Western Australia's cultural statistics measure up

16/06/00
Almost 90 per cent of Western Australians aged 15 and over attended a cultural venue in the year to April 1999 and spent more than $800 million on cultural and artistic pursuits.
The most popular venues and activities were the cinema, library, animal parks, botanic gardens and popular music, followed by the art gallery and museum, theatre, opera, other performing arts, classical music and general dance.
The Vital Statistics 1999 report, commissioned by the Ministry for Culture and the Arts and compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, also found arts and cultural industries contribute $2.3 billion (2.2 per cent) of WA's total production - double that provided by sport, gambling and recreational services (1.1 per cent).
It is the second document of its type commissioned by the State Government compiling WA-specific cultural statistics. The first was produced in 1993.
Releasing the report today, Arts Minister Mike Board said Vital Statistics was a valuable research and planning tool, providing a compilation of the most current WA cultural information.
"The document provides details on cultural industry employment, occupations, expenditure, attendance, tourism, funding and summary economic data," Mr Board said.
"Some most significant figures revealed in Vital Statistics are the growth in employment in the cultural sector of 20.7 per cent between the 1991 and 1996 census and the $2.3 billion contribution arts and cultural industries make to WA's total production.
"The report clearly shows culture and arts contribute significantly to our economy as well as being essential to the identity and social fabric of our community; they enable us to develop a unique sense of who we are and are integral to our feeling of belonging and well-being."
Significant findings were:

• ABS figures estimate annual household expenditure on culture and arts of $823.3.million to the June quarter 1999, an average of $24.45 a week;

• during the 12 months to April 1999, 87.9 per cent of the population aged 15 years and over in WA attended one of the cultural venues surveyed. This was slightly higher than the equivalent figure for the whole of Australia.

Venues/activities surveyed included the art gallery, museum, animal or marine parks, botanic gardens, library, popular music,
classical music, theatre, dance, opera or musical, other performing arts and cinema.

• the contribution of cultural industries to the WA economy of $2.3 billion (2.2 per cent of total production) is similar to that provided by communication services (2 per cent) and accommodation, cafes and restaurants (2.7 per cent); and -

• the per head of population financial commitment by the State Government to cultural facilities and services (1997-1998) including libraries, museums, art galleries and the performing arts was $51.20. Total per-head commitment to cultural activities was $77.40.

"The information in this report clearly demonstrates the huge impact the culture and the arts has on the lives of all Western Australians," Mr Board said.
"With this data, we have a tool to help us continue raising the profile of a valuable, dynamic and economically important industry to the benefit of WA."
Media contact: Tamatha Smith 9222 9111