Arts Facts

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

This page can assist you with your advocacy by arming you with the facts about performing arts in Australia.

Investment in the arts works. Australia has an arts and related industries with an $8 billion contribution to the economy, and a growing reputation as an innovative and creative nation. Australians enjoy and participate in the arts with 15.9 million attendances at performances a year, and over 2.3 million of these are at an AMPAG company show.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' most recent study on performing arts in June 2007, there were 726 performing arts operation businesses/organisations in Australia. These businesses/organisations were mainly engaged in providing live theatrical or musical presentations (including popular music production, theatre production, opera, ballet and drama).

Total industry value added by these businesses/organisations was $281.5 million.

There were 145 performing arts venue operators, running 189 venues with a total of 271 performing arts spaces at end June 2007; they:

• generated $494 million in income; government funding accounted for just over one-third of this ($166 million)
• hosted 20,819 performances – drama productions made up nearly one-third (30%) of all performances, followed by musical theatre (15%)
• Victoria had nearly one-third (31%) of all performing arts spaces.

Sources of Income

During 2006-07, businesses/organisations predominantly involved in performing arts operation generated $733.4 million in income. The main source of income for these performing arts operations was box office income ($356 million), which accounted for just under half (48.5%) of total income.

Government funding accounted for 23.7% (or $173.8 million) of total income, and contract performance fees 9% (or $66.2 million).

Australia Council and Major Performing Arts Board

Securing the Future Report 2009 (PDF)

Research which examines key areas of AMPAG companies such as artistic vibrancy and regional access.

Major Performing Arts Inquiry Background (PDF)

This provides a brief overview of the original major performing arts inquiry (also known as the Nugent Review) and the subsequent funding model reviews.

Australian Bureau of Statistics Study

According to the 2006-07 ABS survey of Performing arts, there were 6,569 people employed in the Performing arts operation industry in June 2007. Link to survey here

Key messages

Download AMPAG's Key Messages documents:

• Key Facts – The Arts: The Big Picture  (PDF)
• Key Facts – The Major Performing Arts Companies (PDF)
• Key Facts – Subsidised Performing Arts* (PDF)

*The subsidised performing arts companies are Key Organisations and Major Performing Arts Companies funded in part by the Australia Council.