Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi

View Original

State of the Arts Survey Aotearoa Sept-Oct 2021

Click here to read the full report.

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.