Factors in Canadians’ Arts Attendance in 2010

An Analysis of Attendance at Art Galleries, Theatres, Classical Music Performances, Popular Music Performances, and Cultural Festivals

January 14, 201314 January 2013

Issue

Arts participation / Public engagement

Article Link

http://www.hillstrategies.com/content/factors-canadians’-arts-attendance-2010

Based on Statistics Canada’s 2010 General Social Survey, an in-depth telephone survey of about 7,500 Canadians 15 or older, this report concludes that “there is an arts-interested public that transcends demographics”. For example, the report indicates that “someone with less than a secondary school diploma was not very likely to visit an art gallery in 2010: only 20% did so. However, someone with the same level of education who attended a classical concert in 2010 was much more likely to visit an art gallery: 44% did so in 2010”.

The report provides statistical models of five arts activities. Regarding demographic factors, the models show that “education was a very strong factor in attendance at art galleries, classical music performances, and cultural festivals. Household income was a key factor in theatre and pop music attendance.” A key finding of the statistical models is that “many cultural activities are statistically significant predictors of attendance at other types of activities (keeping other factors constant, such as education, income, age, etc.)”.

Regarding art gallery attendance, the report shows that Canadians who attended a classical music performance, a museum, a cultural festival, a culturally-specific performance, or another type of performance are more likely to visit a gallery than Canadians with a university degree.

For theatre attendance, the report indicates that those who attended a classical music performance, a culturally-specific performance, an art gallery, a pop concert, a cultural festival, a museum, or another type of performance are more likely to go to a play than Canadians with high household incomes.

Regarding classical music attendance, the report shows that Canadians who visited an art gallery or attended a culturally-specific performance are more likely to attend a classical concert than Canadians with a university degree.

For popular music attendance, the report indicates that those who attended a cultural festival, a classical music performance, a culturally-specific performance, or a theatre performance are more likely to go to a pop concert than Canadians with high household incomes.

Regarding cultural festival attendance, the report shows that Canadians who attended a culturally-specific performance, a classical music performance, an art gallery, a pop concert, another type of museum, or another type of performance are more likely to go to a festival than Canadians with a university degree.

As noted in the study, Statistics Canada’s 2010 General Social Survey did not contain questions about childhood arts education, motivations for attendance, individuals’ value sets, or perceived benefits of attendance. These factors might be behind the high arts attendance rates among cultural participants.