The fine art of juggling
- 16 Jun 2014
Arts Queensland’s analysis of quantitative data from the annual reports of its funded small to medium arts and cultural organisations from 2005 to 2012 is now available.
The data which is presented as aggregated data (PDF) (428.63 KB) and in graph form includes income sources, expenditure, the number and types of activities undertaken by different organisations, levels of audience engagement and community participation and employment opportunities.
The Arts for all Queenslander strategy 2014-2018 and Arts and Cultural Investment Framework signal a fresh approach to the Queensland Government’s investments in arts and culture. The aims of the strategy are to grow the arts sector, strengthen the community of arts and, ultimately, engage more Queenslanders in more arts and cultural experiences.
The publication of data trends over a six-year period represents the first step in developing a shared understanding of how well positioned the small to medium sector is delivering on the Arts for all Queenslanders strategy and its priorities. This publication does not take into account the wealth of qualitative data contained in the outcome reports which would complete the story of its contribution to the quality of life and economy of Queensland. The new outcome reports will make this analysis easier to present in a form that communicates to a wide audience.
The key findings of Arts Queensland’s analysis are:
Income trends (PDF) (425.63 KB)
Overall there was little variation in the relative proportions of income from different sources, with total government funding continuing to represent in percentage terms just over half of all income. A positive trend in terms of leverage was the five percentage increase in sponsorship and philanthropy income. Activity (earned) income as a percentage, however, remained fairly static. Nonetheless, the overall return on Queensland Government investments was good, averaging around $3 for every $1 invested.
Expenditure trends (PDF) (418.2 KB)
There was a similar story of consistency over time in regard to expenditure trends, with salary expenditure making up the largest component. What was interesting from a business transformation perspective, was that as income grew, so proportionally did expenditure on programs and services, suggesting organisations in the main tended to invest time and resources ‘in’ their businesses (delivering more activities to more people) rather than ‘on’ their businesses (increasing their resilience through planned growth).
Activity and attendance trends (PDF) (405.54 KB)
The data appears to support the above premise that activity and attendance levels increased in proportion to the growth in income and expenditure. From a reach perspective, the small to medium sector represented excellent public value, engaging over 11.4 million attendees and participants from around the state over the six year period. This equated to a Queensland Government investment of $6.34 per attendee/participant. Of significance was the growth in workshop activity for both professionals and the community, a positive contribution to strengthening the community of arts.
Employment trends (PDF) (397.34 KB)
The trends here were not so positive, with the number of full-time employee equivalents almost halving over the six year period. This could in part be attributed to efficiency gains through increased use of digital technologies. However, it is not only the loss of employment opportunities that is of concern, but also the increased workload for the remaining employees, especially when programs and services have been expanding. Volunteer trends were variable, and in some instances were related to one-off large-scale events.
Featured image: Malabarismos en Lisboa