Arts and Culture - The Status Of The Performing Arts

Performing Arts Attendance

The previous panels have shown our favorite cultural events and activities. The performing arts continue to occupy the bottom of the scale. Why? Who attends the opera, symphonies and theatre? Does "Middle America" have access to this type of entertainment?

A look at the panel above shows the rocky histories of some segments of the performing arts. Symphonies have seen some decline in attendance, but still are the most popular form of performance entertainment. Opera attendance appears to be returning to peak level achieved in 1992; nonprofit theatres saw full houses until 1994, saw a drop-off, and now see audiences returning. The "Great White Way" of Broadway has seen record attendance levels. These industries have seen budgets get cut and expenses soar. Who has been attending?

Performing arts do seem to speak to a narrow segment of the population. Take Broadway shows, for example: according to a study by the League of American Theatres and Producers, the majority of theatregoers were women (61%, a figure consistent for two decades), and their average age was 40. Roughly three-quarters of theatregoers over the age of 25 had completed college, and 36% held a graduate degree (about 21% of the U.S. population have completed college). The average annual household income was $94,000 and, most significantly, roughly 80% of them were white.

Similar trends can be found in other areas. According to statistics from the National Endowment for the Arts, those who attended a concert or an opera were most likely to be women, of the Baby Boomer generation, affluent and white (although more Asians reported attending the opera, which perhaps isn't surprising considering the medium's rich history in some cultures).

Some effort has been made to bring more diverse product to the stage. In some cases it has paid off as well. There has been a 140% increase in the number of Broadway theatregoers under the age of 18 for example, from 500,000 attendees in 1991 to 1.2 million in 2000.

The number of new productions on Broadway has been fairly consistent over the period. However, new productions by opera companies are up 12% from 1985 and 1997. Symphonies did even better; there was a 38% increase in shows over the period. These groups all saw boosts in income as well. A closer look at attendance figures shows how strong the support can be. Figures show the increase in millions of visitors.

Change in Attendance 1985 and 1997

The most startling point shown above is that Broadway tours have seen an increase of 120% in attendance. This type of entertainment is finding its way to us and we are supporting it. But how many regions have suitable venues for such performances? How many people still have to drive some distance to see a concert or attend the theatre? Are some people kept away from downtown because they perceive it as unsafe at night?

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States, Washington D.C., 1999; "Who Goes to Broadway?" Retrieved November 16, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.livebroadway.com.