This page presents excerpts of relevant performing-arts-related research, including some exclusive data that isn't available in published reports. For a summary of the essential information on performing art presentation, please download our Arts Presentation Facts Sheet.
The Presenting Networks
Membership of the Presenting Networks
Public Funding of Arts Presentation
Attendance of the Performing Arts
Consumer Spending on Live Performing Arts
Arts funding: Public Support and Social Impact
Performing Arts and Health
Other Sources of Arts Statistics
The Presenting Networks
There are 39 presenting networks in Canada. Presenting networks are national in scope or regionally-based and typically serve non-profit presenters as well as municipal presenters, festivals and university presenters. Other presenting networks are specialized in one type of presenting activity and may serve festivals or presenters specialized in disciplines, such as dance or theatre.
Breakdown of presenting networks in Canada:
- 26 regional multidisciplinary networks (6 of which also serve schools);
- 5 festival networks;
- 8 specialized networks.
Sources: Survey led by CAPACOA in April 2010 and list of presenting support organizations funded by Canadian Heritage in 2009-2010.
Membership of the Presenting Networks
A survey executed in April 2010 regarding presenting networks didn’t allow us to determine with precision the number of active presenters in Canada. However, the survey revealed that the 19 respondent networks (all of whom participate in the national network meeting), collectively represent over 2000 members. These members are primarily not-for-profit series presenters.
Source: Survey led by CAPACOA through the presenting networks in April 2010.
Public Funding of Arts Presentation
The main source of funding for presenters at the federal level is the Canada Fund for Arts Presentation (formerly known as Arts Presentation Canada). The program supports more than 600 presenters in 224 communities with grants and contributions totaling 27.9 million dollars in 2010-2011.1
The 2008 Summative Evaluation of the program2 indicated that "Its focus on presenters and audiences is a unique and appreciated complement to other forms of support to the arts in Canada, both as an aid to ensuring that artists have the opportunity to present to audiences, and from the perspective of strengthening and expanding presentation capacity to fill unmet needs (such as new disciplines and genres, or professional artistic presentation of any sort, in remote locations). [CAPF] funding makes the arts more accessible." The Summative Evaluation also identified outcomes such as "economic development spin-offs; the formation of innovative partnerships; better quality of life in a revitalized, energized community."
Sources:
1 Canadian Conference of the Arts, Analysis of the 2010 Federal Budget, 2010.
2 Canada, Summative Evaluation of the Arts Presentation Canada Program, 2008.
Attendance of the Performing Arts
In 2005, 48.8% of the population 15 or older (12.8 million Canadians) attended a concert or performance by professional artists and/or a cultural festival.
- 41.2% of the population 15 or older (10.8 million Canadians) attended a concert or performance by professional artists of music, dance, theatre or opera (excluding cultural festivals);
- Of these, 25.1 % attended a concert or performance by professional artists of music, dance, theatre or opera and a cultural festival;
- 7.6 % attended a cultural festival (but did not attend a concert or a performance presented outside of a cultural festival).
Sources: Data from Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey of 2005, as reported by Hill Strategies Research in Cultural and Heritage Activities of Canadians in 2005 and in Factors in Canadians’ Cultural Activities.
- 60% of Ontarians attended a concert by professional musicians at least once in 2011.
- Of those who did, 74% described this activity as being “very important” to them.
- 55% of Ontarians attended a play or musical with professional actors at least once in 2011.
- Of those who did, 74% described this activity as being “very important” to them.
- 25% of Ontarians attended a dance performance by professional dancers at least once in 2011.
- Of those who did, 67% described this activity as being “very important” to them.
Source : Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Arts Engagement Study, 2011.
Consumer Spending on Live Performing Arts
- After adjusting for inflation, consumer spending on live performing arts increased by 49% between 2001 and 2008.
- In 2008, Canadians spent more on performing arts ($1.426 billion) than on movie theatre admissions ($1.216 billion) or live sports events ($0.645 billion).
- A considerable percentage of lower-income households choose to spend some money on live performing arts. Households with incomes of $25,000 or less are more likely to spend any money on live performing arts (15%) than on museum admissions (12%) and live sports (4%).
Source: Hill Strategies Research, Patterns in Performing Arts Spending in Canada in 2008.
Arts Funding: Public Support and Social Impact
- Nine in ten Canadians (89%) think that governments should place importance on supporting arts and culture in Canada. In contrast, less than half (47%) believe that governments in Canada actually attribute importance to support for arts and culture in Canada.
- The largest gap emerges with respect to the government ensuring that attendance is affordable – while 89% think government should be doing this, only 47% think governments are currently doing it well.
Source: Phoenix Strategic Perspectives, The Arts and Heritage in Canada – Access and Availability 2007.
- 95% of Ontarians said that the arts enrich the quality of our lives.
- When asked who benefits more from the presence of the arts in their community, a large majority of Ontarians (64%) believe that it’s the community as a whole, rather than just those who attend arts activities.
- 81% of Ontarians agree that the government should spend public dollars to support the arts.
Source: Environics, The Arts And The Quality Of Life: The Attitudes Of Ontarians, 2010.
- Adults who attend live arts performances, art museums or art galleries are far more likely than non-attendees to vote [38% more, in the case of live arts attendees], volunteer, or take part in community events.
Source: National Endowment for the arts, Art-Goers in Their Communities: Patterns of Civic and Social Engagement, 2009.
Performing Arts and Health
- People who attend concert, theatre or film are significantly healthier, have lower anxiety and are less subject to depression.1
- The more frequently people attend performing arts and other receptive arts, the more likely they are to report good health.1,2
- Attending cultural events is linked with longevity. People who rarely attend such events run a nearly 60% higher mortality risk than those attending most often.3
- Rare and moderate cultural events attendees in urban areas are 3 times more likely to die of cancer over time than frequent attendees.4
Sources:
1 Patterns of receptive and creative cultural activities and their association with perceived health, anxiety, depression and satisfaction with life among adults, Koenraad Cuypers et al, 2011.
2 Are variations in rates of attending cultural activities associated with population health in the United States?, Anna Wilkinson et al, 2007.
3 Attendance at cultural events, reading books or periodicals, and making music or singing in a choir as determinants for survival, Lars Olov Bygren et al, 1996.
4 Attending cultural events and cancer mortality: A Swedish cohort study, Lars Olov Bygren et al, 2009.
Other sources of arts statistics
About Performing Arts Presentation
The essential information on arts presentation in a simple facts sheet.
Arts Facts
Recent and relevant statistics compiled by CAPACOA for the Canadian Arts Coalition, for the 2011 Arts Day on the Hill.
Arts Research Monitor
Database of research on the arts, indexed by theme.
