State of the Arts Survey Aotearoa Sept-Oct 2021

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Executive Summary

This report presents the findings from an online survey of those in the creative sector in Tāmaki Makaurau, between September-October 2021. In total there were 159 respondents from Tāmaki Makaurau and the results are discussed below

Creative freelancers dominated the Tāmaki Makaurau sample: More respondents reported being a creative freelancer (49%) than any other role in the creative sector. This was followed by leaders of a creative not-for-profit (29%), and unpaid creative individuals (19%).

Performing and visual arts were strongly represented in Tāmaki Makaurau respondents: Tāmaki Makaurau respondents were active in many creative areas. Performing arts was the most prominent area reported (50%), followed by visual arts (45%) and screen (25%).

Tāmaki Makaurau respondents have shifted towards a more pessimistic view about their financial position: Respondents rated their outlook on whether their creative work would support their financial position in the next 12 months (from 1 meaning very pessimistic to 6 meaning very optimistic). Compared to the June-July survey, pessimism increased from 36% to 54%, and optimism dropped from 62% to 45%, indicating a shift towards a pessimistic view.

A majority of Tāmaki Makaurau respondents expected to either increase or maintain their current staff or contractor numbers: For respondents where this question was applicable, nearly half expected to take on new staff or contractors (44%), followed by 34% who expected levels to stay the same. Findings were consistent with the previous June-July survey results.

Tāmaki Makaurau respondents’ views on achieving their creative goals shifted to become more pessimistic: Respondents rated their outlook on whether they would achieve their own or their organisations’ creative goals in the next 12 months (from 1 meaning very pessimistic to 6 meaning very optimistic). Compared to the June-July survey, pessimism increased from 23% to 41%, and optimism dropped from 75% to 58%, indicating a shift towards a pessimistic view.

Tāmaki Makaurau respondents tended to report that audience appetite for their creative work had decreased: With 34% reporting audience appetite being the same as usual, 29% reporting that it had increased and 25% reporting that it was less. Overall, the average rating was 2.0 out of 3. This is lower than the average rating of the June-July survey (2.3), where perceptions of audience appetite was captured at an Alert Level 1 setting.

The timeframe that Tāmaki respondents expected to be impacted by the latest COVID-19 lockdowns was largely between four months to two years: Nearly all (96%) respondents reported being affected by the latest COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdowns. A majority of respondents indicated

their creative work would be impacted by more than six months (51%), with 18% indicating seven months to one year, 24% indicating one to two years, and 9% indicating two years or more.

Recognition of the role arts, culture and creativity plays in a COVID environment and emergency funding were most important to Tāmaki Makaurau respondents: Creatives were asked a series of statements about what is important for the arts, culture, and creative sector as it faces ongoing

disruption from COVID-19 (from 1 meaning strongly disagree to 4 meaning strongly agree). Statements that were most important to respondents where 90% or more either strongly agreed or agreed were: Recognition of the role arts, culture, and creativity plays in a COVID environment; Emergency relief / resilience funding to support core operations during Alert Levels 4, 3, 2; and mental health and wellbeing support.

Qualitative themes that emerged from respondent feedback included the following:

• A call for changes to funding priorities and processes

• Suggestions for new strategies and approaches to support the creative sector

• Adapting to the COVID environment

• Concerns about financial security

• Greater recognition of the value of the arts

• The importance of the independent sector, such as organisations working outside of large arts organisations and businesses, and freelancers in the sector.