It is the second largest sector in Australia, second to NSW which contributed $586.5 million to the NSW state economy.
The study, prepared by EY (formerly Ernst & Young) for peak music association Live Performance Australia (LPA) is based on 2012 figures. It was LPA’s second study of the economic size and scope of the sector, which it found is nationally worth $2.5 billion. It has 34,131 employees, which is greater than the 20,439 people employed in film and video as their main job.
The June 2014 study is broader in scope than the first one in 2010, which was based on 2008 data. It includes the key organisations of the Australia Council for the Arts, and regional and metropolitan venues that are members of the Australian Performing Arts Centre Association (APACA).
The study also shows that the live performance industry’s Value Added – that is, the market value of goods and services produced by an industry, after deducting the cost of goods and services used – is $1.53 billion. That is more than that of film, television and digital games. Victoria’s share was 27.6% worth $693.8 million – second only to NSW which had a 38.4% share worth $967.4 million.
Contemporary music was the largest of sectors, with a national output of $830.9 million. It had 36.9% share in value added, contributing $564 million to the Australian economy. Musical theatre was second, creating an output of $371.8 million and value add of $186.3 million, representing 12.2% of the total value add of the live performance industry.
