Increase in post-pandemic arts attendance ‘slows down’

There has been a “slowdown in the positive trajectory in post-pandemic arts attendance,” according to analysis of audience data published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The analysis was carred out by consultancy firm Data Culture Change and advocacy group Campaign for the Arts, using the most recently available statistics from the DCMS Participation Survey, detailing audience figures for different artforms between July and September 2022.

They found statistically significant increases in the adult population attending cinema screenings of a film or movie, live music events, festivals and carnivals, and street art events, but no statistically significant increase in attendance of other art forms, including art exhibitions, craft exhibitions, literary events, dance and theatre.

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Campaign for the Arts Director Jack Gamble said it is “very concerning to see a slowdown in returning audiences in many art forms, just as energy bills and production costs are rocketing”.

“After a decade of funding cuts and a devastating pandemic, the cultural sector simply cannot afford another crisis.”

In its new report, Data Culture Change and Campaign for the Arts compared DCMS’ most recent figures with pre-pandemic attendance levels across nine art forms and found most have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels of attendance.

By the end of September 2022, the proportion of people attending dance was 64% of the number recorded in official statistics from 2019/20. Theatre attendance was at 73% of the previous level.

DCMS publishes its Participation Survey data quarterly and in the first quarter of 2022, theatre saw the biggest increase in attendance of any art form.

But Data Culture Change and Campaign for the Arts’ analysis has found recovery in theatre audience numbes has now stalled, with live music now overtaking theatre as the second most attendend art form in England.

David Brownlee, Chief Executive of Data Culture Change, said it is “concerning to see audiences for several art forms tracking well behind pre-pandemic levels.”

“For theatres, historically July and August have been the quietest months of the year. It is the final quarter of the calendar year that traditionally has been financially most important.

“We will hope to see a substantial increase in the adult population returning in the period from October to December 2022 when DCMS release new data in the coming months.”