FACT SHEET #F6: ARTS

What’s in the Budget for the arts?
The 2006-07 ACT Budget confirms the Government’s strong commitment to fostering arts activities and experiences that are accessible to all members of the community, with funding of $14.2 million for experiences that reach out to people where they live and work; and to experiences that enrich everyday life as well as creating a sense of excitement and occasion. 

How does the ACT compare to other States and Territories?
The ACT continues to show a strong increasing trend in participation in culture, expenditure on culture and volunteerism.

•	67.7% of ACT residents attended an art museum or gallery or other museum twelve months before interview in 2002. This is a full 19.5% points above the nearest state or territory. 
(Paraphrased from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2004) Arts and Culture in Australia a statistical overview (Paper 4172.0), Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra (p56))

•	The ACT consistently had the overall highest percentage of its population attend cultural venues and events of any state/territory between 1991 and 2002. 
(Paraphrased from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003) Attendance at selected cultural venues and events (Paper 4114.0), Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra (pp35-37))

•	Estimates of weekly culture expenditure for the ACT and the Northern Territory, at $49.52 and $47.46 respectively, are appreciably higher than the estimates for the States. These range from $31.22 for Queensland to $39.76 for Victoria. 

•	Nationally, the average weekly household expenditure on cultural products during 2003-04 was $36.39, which was 4.1% of the total average weekly expenditure on all products.

•	Canberrans lead as the biggest spenders in the areas of literature at $12.29 per week against a national figure of $8.43 per week; visual arts at $4.71 per week against a national figure of $1.66 per week, and culture courses, musical instruments and other related fees at $3.84 per week against a national figure of $1.86 per week. (Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) Household Expenditure on Culture tables, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra)
 
•	993 people were employed in museums in the ACT in 2003-04, the third largest number of employees in museums of all states/territories. 
(Paraphrased from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2005) Museums (Paper 8560.0), Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra (p11))

•	67,800 people (or 28.8% of the ACT population) were employed on a paid or unpaid basis in cultural occupations the ACT in 2001.  This is the highest percentage of all states and territories.
(Paraphrased from Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003) Employment in Culture (Paper 6273.0), Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra (p27))

Why is the ACT Government investing in the arts?
The ACT Government is continuing to deliver on its election commitment to invest in the arts and contribute to the enrichment of the Canberra community. Even within a constrained budget, it is vital that governments continue to allocate investment to arts activities.   In the ACT it is particularly important as the arts play a central role in our community, with statistics showing that Canberrans participate in the arts more than any other Australian State or Territory. The arts play an important role in a vibrant and inclusive community as well as contributing to the aesthetics of our city and pride in the national capital.