Performing Art Statistics

The main source of funding for presenters at the federal level is the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. The program supported 600 presenting organizations in 257 communities, with a combined attendance of over $20 million in 2011-2012.1 It delivered grants and contributions totalling $29 million in 2013- 2014.2 For every dollar invested by the program, an average of $8.50 is directly spent in the Canadian economy.

3 Sources: 1 Canada, Grouped Arts Evaluation: Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF), Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF), Canada Cultural Investment Fund (CCIF), 2014.  2 Canadian Conference of the Arts, Canadian Arts Coalition and Saskatchewan Arts Alliance, Budget 2014: Culture and the Arts, 2014.  3 Canada, Grouped Arts Evaluation, 2014.

3 in 4 Canadians (75%) attended a performing arts performance by professional artists in 2011.

•   44% attended a theatrical performance, such as a drama, musical theatre, dinner theatre, comedy;
•   42% attended a popular musical performance such as pop, rock, jazz, blues, folk, country and western;

•   20% attended a symphonic or classical music performance;
•   15% attended a dance performance.

86% of Canadians are accessing performing arts presentations via television, Internet or other media channels. Yet, they are twice as likely to ascribe a high importance to live performing arts attendance than to any media-based consumption. 79% of Canadians say they would miss it if there were no live, professional performing arts available in their community (21% to a moderate extent and 58% to a high extent). Source: EKOS Research Associates, Survey of the General Public, The Value of Presenting, 2012.

•  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.

Source : WolfBrown, Ontario Arts Engagement Study, 2011.

• 37% of Canadians (10.4 million) attended a cultural or artistic festival in 2010. This represents an increase of 57% since 2005. In comparison, Canada’s gross domestic product grew by 18.3% over the same period.

Source : Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2010. Economic Impact of the Performing Arts

Source: Statistics Canada, Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators, 2016, 2018. Note: These figures are estimated using a product perspective. They include all performing arts and presenting goods and/or services across the economy regardless of the producing industry. The Culture indicators also provides figures estimated using the industry perspective, which considers all inputs and outputs in culture industries, including culture and non-culture products.

•  International visitors spent $220 million in direct spending for live performance events in Canada in 2016 ($188 million for performing arts events and $32 million for festivals and celebrations). This represents 1.1% of total tourism spending and 6.4% of non-tourism commodities (expenses other than travel, accommodation and food). This is more than for any other culture and sports sub- domains, including organized sports ($171 million).

•   9 in 10 Canadians believe they get personal benefits out of attending professional performing arts. Most perceive the main benefit to be the entertainment experience of it (84%), but other benefits are recognized, such as emotional, spiritual or intellectual stimulation, an opportunity to experience something new, providing exposure to different cultures, and providing an opportunity to socialize.
•   2 in 3 Canadians (65%) believe that the community as whole benefits more or, as much as individual attendees from the presentation of the performing arts.
•   Canadians believe that the presentation of performing arts brings energy and vitality to communities, improves quality of life and well-being of residents, makes communities more creative and fosters a stronger sense of pride and identity.

•   Canadians who regularly attend live music are almost twice as likely to have stronger sense of belonging to their city or town compared to those who don’t attend.
•   Canadians who rate arts, culture and leisure in their community as “excellent” are nearly 3 times more likely to report a “very strong” sense of belonging to their city or town.
•   9 in 10 Ontarians strongly agree or somewhat agree that arts experiences help bring people from diverse backgrounds together as a community
•   Just under 9 in 10 Ontarians strongly agree or somewhat agree that participating in arts activities builds a shared sense of community identity.
•  79% of Canadians consider that arts and heritage experiences makes them feel part of their local community. Source: Nanos Research, Impressions of the Impact of the Arts on Quality of Life and Well-Being in Ontario, 2017.

Public Benefits of Performing Arts Facilities

•  Canadians believe that performing arts venues provide community-wide benefits, such as improved quality of life (87% say moderate to high importance), fostering a sense of community pride (87%), contributing to economic development (88%), and greater community safety through increased activity at night (60%).

•   People who attend theatre, pop music concerts or cultural festivals are up to 32% more likely to report very good or excellent health, even accounting for other factors.1
•   People who attend theatre/dance and pop or classical concerts are more likely to report good health and quality of life, even after adjusting for other factors.2
•   People who attend concert, theatre or film are significantly healthier, have lower anxiety and are less subject to depression.3

•   The more frequently people attend performing arts and other receptive arts, the more likely they are to report good health.3,4
•   Attending concerts and theatre increases perceived vitality.5,6
•   Attending cultural events is linked with longevity. People who rarely attend such events run a nearly60% higher mortality risk than those attending most often.7
•   Rare and moderate cultural events attendees in urban areas are 3 times more likely to die of cancer over time than frequent attendees.

•   Canadians volunteered 107 million hours for arts and culture organizations in 2013. This is the equivalent to 56,000 full-time jobs.
•   Those Canadians who volunteered gave on average more time for arts and culture than any other sector in 2013 (120 hours).
•   Between 2004 and 2013, the number of volunteers in arts and culture organizations increased by 23%, much higher than the 7% increase in all volunteers.
•   One million Canadians (3%) donated $162 million to arts and culture organizations in 2013.
•   The total donations and the number of donors have increase at higher pace for arts and cultureorganization than for other not-for-profit organizations between 2007 and 2013 (respectively 46 vs. 16% and 34 vs. 6%).