How do Americans participate in the arts and culture?
The NEA released it’s most recent Survey of Public Participation in the Arts last week. Data regarding performing arts participation corroborates previously documented audience trends. Both the 2002 and 2008 studies noted these audience demographic characteristics of classical music (defined as symphony, choral, and chamber music concerts):
1. Older audiences are attending arts events
2. Education largely influences performing arts attendance
3. More women than men attend “classical” music concerts
An overall decline in performing arts attendance was seen in 2008. 9.3% of adults attended a classical music event, down from 12% in 2002. In 2002, 24 million people attended a classical music performance. The rate of attendance was statistically unchanged from the 1992 study.
However, one of the most critical pieces of data is the continued “ageing audiences” of classical music. The NEA survey notes:
In 2002, people ages 45 to 64 were more likely to go to a classical music performance than adults of other age groups. The audience has shifted to older people — in 2008, 12 percent of Americans from 65 to 74 years of age reported going to a classical music performance, compared with 10 percent of people ages 45-54 and only 7 percent of adults under 35. The largest decline in attendance rates was for people 55 to 64 (15.6 percent in 2002 versus 11.6 percent in 2008).
Another performing arts genre that showed a decline in younger audiences was Opera:
“In 2008, the percentage of adults from 45 to 65 years old who attended opera declined by more than one-third”
What are the causes and implications of this ageing audience?
1. Fewer younger people are being exposed to classical music education in school
2.The use of the interntet for consuming art has sharply increased. 70% of adults went online for any purpose in 2008, and of those, 40% listened to music, downloaded, or posted artwork or performances.
3. Performing Arts organizaitons must find ways to engage younger audiences and spread knowledge of classical music.
Other comments and notes regarding the NEA study can be found here, on Greg Sandow’s blog on the future of classical music. Links and notes about the convening hosted by the NEA focusing on the findings of the survey are seen on the Artful Manager’s blog as well as Createquity
Audiencce Development, Education, and governmental cultural policy comingle in the ultimate outcome of public participation in the arts. Each player influences arts consumption in different ways and it is important for arts mangers to understand the entire system as well as the indivudual players.
Find more like this: Arts and Economics
