DANZ QUARTERLY No 10 December 2007

Reviews

Book Reviews

by Tania Kopytko

Creative New Zealand has recently published a variety of arts research which is useful for understanding the Arts industries and when presenting arguments for proposals.

New Zealanders and the Arts: Attitudes, Attendance and Participation in 2005
This research, published in 2006, explores attendance of arts events. 1375 adults and 104 10–14 year olds were interviewed. 87% of the respondents agreed that the Arts are enjoyable, 51% said the Arts are part of their family’s life and 64% attended performing arts events with family and friends in the past 12 months, 49% having attended 2 or 3 times. Of the low attendees, some respondents said they would attend more often if someone encouraged or organised it for them. There were high ratings on the importance of the Arts to New Zealanders.

Unfortunately for dance, it is lumped in with performing arts and listed here as ballet or contemporary dance, whereas Maori arts and Pacific arts sectors include kapa haka or traditional dance. The research has not pulled all the dance sectors together to give what would be a highly useful picture of the entirety of dance in New Zealand.

Asian Aucklanders and the Arts: Attitudes, Attendance and Participation in 2006

This is a beautifully presented publication with interesting research emerging from a small sample. It counts Asian (Chinese, Indian, Korean and Japanese) attendance to New Zealand Arts and participation. It provides good demographic statistics for future population growth and explores barriers to attending for people who do value the Arts. Dance is mentioned as an artform that is valued and in which participation is enjoyed, a significant point for dance productions and studios to take on board.

Both publications can be ordered from CNZ or downloaded from:  www.creativenz.govt.nz

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