The Governments ongoing survey to assess levels of participation and attendance in cultural and sporting activity has been overhauled to include a more extensive list of eligible arts activities. The latest figures have been compiled with the addition of culturally specific carnival and dance events, live music including contemporary and pop music events, and video or electronic art. The list of activities eligible for calculations of participation in arts activity now includes singing, photography and film-making.
The redrawing of the list had a dramatic effect on the reporting of arts attendance. Without the new categories, arts attendance among Black and minority ethnic respondents was recorded at 7.2% but this increased to 18.6% when the new activities were included. The survey, set up last July and designed to provide an ongoing assessment of the nations cultural habits, will be used as a benchmark by which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport can measure its future performance in encouraging take-up of cultural activity by targeted groups: older people, those on lower incomes, those with disabilities and Black and minority ethnic respondents.
Published: 10-04-2006