Australia's 29 major performing arts companies continue to show steady growth across key financial and artistic indicators, according to the latest report from the Australia Council for the Arts.

The Securing the Future report showed that in 2006 the companies achieved 2.1 million capital city mainstage attendances, mounted 68 new mainstage works, raised approximately $152.2 million at the box office and presented 4400 education performances to 708,000 students.

The annual Securing the Future report has tracked the progress of flagship theatre, dance, opera and orchestral companies since 2001 against indicators established by the Australian Government's Major Performing Arts Inquiry of 1999.

Australia Council chief executive Kathy Keele said the results represented a continuation of the strong gains made across the sector over the previous six years.