News – Survey maps NI audience profile

The findings from the first dedicated survey of attendance at, participation in and attitudes towards arts and culture in Northern Ireland since the early 1990s show that the proportion of adults attending at least one arts or cultural event last year was 73%, a figure comparable with the findings of similar surveys commissioned by the Arts Councils in England, Scotland and Wales.
Among a wide range of attitudinal findings, the report reveals that men were more likely than women to cite ?a lack of interest? as a reason preventing them from attendance or participation (32% compared to 22%). Conversely, women were more likely than men to identify, family commitments / childcare and health as barriers. The results from the survey will be used as an evidence base on which policy initiatives will be built and progress against strategic objectives measured. The survey will be repeated every two years to provide a comparison against this baseline survey. Arts and Culture in Northern Ireland 2004 Baseline Survey is available to download at http://www.artscouncil-ni.org