Equity and Access

Latest Insights | September 2022

Although general willingness to attend in person arts and culture is up, the vulnerability gap seems to be widening.

Older people and those with disabilities or long term health conditions remain the most cautious about 'getting back to normal', while under-25 year-olds are leading the return charge.

Those who identify as disabled/(D/d)eaf/having a long-term health condition (from now on ‘disabled’) are less likely to say they are back to normal in attending events and are even more likely to say they’ll attend events more locally.
Normal attendance levels are driven by the 16-24 age group, where over half agree they are back to normal.
Back to normal attitudes and attendance are also much higher in Asian/Asian British people.
As expected, the over 65s are more likely to say they won’t attend cultural events as often in the future.

Almost half of people say that they are worse off now than they were pre-pandemic, and 81% are worried about the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on themselves and their households.

Those who ‘strongly agree’ that they are worried about the cost-of-living crisis are more likely to be: women (51%); 25-55 years old (52%); those with children (53%); and disabled people (56%).

Metroculturals and Commuterland Culturebuffs are slightly less likely to be worried about the cost-of-living crisis, as are retirees, only 30% of whom ‘strongly agree’ that they are concerned about its effect on their lifestyle.
Typically mid-to-low engaged Audience Spectrum segments are the most concerned about the impact of cost-of-living, with family and less urban groups expecting to reduce out-of-home entertainment spend the most.

Concerningly, the Audience Spectrum groups who returned disproportionately strongly to in-person arts attendance over the past year, are now the ones saying that they expect their leisure spend to be hit the most by the cost-of-living crisis.

This poses a potential threat to the sector's post-Covid recovery, which has so far fared better than many feared.
This crossover is most notable for Frontline Families, Trips & Treats, Dormitory Dependables, and Experience Seekers.

All equity and access reports

Impact of the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Findings from the Cultural Participation Monitor paint a predictably concerning picture of how people expect the cost-of-living crisis to affect their in-person cultural attendance.

Disabled Audiences Post Covid

Considering how the pandemic has changed the way that disabled audiences intend to engage in the future.

Focus on Disability

Feelings of societally imposed restriction are old news for audiences with disabilities, which is perhaps partly why they have been so ready to embrace culture differently through COVID.

Re-opening for every kind of audience

Arts Council England has stated that “a good opening is an inclusive reopening” and The Audience Agency very much agrees.

Inequality through COVID

Looking at Cultural Participation Monitor data to see who is more negatively impacted and how that relates to, or exacerbates, previously existing and ongoing inequalities in audiences.