'Game-changing' report offers overview of who works and participates in arts

A "game-changing" report has provided data on who works and participants in the arts and calls for change to address "social inequalities in many parts of the sector".

The research, conducted by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre at the University of Sheffield, marks the first time census data has been used to provide an in-depth map of the sector’s workforce across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Its findings indicate that:

• 90% of the arts, culture and heritage workforce are white.
• 60% of the workforce grew up in a household where the main income earner was in a "managerial or professional role" – higher than than equivalent figures for the general workforce.
• Women comprise only 34% of ‘managers and directors in the creative industries’.

In terms of audiences, the report found:

• About 30% of people attended a theatrical performance. This is the same as Germany, higher than Poland (19%) and Spain (8%), but lower than Australia (36%). 
• Women are more likely to participate in cultural affairs than men, with men’s attendance of the theatre lagging behind the most of all cultural events.
• Disabled people were deemed more likely to have "engaged" with writing-based activities, while being less likely to have "attended" cultural events.

Meanwhile, the latest census data from 2023 found 90% of people in England engaging in ’the arts’ in some way every year, while around 30% of people attended a theatrical performance. 

According to the report, the data is "considered game-changing in terms of giving local policymakers the tools to understand their arts, culture and heritage subsectors, identify local specialisms and help inform development plans and investment decisions".

It recommends further research and more "nuanced" terminology to describe the manner of people’s engagement with arts and culture. 

Sharing the research, Creative PEC’s head of policy Bernard Hay called on the government to pursue "ambitious policymaking to help shift the dial". 

Hay said: "In the context of funding challenges for UK arts, culture and heritage, as well as a cost-of-living crisis, this report shows that we still have a long way to go to address social inequalities in many parts of the sector.

"While we can already see powerful community, industry and government led initiatives working to tackle this, now is the time for ambitious policymaking to help shift the dial. We hope our continued monitoring of data in this area will provide a useful reference point for those working to address social inequalities in the sector."

Lead report author Mark Taylor commented: “Our new report confirms ingrained inequality across several demographics, using census data for the first time to provide this level of insight. However, we also identify ways in which arts, culture and heritage could be considered more inclusive than other sectors.

"For example, workers are more likely to be LGBT+ and, in terms of participation in some creative activities for example creative writing, disabled people are more likely to participate. Overall, though the picture is one of sustained inequality in both workforce and audience diversity across arts, culture and heritage.” 

Emily Hopkins, policy adviser at Creative PEC, suggested interventions such as increased inclusive workforce initiatives and equitable funding opportunities be prompted by this research.

Speaking to The Stage, she added: “It is particularly important to ensure that several interventions are specifically focused on early year and youth engagement with culture. Improving access to cultural experiences and education at a young age will help to embed change from an earlier stage in life and allows pathways of support to develop across the arts, culture and heritage sectors.”

The report is the second in the Creative PEC’s new ‘State of the Nations’ series, which uses the latest data to inform policymakers on how best to support the creative sector. 

Regular reports will be published over the five years of the Arts and Humanities Research Council funding period, with upcoming papers set to analyse issues such as education and R&D. 

Creative PEC’s director Professor Hasan Bakhshi said: “The arts, culture and heritage sectors are an economic force in their own right as well as more obviously being at the heart of the UK’s public and cultural life. In order to support policy development, the sector requires high-quality workforce and audience data, just as we need data about demand and supply in other industries.

"Herein lies the function of the Creative PEC’s State of the Nations series that aim to report regularly on key data for policymakers not just across the arts, culture and heritage sectors but across the wider creative industries too.”