Most Australians go to the movies at least once a year, but it’s the six million library goers who keep going back for more, according to a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
ABS Director of Education, Training and Culture Statistics, Michelle Ducat, said: “While more Australians go to the movies than any other cultural venue or event, it’s library goers who are racking up the most visits, with a third of attendees visiting libraries more than 10 times in the 12 month period.”
“Only 14 per cent of movie-goers opted for the big screen this often,” Ms Ducat said.
Live music concerts and performances were also popular, with 38 per cent of Australians going to at least one performance in the 12 month period.
Live music was especially popular for young Australians, with 48 per cent of people aged 18-24 attending at least one performance in 2017-18.
“We found that people in high income households had the highest attendance rates at cultural activities, at 93 per cent, while those in the lowest income quintile had the lowest attendance rate, at 68 per cent,” Ms Ducat said.
Overall, those living in households with dependent children reported a higher rate of attendance (89 per cent) compared to those living in couple-only households (79 per cent) and people living alone (73 per cent).
Meanwhile, attendance rates are generally lower for older age groups, with a 91 per cent attendance rate for people aged 18-24 years compared with 56 per cent rate for people aged 75 years and over.
