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Young Queenslanders’ engagement with arts and culture

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This summary of data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides insights into how young Queenslanders aged between the ages of 5 years and 14 years are engaging in the arts, as active participants and audience members, outside of school hours.

Creative activities included drama, singing or playing a musical instrument, dancing, visual arts and craft, creative writing and creating digital content.

Highlights

  • 1 in 2 Queenslanders aged 5 to 14 years participated in a creative activity outside school hours in 2021-2022.
  • 8 in 10 Queenslanders aged 5 to 14 years attended at least one cultural venue or event outside of school hours.
  • Participation in creative activities and attendance at cultural venues and events varies with age.

Data summary

In 2021-2022, more than half of Queenslanders aged 5 to 14 years participated in a cultural activity outside of school hours (54.1%), a decline from 56.4% in 2017-2018. This slight decline is attributed to the impact of COVID and restrictions on some activities for the 2021-2022 collection.

Activities with the highest participation rates included:  arts and craft activities (32.8%); creative writing (17.6%); and singing or playing a music instrument (17.4%).

Figure 1. Participation in creative activities by Queenslanders aged 5–14 years, by activity type and year

Bar graph comparing participation in creative activities in 2017-2018 and 2021-2022. Bars for 2017-2018: Drama activities: 6.9%, Singing or playing a musical instrument: 20.3%, Dancing: 14.1%, Arts and craft activities: 32.8%, Creative writing 18.2%, Creating digital content: 12.9%. Bars for 2021-2022: Drama activities: 4.2%, Singing or playing a musical instrument: 17.4%, Dancing: 12.1%, Arts and craft activities: 32.8%, Creative writing: 17.6%, Creating digital content: 12.9%

Girls were more likely than boys to participate in cultural activities (59.8% compared to 48.9%) in 2021-2022.

Visual arts and craft activities had the highest participation rate across every age group. Participation in activities such as drama, dancing and visual arts and craft activities declined with age. In contrast, fewer 5-to-8-year-olds were likely to sing or play a musical instrument or create digital content than other age groups.

Figure 2: Participation in creative activities by Queenslanders aged 5–14 years in 2021-2022, by activity type and age group

Bar graph comparing participation in creative activities for different age groups, 5-8 years, 9-11 years and 12-14 years. Graphs shows that engagement in different activities varies with age. 

During 2021-2022, 8 in 10 Queensland children (82%) aged 5 to 14 attended at least one cultural venue or event outside of school hours, representing a decline from 93%. The decline is attributed to the impact of COVID restrictions.

Cinemas remained the most common cultural venue attended (69%), followed by libraries and archives (38.7%) and attending a performing arts event (34.6%).

Figure 3. Attendance at cultural venues and events by Queenslanders aged 5–14 years by activity type and year

Bar graph comparing attendance at cultural venues and events in 2017-18 and 2021-22. Venues and events include art galleries, museums, libraries and archives, cinemas and performing arts events. Graph highlights decline in attendance across all areas.

Cinemas are the only type of venue where attendance increases with age. While libraries and archives were the second most visited venues across all age groups, attendance did decline with age.

Figure 4: Attendance at cultural venues and events by Queenslanders aged 5–14 years, by activity and age group

Bar graph comparing attendance at cultural venues and events for different age groups. Venue and events include Art galleries, museums, libraries and archives, cinemas and performing arts events. Graph shows cinemas are the most popular with all age groups. Attendance declines for all categories

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About this research

The Cultural Participation and Attendance Survey is a topic on the Multipurpose Household Survey conducted throughout Australia from July 2021 to June 2022 by the ABS.

Survey participants were asked questions in relation to the previous 12-month period at the time of interview. As a result, the reference period for the Cultural Activities 2021-2022 data spans from July 2020 to June 2022.  This period corresponds with the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the survey may be impacted by measures put in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The survey was collected on behalf of the arts and culture ministers across Australia, represented by the Cultural and Creative Statistics Working Group. The data was released in 2023.

Further information about the data including methodology can be found on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.

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Last updated:
22 October 2025