Australia's Arts and Entertainment Sector underpins cultural and social innovation, improves the quality of community life, is essential to maintaining our cities as world class attractors of talent and investment, and helps create ‘Brand Australia’ in the global marketplace of ideas (QUT Creative Industries Faculty 2010). The sector makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy. So what is the size and nature of this contribution?

The Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology recently conducted an exercise to source and present statistics in order to produce a data picture of Australia’s Arts and Entertainment Sector. The exercise involved gathering the latest statistics on broadcasting, new media, performing arts, and music composition, distribution and publishing as well as Australia’s performance in world markets. Here are some highlights from the exercise:

• Australians spent $21.8 billion on entertainment and media in 2009
• The average Australian household spent $36.40 a week on culture in 2003/2004
• Australia’s digital recorded music market is estimated to increase from US$83 million in 2009 to $US281 million in 2014 (representing a compound annual growth rate of $27.6%), making it the fastest growing digital recorded music market in the Asia Pacific region, which includes China
• Australia received $88 million in TV royalties in 2008/2009
• 4.4 million Australians listen to community radio each week
• The number of mobile internet subscribers in Australia is estimated to increase from 280,000 in 2009 to 3.5 million in 2014.
• Australians spent on average 57 hours online in the June quarter 2009 compared to 47 hours in the June quarter 2008
• 31% of Australians 15 years & over surveyed as part of the 2009 Australia Council for the Arts study on participation in the Arts used the internet to research, view or create any kind of music, writing or artistic performance
• 15.2 million Australians attended performing arts venues and events in 2005/2006
• 277,600 people were involved in paid/unpaid performing arts roles in 2003/2004
• 72% of creative & performing arts businesses made a profit, 2007/08.