Performing Arts

Arts facts

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).

Arts philanthropy and corporate sponsorship

Find tracking and analysis of corporate sponsorship and private donations to the major performing arts companies at:

Tracking Changes in Corporate Sponsorship and Private Donations 2011 (634 KB)

Australian Business Arts Foundation (ABAF)  is a federal government supported organisation which develops relationships between arts organisations and businesses. Go to the ABAF website for their most recent figures.

Artsupport Australia provides resources for the development of philanthropic relationships between arts and philanthropic organisations. Artsupport is an initiative of the Australia Council for the Arts. For more information, visit Artsupport Australia.

International touring resource

The Australia Council has developed an online resource for performing arts companies touring internationally. It aims to ease the process of applying for visas and complying with taxation regulations and focuses on the regions identified by Australian and New Zealand performing arts companies as high priorities. Find out more by downloading: International Visas and Taxation: a Guide for Performing Arts Organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

For brief highlights of AMPAG companies performing around the world in 2011 see International.

The 28 major performing arts companies build an identity for Australia internationally as a sophisticated, intelligent and culturally rich nation. The MPA companies performed 114 times in 18 countries in 2010 including Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Australia, England, Scotland, United States of America, Japan, China, France and Slovenia.

Find more arts facts

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.