This report summarises results for Northern England from the first wave of The Audience Agency’s COVID-19 Monitor.

The Audience Agency's COVID-19 Cultural Participation Monitor is a nationally-representative online survey of the UK population and their experiences and responses to COVID, particularly in relation to cultural engagement. The wave 1 sample of 6,055 responses was carried out between Oct and Nov 2020.

This report draws out some headline figures and key differences for Northern England, compared to the UK overall, or other nations and regions.

Download the Northern Audiences Summary Report with Charts


Summary of Findings

  • NW and YH had levels of arts and cultural engagement before COVID than were in line with the UK average, but levels dropped further in NE since March 2020 than overall (esp. for literature). Creative activities also dropped more in NE, less in NW and in line with UK in YH.
  • As of the beginning of November, COVID appears to have had less impact in YH and more in NW in terms of time and money available to people. NW more people faced local lockdowns and saw financial drops.
  • Similar proportions are ready to start attending in person than the UK average, though slightly lower in NE.

Experience During COVID

  • NW saw higher financial drops than across the UK as a whole, while NE lower: YH similar proportions with ‘about the same’ amount of money as UK before COVID.
  • A slightly higher proportion of NE had less time than UK before COVID, and NW slightly more time.
  • Northern England was more likely to have faced a local lockdown, highest for the NW.
  • A similar proportion were shielding and lived in households with children.

In Person Engagement

  • 29% NE, 30% NW and 34% YH had attended any arts/heritage since Mar 2020, NE and NW below the overall UK average of 34%: 85 and 88 cf. to an index of 100.
  • NE and NW were notably lower than SE and London, and most similar to EM.
  • In the 12 months before, Northern England was similar to the UK average.
  • Attendance in NE dropped further than overall, compared to pre-March 2020 level, especially for literature.
  • YH and NW were similar to UK average, with a notably higher level for literature in the NW.

Creative Activities - NE

Comparing creative activities before and after March 2020, four things stand out:

  • Almost all activities were done by fewer people*
  • NE read for pleasure at lower than average levels before, but increased (more) after March
  • Fewer NE visited libraries before March, but increased at average levels after March
  • Overall, the activity levels of NE have reduced more than those for the UK overall.

For other activities:

  • Most were done less in NE before March 2020
  • But most had fallen more in NE than elsewhere since March 2020
  • The overall ranking of activities is very similar between NE the whole of the UK (although more elsewhere do ‘crafts and visual arts’)

Creative Activities - NW

Comparing creative activities before and after March 2020, four things stand out:

  • Almost all activities were done by fewer people*
  • NW visited libraries (slightly) more before March, but was in line with average levels since March 2020
  • NW read for pleasure at (slightly) higher than average levels before, but increased in line with elsewhere since
  • Overall, the activity levels of NW have reduced less than those for the UK overall.

For other activities:

  • Most were done (slightly) more in NW before March 2020
  • But most had fallen had fallen at similar levels than elsewhere since March 2020
  • The overall ranking of activities is very similar between NW the whole of the UK (although more in NW do ‘organised singing, am dram. or dance’)

Creative Activities - YH

Comparing creative activities before and after March 2020, four things stand out:

  • Almost all activities were done by fewer people*
  • YH read for pleasure at average levels before, and increased in line with elsewhere since March 2020
  • Fewer YH visited libraries before March, but that proportion increase in line with average levels after
  • Overall, the activity levels of YH have reduced in line with the UK overall.

For other activities:

  • Most were done at the same level in YH before March 2020
  • But most had fallen (slightly) more in YH than elsewhere since March 2020
  • The overall ranking of activities is very similar between YH and the whole of the UK (although more elsewhere do ‘written stores, poetry, plays or music’)

Online Engagement since March 2020

  • 29% NE, 30% NW and 29% YH watched a performance/ event online since March 2020; 8% NE, 10% NW and 8% YH had taken part in an online activity.
  • The former were below the overall UK averages of 33% and the later similar at 9%.
  • In the previous 12 months 39% NE, 46% NW and 44% YH (cf. 45% UK overall) had watched anything, so most of the lockdown difference reflects existing digital engagement levels.

The proportion NE/NW/YH who had paid for digital content by the following means were:

  • 18%/18%/16% — Bought ticket/fixed price
  • 12%/22%/19% — Donated/pay what you like
  • 10%/9%/12% — Part of paid membership

These were similar to overall UK averages of 17%, 19%, 11%, NE below average for ‘Donated/pay what you like’.


Future Engagement

The % who are currently ‘in play’ (i.e. who have booked, or are interested in booking) for ANY art and heritage activity of those listed (see next page) was:

  • c.4% lower in NE than the overall average.
  • NW and YH similar to overall average.

The % ‘in play’ for each artform (i.e. who have booked, or are interested in booking) is also c. 4% NE, 1% NW and 0% YH lower than the overall average.Exceptions are:

  • NW children/family arts
    event incl. pantomime[+3%]
  • YH other arts event [+3%]

Download the Northern Audiences Summary Report with Charts

More details are available from The Audience Agency on request.