New Creative Australia survey reveals record cultural participation amid growing cost barriers.
According to new research by Creative Australia, Aussies are embracing arts and culture in record numbers, with 74 per cent attending at least one live event or festival in the past year.
That’s 15.4 million people, the highest figure since Creative Australia’s National Arts Participation Survey began in 2009. The findings paint a picture of a nation deeply invested in creativity, even as financial pressures reshape access.
Creative Australia Survey
- 74% of Australians attended a live arts event or festival in 2025, the highest rate since tracking began in 2009
- Cost is now the top barrier for 60% of people, with 55% missing events they wanted to see
- Australians who received school-based arts education are far more likely to stay engaged as adults
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Yet cost remains a stubborn gatekeeper. 60 per cent of respondents named ticket prices as the biggest barrier to attendance, up from previous years, while more than half missed out on desired events due to expense. Despite this, overall engagement is thriving, with 98 per cent of Australians connecting with the arts in some form, whether through live shows, reading, creating or digital platforms.
The survey highlights how early exposure matters. Those taught an artform at school show significantly higher lifelong participation rates across attendance, reading and personal creation. Arts access for children and young people has now become the public’s top priority for arts investment, ahead of free events.
Positive sentiment toward the arts stays strong, with 93 per cent holding favourable views and 86 per cent recognising benefits to society, the economy and personal wellbeing. Participation in culturally relevant arts also rose, from 32 per cent in 2022 to 40 per cent in 2025, while attendance at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events hit one in three Australians.
Music discovery is shifting too, with streaming platforms now matching radio as the main way people find new sounds. Classical music, musical theatre and cabaret are gaining ground, and reading continues its resurgence across formats, boosted by social media communities like BookTok.
On artificial intelligence, opinions are divided. Two in five have used AI tools for creative ideas, yet 82 per cent want disclosure when it’s used, and many question its authenticity as “real” art.
Creative Australia’s research underscores a clear message: Australians love the arts and value their impact, but affordability will determine how inclusive that love remains. With nine million people actively creating art, the cultural sector’s future looks vibrant, provided barriers don’t keep rising.
To read the survey, head here.
