Almost a quarter of all adults in England have not engaged in the arts in the past 12 months, believing that “the arts are not for people like me”, according to the latest analysis from Taking Part, the continuous survey of adults in England that has been running since 2005. Despite a number of audience engagement interventions over the same time period, established patterns continue, with people with disabilities and those from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds significantly less likely to engage. There is a 17 percentage point difference between the arts attendance level of those with and without a limiting disability, illness or infirmity, and a 12 percentage point difference between people who define their ethnic group as white and those who define themselves as having a Black or minority ethnic background. The research shows that there is no statistically significant age difference in overall arts engagement up to the age of 74, raising questions about the decision to resource initiatives such as A Night Less Ordinary over those that address the practical and psychological barriers that reduce engagement from other demographic groups.
