interact with friends and family.

Interest in the content continues to be the primary motivator for most people, in particular in the Peel region, among seniors and those with higher levels of education.
Fun continues to be the primary motivator for younger adults, and also for parents with young children and in the Goldfields-Esperance region.
Interacting with friends and family is the primary motivator in the Wheatbelt, Mid West, western suburbs of Perth, among those on higher incomes and among parents with primary and high school aged children.

Government and corporate support is considered to be essential for the arts. More funding is wanted.

Only 17% of respondents agree with the statement “all theatre, ballet and opera companies and public art galleries, etc should rely on their tickets sales alone”, consistent with earlier years.

76% of respondents would be prepared to contribute more money to expand provision of and access to arts and culture.
53% of respondents believe $2.21 per person per week is too low as an allocation for arts and culture.
31% would be willing to pay up to $2 more per week and 45% would be prepared to pay more than $2 extra per person per week.
Views are fairly similar across the community. Younger adults, those with higher levels of education, people with a disability and people who mainly speak a language other than English are more willing to pay over $2 extra per week.

Perceived value of the WA film and television industry remains high.

72% of respondents rate the industry highly.

The Value Index Score is 75, on par with results over the past four years.
Perceived value continues to be higher among low income earners. It is also higher among females, people with a disability and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background.
In the regions, perceived value is highest in the Great Southern and lowest in the Gascoyne.

Perceived access to WA film and TV has remained steady with room to improve.

Only 37% of respondents consider it to be easy to access WA produced film and television productions.

The Ease of Access Index Score is 53. While consistent with recent years, it continues to be down from a high of 61 in 2017.
Ease of access is lowest in the Gascoyne, followed by the Pilbara and Wheatbelt regions.

Page reviewed 11 September 2023