Attendance up, but support for funding down in Northern Ireland

Public support for arts funding has declined in Northern Ireland despite a growth in the number of people attending cultural events. 75% of those questioned in the latest General Population Survey believe that the arts should receive public funding – down from 80% when the same question was asked in 2004. Support for government arts funding is more common amongst younger people, with 82% support from the youngest group polled but only 66% from the oldest. This is mirrored in the fact that young people are most likely to participate in the arts, with half of 16-24 year olds recording having taken part in the last year, with this dropping to 27% for the 65+ age group. Women’s participation is higher than men’s, at 35% compared to 25%. Fewer disabled people participate in arts activity compared to people without a disability. 10% fewer of those living in the most deprived areas are getting involved compared to those living in the least deprived areas.

Although young people were most likely to be attending rock and pop concerts, they were also the group most likely to go to the ballet, while participation in craft is more popular among older groups. Students, along with professionals, were recorded as the most likely arts attenders with 93% in both groups having attended in the last year. Unskilled manual workers and those who have never worked are recorded at 60%.

27% of men give ‘a lack of interest’ as the main reason for not attending arts events, while the most common reason given by women was that they lacked the time, an answer given by nearly 40%. A fifth of those surveyed said the main issue was the cost. The report, Arts and Culture in Northern Ireland 2012, takes key findings from the General Population Survey and is commissioned by the Northern Ireland Arts Council and run by the Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency.