Arts participation declines

Over the past three years, the proportion of adults taking part in the arts has declined, according to the latest DCMS figures. An assessment of local authorities’ progress against National Indicators of cultural and sporting activity has revealed that the number of people who have either attended an arts event or participated in an arts activity at least three times in the past 12 months has fallen consistently since 2008, from 45.2% to 43.8%. Every region of the UK has seen a decline, with statistically significant decreases reported for 46 local authority areas. The only areas where an increase in arts activity is recorded are Stoke-on-Trent, Bolsover, Exeter, Melton, Mole Valley, Oadby and Wigston, Rother, St Albans and West Somerset. The data was collected via Sport England’s Active People Survey, but with the cultural National Indictors having been discontinued, the collection of this type of local level data has now come to an end. Commenting on the figures, David Brownlee, Chief Executive of Audiences UK, said: “Audiences UK does not advocate for a target driven approach to increasing engagement with the arts and culture, but it does believe the local level data… is of immense value.” However, he noted that, while the reported trend in arts figures are a concern, they “do not reflect almost every other indicator in the last twelve months that has shown increasing audiences and ticket income for cultural organisations”.