Increased attendance at NSW cultural venues and events

Collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Commissioned for the opening of the Yiribana Gallery, 1994 Copyright © Estate of Roy Wiggan. Installation view of the 21st Biennale of Sydney (2018) at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Photograph: Zan Wimberley.

Attendance at NSW cultural venues and events has increased by 22.9% since 2014-15.

Increasing attendance at cultural venues and events in NSW by 15 per cent by 2019 is one of 30 priorities for the State to grow the economy, deliver infrastructure, protect the vulnerable and improve health, education and public services.

The Department of Planning and Environment, through Create NSW, was the lead agency for delivering on this priority and it is pleasing to note that we have exceeded the 15 percent target.

In 2017/18, which was the last year of reporting for the priority, attendance at select NSW cultural venues and events was 16.3 million. This represented an increase of 22.9 per cent from the 2014/15 baseline, well over the 15 per cent target.

The below table shows annual attendance figures during the reporting period.

Annual attendance figures.

^{The State Priority measures attendance at Cultural Institutions (onsite and offsite), State Significant Organisations, Major Festivals, Screen supported events, select Western Sydney venues and Destination NSW supported events.}

Published: 21 February 2019