The Next Generation of Voters

Young middle Australians talk A New Approach Arts, Culture and Creativity (ANA) Acknowledgments About ANA A New Approach (ANA) is Australia’s ANA Board first think tank dedicated to arts, culture Rupert Myer AO (Chair), Sue Cato AM and creativity, and was established (Deputy Chair), Genevieve Lacey, in 2018. ANA’s vision is for an Australia Catherine Liddle, Craig A. Limkin and that celebrates, benefits from and Cass O’Connor. invests in arts, culture and creativity for all Australians. ANA Reference Group ANA’s work informs debate, shifts beliefs Genevieve Lacey (Chair), Ben Au, and inspires better public policy. We Jane Curry, Professor John Daley leverage our unique independence and AM, Shelagh Magadza, Damien Miller, expertise to generate the evidence-led Rupert Myer AO, Alison Page, insights that underpin our contemporary, Laura Tingle and Dr Mathew Trinca AM. pragmatic and non-partisan advice. ANA acknowledges the cultures of ANA Partners Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ANA is supported by a unique peoples in Australia and their continuing collaboration of 11 philanthropic cultural and creative practices in organisations across the country. this land. This national coalition comprises:

The Next Generation of Voters  2 About this report ANA Paper No. 2021–02, August 2021 Suggested citation: Trembath, J.L., Fielding, K., August 2021. ‘The next This report was written by Dr Jodie generation of voters: Young middle Trembath and Kate Fielding from A New Australians talk arts, culture and Approach (ANA). The primary research creativity’. Insight Series. Paper underpinning it was led by Dr Stephen no. 2021–02. Produced by A New Cuttriss from the Social Research Centre, Approach (ANA). Canberra, Australia. with assistance from Louise Nisbet. © A New Approach Expert advice was provided for this report by Gerry Redmond, Professor This work is copyrighted. All material in Public Policy and researcher on published or otherwise created children and youth at Flinders University; by A New Approach think tank is Associate Professor Hernan Cuervo, licensed under a Creative Commons Melbourne Graduate School of Education, – Attribution – Non-Commercial 4.0 University of Melbourne; Dr Emma Felton, International Licence. Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice The Insight series at Queensland University of Technology; and Ben Au, Director of Policy and This paper is the sixth in ANA’s Insight Government Affairs at the Interactive series. Our Insight Reports provide a Games & Entertainment Association. deep dive into research and analysis of a particular arts and cultural policy topic or ANA thanks all the people who other area of interest. generously reviewed this paper for their time and excellent feedback, Find all our previous work at including members of ANA’s Board and www.newapproach.org.au. Reference Group. Contact us about this work via The opinions in this Insight Report do [email protected]. not necessarily represent the views of ANA’s funding partners, the individual members involved in the governance or advisory committees, or others who have provided input.

The Next Generation of Voters  3 2 Acknowledgments 66 Part 2: Discussion & implications Contents 5 Executive Summary 67 About Australian Young People 8 Summary of key findings 69 Part 2 Q1: 9 Summary of key opportunities What is ‘arts and culture’? Implications of young Australians’ 10 Introduction definitions 11 Introducing this report 76 Part 2 Q2: What is Australian arts and culture? 13 Understanding young people’s Implications of young Australians’ cultural engagement perceptions of nation building, 14 Research design: A brief overview diversity and inclusion 17 How to use this report 78 Part 2 Q3: What is the value of arts and 18 Part 1: Findings culture to society and individuals? Implications of young Australians’ 20 Part 1 Q1: perceptions of value What is ‘arts and culture’? 85 Part 2 Q4: 31 Part 1 Q2: How do the cultural and creative What is Australian arts and culture? industries work? Implications of 35 Can talking about arts and culture young Australians’ knowledge of change your perceptions of arts cultural and creative industries’ and culture? operating models 36 Part 1 Q3: 86 Concluding thoughts What is the value of arts and culture 87 Summary of key opportunities to society? 48 Part 1 Q4: What is the value of arts and culture 88 Appendices and notes to them, personally? 89 Appendix 1: 53 Part 1 Q5: About cultural engagement How do the cultural and creative 94 Appendix 2: industries work? Technical appendix – 62 Comparing generational Research design and methodology perceptions of arts and culture 100 Appendix 3: 65 Summary of key findings What we mean by arts, culture and creativity 102 Endnotes

The Next Generation of Voters  4 Executive Summary

8 Summary of key findings 9 Summary of key opportunities

The Next Generation of Voters 5 This report provides current In a nutshell – young middle Australians insights into the attitudes and How ANA defines view arts and cultural experiences as being woven into the very fabric of beliefs held by ‘young middle ‘middle Australians’ everyday life. They don’t associate arts Australians’ towards arts and § swing or undecided voters and culture with elitism – they see it as integral to a full and rounded life. As such, cultural engagement and the role § from low and middle income it plays in their lives. It includes arts and culture will play an increasingly households critical role in shaping our nation’s future the findings of a national focus § living in regional or outer direction, as the arts and culture that group study of 18–29-year-old suburban locations young Australians so enthusiastically ‘undecided voters’ from lower- engage with will have a pervasive and middle-income families, influence on how they think and behave. This will, in turn, inform both the predominantly living in outer ANA’s interest in young middle Australians stems from the role they opportunities and preferences of many suburbs, regional areas and will play in shaping our culture and the Australians in the coming decade. federal marginal electorates. national political discourse over the Young middle Australians have told us We spoke with young people coming decades. As Australia ages, that arts and culture is embedded in from every state and territory in this cohort will become one of the most every aspect of their lives, every day, in influential voting groups and will occupy Australia in the period April to almost every kind of activity. They value a key demographic for decades to come. arts and cultural engagement because it: June 2021. Currently, a disproportionately high • helps them express themselves number of Australians in this age group are undecided or unaligned swing voters. • helps them connect with others, both alike and different from them During 21 focus groups, 84 young middle • makes them feel inspired Australians from every state and territory in Australia gave us their perspectives • helps them learn new things and and perceptions on the following core think differently about the things they questions: already know. • What is ‘arts and culture’? • What is Australian arts and culture? • What is the value of arts and culture to society? • What is the value of arts and culture to them, personally? • How do the cultural and creative industries work?

The Next Generation of Voters Executive Summary 6 Engaging with arts and culture is not ANA has been calling for a National the only means they use to get those Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan to help needs met – but it’s most assuredly one Australia respond to and anticipate these of their favourites. They connected it to changes. Governments, businesses, How sporting matches are like live arts and their enjoyment of sport, their choices philanthropists, cultural organisations cultural events of fashion or interior design, their leisure and creators can all play roles in this Well, they [sportspeople] are performing. And yes, they’re competing, time and their attendance to their mental transformation. The findings of this which maybe is not an arts and culture element… But yeah, it’s about the health needs. Many connected their work with young middle Australians add community, the spectacle, the excitement, the sounds. Everything that engagement with arts and culture as fresh urgency to ensuring our public I think gives me the same sort of feelings and emotion that I experience children to their capacity to think laterally and private investments are directed when I go to a Fringe show [at the Adelaide Fringe Festival] or when I go as an adult or be innovative as an towards arts and cultural opportunities for a drink at Winter Festival down at the beach, and there’s performers employee. Critically, they felt that anyone that are relevant and significant in there and fireworks and stuff like that. I think it’s the same sort of emotions who wanted to engage in these activities twenty-first-century Australia. and feelings that I get from it. could and should be able to. This report tells the stories of young (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, ANGLO-SAXON, ACCOUNTANT) Comparing these new findings with the middle Australians’ engagement with findings of our previous focus groups arts and culture in their own words. The with middle-aged middle Australians, findings may surprise you, but not always we can see that the way Australians in the ways you might expect. At a time create, share, participate in and when a third of all young Australians consume arts and cultural content and report serious or very serious concerns experiences is changing rapidly. Digital about their mental health,1 we hope disruptions, changing demographics this report provides nuanced insights and a global cultural market are shaping into aspects of life that can bring this opportunities and preferences. This generation a sense of connectedness, has broad-reaching implications for happiness and hope. the future of Australian society. The consequences could be hugely positive if the nation strategically capitalises on these implications now.

The Next Generation of Voters Executive Summary 7 Summary of key findings

Young middle Australians think:

Finding 1 Finding 2 Finding 3 Finding 4 Finding 5 Arts and culture are The stigma that some Australia’s arts and Arts and culture are Childhood interactions embedded in and Australians attach to high cultural content should community-building with arts and culture inseparable from arts is largely absent. reflect the diversity of tools that help mitigate influence creative thinking everyday life, partly They are as keen to engage our population, and the loneliness and social in adulthood, as well as because digital and with traditional ‘high arts’ stories of our First Nations isolation. Consequently, innovation outcomes physical experiences are as they are to engage with peoples. This cohort this cohort believes in the workplace and in so thoroughly intertwined. any other kind of arts and believes arts and culture politicians and society more broadly. It is impossible for them to cultural experience, as long help deepen Australians’ governments have a However, they worry that imagine a world without as those experiences are understanding of different critical role to play in the cognitive, social and arts and culture as they accessible and the stories people and perspectives, supporting cultural and emotional benefits are access these experiences they tell feel relevant. and also help tell Australia’s creative organisations decreased when schools constantly. Any approach diverse range of stories to and industries. are poorly equipped or that treats arts and culture international audiences. choose to reduce the time as separate, or ‘add-ons’ spent on arts and culture in to daily life, will not make the classroom. sense to this cohort.

The Next Generation of Voters Executive Summary 8 Summary of key opportunities

Public policy initiatives that would serve the interests of or be supported by young middle Australians:

Opportunity 1 Opportunity 2 Opportunity 3 Opportunity 4 Opportunity 5 Opportunity 6 Prepare and Update policy, To mitigate loneliness, To support good Prioritise schemes, Take an industry implement a National regulatory and social exclusion lifelong outcomes incentives and transformation Arts, Culture and legislative settings and social isolation for young people, requirements that approach to Creativity Plan to to reflect the value among young arts and culture, support production supporting arts and inform more coherent, young middle middle Australians, and the benefits of and distribution of cultural organisations non-partisan Australians place on: prioritise using arts engaging, should be diverse Australian in pivoting to digital, policy settings and (1) making arts and and cultural activities taught consistently content and given the importance investments, and cultural experiences in existing and new at school. This is iconography that is that Australians, clarify responsibilities and infrastructure initiatives, especially especially relevant relatable to young especially young across the accessible to people in placemaking and for those from lower- middle Australians middle Australians, three levels of wherever they community-building, to middle-income in all communities are now placing on government. Digital live, (2) increasing recognising that they families and those across Australia. This digital engagement disruption, changing accessibility in the can be creators, living in outer includes drawing on with arts and culture. demographics and way public spaces consumers, suburban and Australia’s cultural a global cultural are designed, and (3) co-collaborators regional areas. inheritance to market are changing making interactive and enthusiastic This could be create international our opportunities engagement activities attendees. supplemented by public diplomacy and preferences; a priority. subsidy programs initiatives that a Plan will help for arts and cultural celebrate Indigenous Australia respond activities and/or and Torres Strait to, and anticipate, tuition to ensure Islander arts and these changes. cost is not a barrier culture as well as the to access for any diverse stories of our Australian child. multicultural nation.

The Next Generation of Voters Executive Summary 9 Introduction

In this section: 11 Introducing this report 13 Understanding young people’s cultural engagement 14 Research design: A brief overview 17 How to use this report

The Next Generation of Voters 10 educated generation will likely increase How ANA defines their expectations of transparency, personalisation and access. Introducing ‘middle Australians’ While it is easy to focus on the this report § swing or undecided voters technological details in this period of § from low and middle income change, it is the shift in how people are This report provides current households connecting to each other and ‘where’ they feel they belong that is more striking. § living in regional or outer insights into the attitudes and The challenges this presents for creating suburban locations beliefs held by ‘young middle a society that is cohesive, with a sense Australians’ towards arts and of belonging and shared identity, are cultural engagement and the role stark. These changes are not only Our oldest participants were 29 years technological: they are also cultural. it plays in their lives. It presents old, born in 1992. By 2061, they will have the findings of a national focus just joined the 23% of Australians aged Our earlier work with middle-aged, over 65 (up from 16% in 2019–20).2 middle-income swing voters in outer group study of 18–29-year-old suburbs and regional areas showed that ‘undecided voters’ from low- ANA’s interest in the views of young that cohort has an immense enthusiasm and middle-income families, middle Australian stems from the role for arts and culture, and that they place they will play in shaping both our politics predominantly living in outer a particular priority on people that and our culture over the coming decades, are younger than them being able to suburbs, regional areas and particularly as our population ages. A access arts and cultural experiences federal marginal electorates. disproportionately high percentage of to assist with connection, development young people are currently undecided or and wellbeing. swing voters.3 This new report asks what the adult Many of the young middle Australians offspring of middle Australians think. we spoke to have lived their whole lives We spoke to young people from every 4 in a world of instant, digital connection. state and territory to find out how they For their generation, their sense of define arts and culture, what role arts belonging lives in these ongoing and cultural engagement plays and interactions, and the importance they how important it is to their lives, their place on relationships is more related to communities, their families, society and shared values and worldview than it is to the economy. physical proximity. Information, data and access is automated. A privacy trade-off is assumed. As artificial intelligence tools facilitate day-to-day choices, this highly

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 11 It’s massive in my life…for young people, Many of the 18–29-year-olds saw ‘the arts’ provide: to be together, be a part of a you might expect. At a time when a third of our age, it’s huge. Living in Brisbane, it’s as encompassing everything from doodles community and to connect with others both young Australians report serious or very like, if you didn’t have the arts, that would in your sketchpad to massive murals on the like and not like them. serious concerns about their mental health,6 suck, and you would want to move to sides of buildings, from listening to music this report provides nuanced insights into These generations may have many Melbourne, which is known for its art and to dancing around your living room on a aspects of life that can bring this generation differences in their experience of life in stuff like that. It would be high on my list, Zoom call with your friends during lockdown, a sense of connectedness, happiness and Australia and their future horizons, but on if I was thinking of who to elect, and what through to attending multi-arts street hope as they navigate a life of change. this they are united: arts and culture are their stance is on the arts. festivals and the ballet. The key, uniting embedded in our way of life, and essential, As ANA continues to call for the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 29, QLD, ENGLISH/ element, as one participant described it, as one participant put it, to our ‘progression development of a National Arts, Culture AUSTRALIAN, YOUTH WORKER) was that ‘ultimately, it’s all about people. as humans’. As such, arts and culture will and Creativity Plan, we have prioritised Art is one of the most uniquely human things The findings highlight that young middle play an increasingly critical role in shaping understanding the views of this cohort that we do’. Australians, much like the generation before our nation’s future direction, as the arts of new voters to help inform necessary them, see arts and culture as central to their I think it could be anything really, it could and culture that young Australians so discussion about ensuring our public and lives. They describe their engagement with be from sculptures, to artwork, to music, enthusiastically engage with will have a private investments are directed towards arts and culture as inseparable from their to writing a book, to writing a play, maybe pervasive influence on how they think and arts and cultural opportunities that are other everyday activities – it is woven into being a director for example, creating a behave. This will, in turn, inform both the relevant and significant in Australia now the fabric of daily existence. movie. Architecture as well, I think, can opportunities and preferences of many and in 2061. be artistic. Australians in the coming decade. This is good news for Australia, because (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, TAS, engagement with arts and culture has AUSTRALIAN GERMAN EGYPTIAN HUNGARIAN, The next generation of voters: Young middle been found to have a wide range of positive PART-TIME TEACHER) Australians talk arts, culture and creativity impacts, not only on individuals but on has two parts: The key difference between the generations societies. International and Australian • In Part 1, we explore the findings from 21 of middle Australians in these two studies, research has confirmed that when young focus groups conducted with 84 young was the one that was most expected: young people engage with arts and cultural middle Australians across every state middle Australians see digital engagement activities, they develop greater resilience and territory in Australia. and self-discipline, have higher levels of as an essential part of their arts and cultural • In Part 2, we discuss the implications of motivation and better skills in emotional experience. What was perhaps surprising, these findings in light of existing research regulation, and report increased levels of however, was that digital engagement hasn’t and identify opportunities for change to emotional wellbeing and life satisfaction. replaced the importance of experiencing help build a more inclusive and relevant In addition to the positive impact these arts and culture in person, live and in arts and cultural landscape. outcomes have on their personal and proximity to others; for most, it’s just a professional lives as adults, these factors natural part of those kinds of experiences. This report tells the stories of young middle also seem to increase civic behaviours like Like their parents, young middle Australians Australians’ engagement with arts and volunteering and engaging with democratic place high value on the opportunities that culture in their own words. The findings may processes.5 in-person arts and cultural experiences surprise you, but not always in the ways

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 12 Cultural engagement among young Australians at a glance Understanding Young people have high rates of creating, actively participating in and attending arts and cultural activities. Younger Australians are great at ‘turning up’ to cultural events and venues and are more young people’s likely to attend than their older counterparts. More than 88% of male 18–34 year olds and more than 90% of females in the same age group attended a cultural event or venue cultural engagement in 2017–18.7 They are also very active in their own creativity, such as making, performing, writing and playing an instrument. In fact, 15–24 year olds have the highest frequency of participation of any Australian age group – and that doesn’t even include participation in arts and culture as part of formal study at school or university.8 Why do some young people engage with arts and culture, and others don’t? The research suggests: • sociodemographic factors like gender, age, residential location, household income etc. • physical health and disability • engagement with arts and cultural activities at school • participation in other kinds of activities and experiences, such as sport or clubs • access (especially during the Covid–19 lockdowns). Want more? Check out Appendix 1: About cultural engagement.

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 13 The people we spoke to: ‘young middle Australians’

Research design: What is a ‘young • They now live in outer suburban or middle Australian’? regional locations (irrespective of where they grew up). A brief overview Between April and June 2021, we • Neither they, nor their parents or other conducted 21 online focus groups with immediate family members, have 84 young Australians across every state worked in arts and culture as their and territory in Australia. We have called primary occupation. the participants in this study ‘young middle Australians’. This, like the term ‘middle Australians’ used in our 2020 Why focus groups? report, is a descriptive term. We use it in As mentioned, this study spoke to this report to describe people who were 84 young Australians. This would recruited to this study because they met not be a huge number if we’d been all of the following criteria: conducting a survey, but we didn’t need • They are 18–29 years old. to conduct a survey – there are already • They self-identify as ‘undecided several national surveys about young voters’ – that is, they have not yet Australians’ engagement with arts and decided who they will vote for in the culture, as we’ll discuss in Part 2 of this next federal election or have changed report. But more importantly, surveys their mind on who they will vote for at can only tell researchers information least once in the last 12 months. about the questions they’ve included in the survey; focus groups and other • Their family’s household income qualitative methods allow participants to when they were growing up was lead the discussion, meaning they often either lower (up to $70,000 per make connections and provide insights household) or middle ($70–$150,000 that the researchers didn’t even know per household). to ask about. By talking to young people • Their parents worked in ‘lower- or from every state and territory, living in middle-prestige’ occupations when both cities and regional areas, we sought they were growing up, in jobs such not to provide a representative sample, as taxi driver, gardener, painter, real but instead to explore a wide range of estate agent, retail and hospitality different perspectives from a politically roles, teachers and carers.9 and socially important Australian sub-population.

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 14 Why talk to young middle Australians? About the participants in this study Our initial interest in this cohort stemmed ideological standpoint, but they In addition to being young, undecided • 18% spoke different languages at from the descriptions middle-aged do care about how political policy voters from low- to middle-income home while growing up, including middle Australians gave about the positions are going to affect them and households, many of our participants had Hindi, Greek, Urdu, French, generational differences between the people they care about. They can other things in common: Portuguese, Mandarin and Malay. themselves and younger generations also be difficult for political parties to • Most participants were registered to • 6% identified as Aboriginal or Torres in our previous research. But there reach, especially in an era of digital vote in a marginal federal electorate. Strait Islander. are other important reasons to talk to niches and echo chambers.11 Many of the participants from • 5% mentioned having children this specific segment of the Australian • Existing research laid out later in non-marginal electorates were in (although this wasn’t a question we population: this report also shows that this the ACT, which has no marginal explicitly asked). • As Australia ages, today’s young key demographic are currently, federal seats. (See Appendix 2 • 14% were students, either in Australians will become one of the and may remain, the most active for a breakdown of participants’ secondary school, technical/ most influential voting groups and consumers, participants and electorates.) vocational school or university. will occupy a key demographic for attendees when it comes to arts and • 46% identified as male, 54% identified • All had access to an internet decades to come. cultural experiences. as female.12 connection and computer with which • A disproportionately high number Together, all these factors make young • 39% were Gen Y (or millennials), 61% to participate in the focus groups. of them are undecided or swing middle Australians a cohort of interest, were Gen Z. voters.10 We focused on undecided and their perceptions of arts and culture • 29% came from a culturally and/or rather than swing voters in this piece an invaluable resource for a range of linguistically diverse background. because at the younger end of our different stakeholders. Participants described their cultural participants’ age range, participants backgrounds in their own words, and had not voted in more than one these descriptions included (among election and therefore were not in a others), Indian, Chinese, Hungarian, position to have yet ‘swung’ their vote Portuguese, Kiwi, British, Malaysian, from one party to another. But we Taiwanese, French, German, argue that the characteristics of these Egyptian, Greek, Macedonian and participants are remarkably like those Pakistani, as well as Anglo-Saxon, of swing voters – they are typically Australian or Caucasian. less interested in politics from an

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 15 Collecting the data Presenting the findings Participants were recruited by specialist recruiting This report provides participants’ Want more? firms in each state and territory, using a range perspectives on arts and culture, often For more detailed of online and offline recruitment tools inviting through their own words. However, 18–29-year-olds to participate in research about it’s important to note that the quotes information about this ‘social issues’. Participants were not advised in presented throughout this report are not research, please see advance that they would be participating in a focus the only instances of each theme being Appendix 2: group about arts and culture. Data was collected mentioned; they merely exemplify the Technical appendix – during 90-minute online focus groups, conducted kinds of things participants were saying by the Social Research Centre using virtual meeting about that topic. Each quote is followed Research design and software Zoom. Both the moderator and the by the quoted participant’s demographic methodology participants joined from their homes, and most used details, as described in their own both video and audio to connect with the group. words (e.g. self-identifies as female, At least 1 male group and 1 female group were 18, Tasmanian, Chinese Australian, conducted in each state and territory. hospitality worker).

Analysing the findings The focus groups were audio and video recorded using the inbuilt Zoom recording software and were then transcribed and analysed for recurring themes across the groups using qualitative coding software.

Figure 1: Stock image of an online focus group. The Covid–19 pandemic catalysed significant disruption to the social research industry, and most social research organisations moved to offering online focus groups in 2020. This ensured that qualitative research could continue during this important time of social change. The increase in individuals working and studying from home during this period increased Australians’ familiarity and comfort with online and video conferencing tools, making online focus groups a more accessible option for social research than ever before. Image source: Anna Shvets. The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 16 For elected members and For researchers and educators policy advisers How to use Use this report as a fact-checked, reliable Use this report to better understand both resource providing new insights into the priorities of young middle Australians understandings of Australian young this report when it comes to arts and culture, people and engagement with Australian and the language they use to discuss arts and culture. This report provides insights into those priorities. This may assist you in For the interested public the perceptions of arts and culture strategic discussions about effective investment in arts and culture and in Use ANA’s reports and papers as an held by a specific segment of the exploring new policy opportunities with introduction to some of the things your stakeholders. Australian population: a cohort we stakeholders take into account when are calling young middle Australians determining what effective, relevant For cultural and creative – that is, 18–29-year-old undecided investment in a rich cultural life looks organisations and individuals voters from low- to middle-income like. Consider this report an accessible, qualitative overview of the attitudes families, living in outer suburbs Use this report to gain new insights into the attitudes and priorities of a group of and priorities towards arts and culture and regional areas. In this section consumers you may not have chosen held by many young Australians in the we outline how the report may to target your work towards previously. twenty-first century. be used by a range of different It may assist you in considering new For the media, content creators stakeholder groups. markets, new types of engagement and new ways to understand the relevance and platforms for creative content of what you do. It may also assist in Use this report to better understand the preparing advocacy documents and interests of young middle Australians grant applications. regarding arts and culture. Get in touch with ANA about media opportunities For philanthropists and sponsors using the contact details on p. 2. of arts and culture Use this report to gain up-to-the-minute understandings of the arts and cultural activities most valued by young middle Australians. This may assist in strategic discussions about what investments may be relevant or a priority to your desired outcomes.

The Next Generation of Voters Introduction 17 Part 1: Findings

In this section: 20 Part 1 Q1: What is ‘arts and culture’? 24 ‘Our generation is just completely different’: Digital usage among young vs middle-aged middle Australians 31 Part 1 Q2: What is Australian arts and culture? 35 Can talking about arts and culture change your perceptions of arts and culture? 36 Part 1 Q3: What is the value of arts and culture to society? 48 Part 1 Q4: What is the value of arts and culture to them, personally? 53 Part 1 Q5: How do the cultural and creative industries work? 62 Comparing generational perceptions of arts and culture 65 Summary of key findings

The Next Generation of Voters 18 Young middle Australians value the capacity that arts and cultural activities have to help them express themselves, connect with others both alike and different to them, feel inspired, learn new things and think differently about the things they already know. Engaging In Part 1, we explore the findings from 21 focus groups conducted with arts and culture is not the only means with 84 young middle Australians across every state and territory in Australia. They gave us their perspectives on and perceptions of the they use to get those needs met – but it’s following questions: most assuredly one of their favourites. These young Australians told us that arts and culture 1. What is ‘arts and culture’? are embedded in every aspect of their lives, 2. What is Australian arts and culture? every day, in almost every kind of activity. They connected them to their enjoyment of 3. What is the value of arts and culture to society? sport, their choices of fashion and interior design, their leisure time, their attendance to 4. What is the value of arts and culture to them, their mental health needs and their capacity personally? to work through difficult experiences. 5. How do the cultural and creative industries work? Many connected their engagement or non-engagement with arts and culture as We conclude Part 1 by providing a comparison with our 2020 middle children with their capacity to think laterally as Australia work, which shows the areas where these generations are adults or be innovative as employees. aligned and the topics about which they diverge.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 19 Part 1 Q1: 1.1.1 What is ‘arts and culture’? The criteria for arts and culture Arts and culture, according to young middle Australians, first and foremost involve activities and objects that relate to self-expression and creative stimulation. Discussion of definitions across the 21 focus groups boiled down to activities or objects needing to meet at least three of the following four criteria to be counted as arts and culture: • It is a form of creative expression or self-expression and can be used for self-discovery. • It has ‘substance’ – it makes you think or experience something more deeply or provides inspiration. • It tells a story. • It can be engaged with in the company of others. Let’s unpack each of these in turn.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 20 Self-expression and self-discovery Substance and inspiration Storytelling There was strong agreement that expression Like their older counterparts, most participants felt Many participants felt that storytelling was key to – either a creator expressing themselves or a that ‘mindless entertainment’ shouldn’t count as arts and culture, whether the story was explicitly consumer using their choices of arts and culture as arts and culture. Something could be entertaining, presented or had to be inferred. Participants were a means of self-expression – was fundamental to but it also had to make you think about things comfortable with the idea that visual art, even a definition of arts and culture. Participants believe differently. It couldn’t only be about ‘numbing out’. abstract visual art could tell a story (‘they do say arts and culture should help you communicate Arts and culture should be able to be experienced a picture can tell a thousand words’), and that yourself to others and even learn new things deeply; one should become immersed in the different people would take different stories away about yourself. experience if it is arts and culture. from the same piece of art – and that was not only okay but part of the value of arts and culture. For me it’s about, in a way, self-discovery, I agree with challenging the status quo with arts. finding that creativeness in you – you know, I think they’re important to change the status You’re trying to tell a story; that counts as arts bringing ideas and concepts that are new, that quo and challenge ideas and make people and culture for me. people can look at and observe — something uncomfortable, but in a good way, for growth. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, SA, AUSTRALIAN/ASIAN, along those lines I’d say. So, a world without arts, you’d probably just end CLEANER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, NSW, MACEDONIAN, up with, no growth, just a very stagnant culture. I wouldn’t say that Flappy Bird was arts and IT SUPPORT) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 21, NSW, AUSTRALIAN, culture…If the game had a story that’s written SELF-EMPLOYED) To be free to be yourself, I guess, is arts and into it or…I think actually, mostly if there’s a culture…people need to be able to be free to [On playing video games] It’s just super story to it. express themselves in their culture. brain-numbing, so it doesn’t really open your (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS TRANS MALE, 22, NT, CAUCASIAN, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, TAS, AUSTRALIAN, mind to anything; you get on there and just COVID–19 SCREENER) HOME DUTIES) – numb out for an hour…so you’re not really Art can make people think very differently expanding yourself. [Responding to the question of whether because I can look at a piece of art, and you (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, EUROPEAN, STUDENT) putting up a TikTok video of yourself doing could look at a piece of art, and we could a dance taught to you by your grandparents One of the things I put up [as words associated see completely different things, and it helps counts as arts and culture] I think any form of with arts and culture] was emotional someone to reflect their own person. self-expression, like dancing or recreating – it intelligence. That’s because I think there’s (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 18, VIC, ANGLO, was their grandparents’ dance or whatever? a definite link between people being able to YEAR 12 STUDENT) That’s their culture and their experience coming experience arts and culture and being able to through as a creative form of dancing on a foster emotional – I don’t know, just look at that TikTok video, I guess. deeper side. I just think it is important for the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, soul, to be able to experience. HOSPITALITY) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 21 The company of others By their powers combined… Arts and culture were seen by participants as a key way to relate Of course, many activities that are not ‘arts and Some participants did count creating a dance to and communicate with others – an important means of coming culture’ may also meet one or more of these on TikTok as a form of arts and culture, and together with friends, family and community. But some took this a criteria of self-expression and self-discovery; those participants typically described their step further, believing that if you were not with others it didn’t count substance and inspiration; storytelling; or being in engagement with the platform with at least three as arts and culture at all. For these participants, arts and culture were the company of others. But for these participants, of the following: synonymous with community, or at the very least, building community combining several of them helped an activity or • TikTok videos are a form of self- or was arts and culture’s express purpose. object ‘add up’ to an arts and cultural experience. cultural expression. Take this quote from a participant grappling with I really went back and forth on whether to say yes or no [to • A dance can tell a story. why he did not feel that listening to music on your whether playing a game on your phone counts as arts and own is a form of arts and culture: • TikTok is a platform that gives you ideas of culture]… I think for me, art and culture is if you’re experiencing things to try – a catalyst for inspiration – and/or it with other people…games where you can connect with other I think, similarly with games, and even reading the rolling nature of the videos creates a form people, I think that is then verging into arts and culture. novels, listening to music on the radio, of immersion. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, ETHICS OFFICER) you’re on your own…it kind of lacks a bit of • TikTok is a platform that allows you to connect community, and, and group enjoyment. So The only time I listen to music on the radio is if I’m in the car with with others in a digital community. yes, it’s a form of entertainment, but – but if other friends and things like that. That, for me, is a form of arts and you have music mixed with stories like you get Those who did not feel that a dance on TikTok culture because you’re sharing – you’re listening to a lot of those from a novel, mixed with a bit of engagement was arts and culture typically felt at least two of classic songs that everyone knows and everyone goes and sings like you get from games, then that sort of the following things: along to it, and that, to me, is arts and culture. forms, like, arts and culture, in my mind, as (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 23, NT, TAIWANESE, UNEMPLOYED) • The TikTok platform and the pace of the opposed to each of these things stripped videos (15 seconds max) make it impossible Ultimately, it’s all about people. Art is one of the most uniquely out individually. for there to be any substance, rendering it human things that we do. Art and cooking – that’s humanity, so – (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SA, ANGLO-SAXON, ‘mindless entertainment’. ACCOUNTANT) yeah – just being creative; bringing people together; community; • For them, digital communities didn’t count as that’s art and culture to me. Here, the participant describes all four of the being together with others. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER) criteria listed above, pointing out that they cannot • They felt that most TikTok clips were too The notion of connection and community had various manifestations. stand alone for him as arts and culture, but derivative and that copying other people’s Participants discussed connecting with others in a range of contexts, together they create something bigger than the ideas did not qualify as self-expression. sum of their parts. including: • They saw TikTok as the video version of early • as audience members, either attending solo or with friends or This is an important finding because it helps us Instagram – people taking photos of what they family to make sense of the diversity of inclusions and had for breakfast – and didn’t feel there was • sharing on social media to introduce others to what they were exclusions in the definition of arts and culture any storytelling involved. watching, listening to or experiencing and receiving these among this generation. As one participant pointed sharings from others in return out, different people take different things away from any given arts and cultural experience. • collaborating to create and/or perform arts and cultural content. The discussions around whether performing a dance and uploading it on TikTok make for a good example.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 22 1.1.2 Digital and IRL: Arts and culture can be (almost) anything and is everywhere A surprising number of participants’ first responses to the question One of the reasons they felt arts and culture had such a big role to play ‘what is arts and culture’ were along the lines of ‘it could be almost in the lives of their generation was because they could access arts anything’. They saw these activities as totally ubiquitous, as and cultural content and experiences wherever they were, at any time ‘embedded’ in everything we do, every day. Some mentioned how the of day or night, because of their familiarity and comfort with digital clothes and accessories we wear, the way we decorate our spaces, technologies. This was the main point of difference that they felt there the soundscapes we walk through on our way to work or study, and was between their generation and older generations. so many of the conversations we have with friends and colleagues, all I feel like older generations couldn’t express themselves as much have their origins in arts and culture. as we can, and so we are able to make, like [other participant] said, It’s hidden or embedded in your life so you kind of don’t notice it digital art – GIFs and different animations and things like that. And until you think about it. then, to someone that is older, like, for example, my mum…I don’t (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) think she would see art like that…I think she’d more think of classical Indian dancing or singing or movies and things like that. Well, I have ‘life’ [as a word associated with arts and culture] But for people our age, it’s more than just that; it’s everything on because basically, my life revolves around art and culture…I’m social media and much more. Aboriginal, so everything I basically do revolves around art (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, WA, AUSTRALIAN/INDIAN, STUDENT) and culture. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, NT, ANGLO/ATSI, PROJECT OFFICER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 23 ‘Our generation is just completely different’: Digital usage among young vs middle-aged middle Australians

One of the most striking differences between Tik Tok, Facebook and stuff, Snapchat, While not every middle-aged middle Australian arts and cultural engagement for young versus whatever it is, we’re expressing ourselves, our looked at digital engagement negatively, there middle-aged middle Australians was in how they felt opinions, our videos, our dancing, our music, was often a sense that they didn’t understand the about and interacted with the online world. While for our culture – whatever we’re expressing, yet value in engaging with arts and culture via these young middle Australians, digital engagement was by pictures, video. And that’s all social media. platforms, as described in this quote from our 2020 ubiquitous and totally embedded into their lives, the It’s all technology. You know, you might be research, made by a middle-aged middle Australian 35–60-year-olds described a distance between expressing your feelings or your interests by – from Sydney. themselves and the technologies they used, even when you’re gaming, if you game with friends I think times are changing, but, our generation, when they were comfortable with the idea of digital or whatever, and it’s just a whole new world. we see YouTube and TikTok as a waste of time. content being counted as arts and culture. Our generation is just completely different. The We don’t see the worth in it, but the young way we express, it’s all so – internal. The way Young middle Australians saw their engagement people are taking it on and making millions. It’s they express it – everything would be in person. with arts and culture online as a natural extension expression for them. They feel they can get Back then, the generations before us, everything of their engagement with everything else using ideas out. Whereas we see getting ideas out as was face-to-face. Now, we’re face-to-face on digital technologies. They described how their lives more permanent – like paintings – these guys cameras, over screens. are lived less publicly than in older generations, are saying ‘this is our talent, so we can do this’. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, NT, ANGLO/ITALIAN, (MIDDLE AUSTRALIAN FEMALE, SYDNEY) because while older people look at them and think RETAIL ASSISTANT) they’re not engaging with the world, just staring at Young middle Australians believed that they had their phones, they are, in fact, engaging with whole Yeah, the internet has definitely helped with that, access to a broader range of arts and culture communities in those moments – it’s just that people and having this online presence and things, I feel because of their engagement with digital forms. in the same physical space can’t see it happening. like really helps us stay connected. And that really means that arts and culture just became this For participants who couldn’t or preferred not much bigger, more developed part of our lives. to access arts and culture in physical spaces, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, digital engagement gave them a viable alternative. TEACHER) This was described in the following quote from a participant who had identified as partially deaf, making it difficult for him to be comfortable with live arts and cultural experiences in physical spaces: I am a consumer of arts...I browse the internet for new artwork to add to my personal art gallery — I keep a personal art gallery on my own computer for private browsing, and if I see art that I like, I will save it. But I’m not a person to go to a physical art gallery. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, SA, AUSTRALIAN/ASIAN, CLEANER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 24 They also felt that Australians had more …while other middle Australians were connect with people from our generation. While middle-aged middle Australians opportunities to share their own creations concerned that it was causing young people (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, QLD, typically did not recognise the with broader audiences when they engaged to lose their creativity, as they were just AUSTRALIAN, HOSPITALITY) community-building aspects of sharing with digital technologies. imitating what they saw online rather than content on social media that young middle Another interesting difference between the creating new things, as this middle-aged Australians described as the essential You know, social media stuff like TikTok generations was that when middle-aged Melbourne woman pointed out. element of the activity, some could has actually helped, kind of like, spread middle Australians talked about digital arts nonetheless appreciate the creativity art more for the masses. And I think, They look at other videos, too, for and culture, they were typically imagining involved in producing the content – as for example, small places such as example South Korea music, hip hop that exchanging traditional forms of creation for we can see in this quote from a middle Wollongong where art might not be as is popular these days – so they just go digital replacements… Australian Sydney man: valued as much, art from there can be onto TikTok and try to mimic them. Like graphic design, digital drawing, valued by the rest of the world more. (MIDDLE AUSTRALIAN FEMALE, MELBOURNE) The girls are taking selfies all the like on a tablet, instead of in the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, NSW, time – that’s constant art – and then Young middle Australians saw this trend of traditional form. MACEDONIAN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT) manipulating the pictures to make them imitating online content quite differently. For (MIDDLE AUSTRALIAN FEMALE, SYDNEY) look better; that’s creative. I feel like it’s very important, especially them, it was about using an original piece as …while, for young middle Australians, the (MIDDLE AUSTRALIAN MALE, SYDNEY) because with media and stuff, we have inspiration to build not only new artworks but digital forms of engagement were often part the ability to experience so much more also new communities. of ‘real life’ experiences – the experiences These generational differences are of it. And with the internet, and travel – important for policy makers to note. Any Generational perspective? I’d say the were always intertwined, just to varying I feel like our generation is lucky in that approach that treats arts and culture as older generation would say we are losing extents. You always have a physical body way, that we get to experience more separate to everyday life will be met by touch with tradition in the arts. Because that is interacting with a physically present art and culture than probably any other young middle Australians with looks of blank – like, for us, I guess, we kind of use the device in order to engage with online forms generation before. incomprehension and disengagement. tradition as the source to create new of arts and culture, and no matter what (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, SA, ENGLISH/ For this cohort, arts and culture are woven ideas from it and create our own, new physical experience you are having, it’s HUNGARIAN, DEFENCE) into their daily experience; they are not an genre in arts. And I guess, in a way, to possible to also be sharing that experience add-on, or a ‘nice to have’. Some of the middle-aged middle Australians the older generation, it may seem like with your online communities, either shared this view, believing that the internet a disgrace, or something really bad. simultaneously or in an asynchronous and had opened Australia up and given But – from generation to generation, more curated way. Australians’ access to a much broader range it might differ. Everyone loves going to gigs and taking of content and ideas. However, this was (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 23, NT, TAIWANESE, artsy pictures of things on Instagram and sometimes seen as something of a threat to UNEMPLOYED) national identity, as suggested in this quote those sorts of things, so we’re all sharing by a middle Australian man from Melbourne… I think it’s like I said before, arts and all the time and that’s what culture is – culture’s just communication. It’s so hard sharing, communicating, linking together. Absolutely. Definitely it’s important to communicate with people, especially (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, to have Australian artists and movie with everything being online. So we ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER) makers and musicians and writers. Now communicate through memes and it’s a global market, everyone can use Facebook and all of that kind of thing. the internet and everything, so yes, we And that’s really a form of art. And it’s our should give priority to Australian content. culture as well. And without that, it would (MIDDLE AUSTRALIAN MALE, MELBOURNE) be really difficult to communicate and

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 25 1.1.3 Arts and cultural activities: Consuming vs attending vs creating

More than their older counterparts, young On the other hand, many of the participants Attending live arts and cultural events and middle Australians differentiated between who initially felt that they wouldn’t include venues, while not an act of creation, was consuming, attending and creating arts and consumption as a cultural activity either typically included as an arts and cultural culture, with consumption (particularly if one changed their minds after discussion with the activity, and was indeed one of the activities is consuming on one’s own rather than in group, or at least modified their responses: participants were most enthusiastic about. the company of others) often initially being This was typically because attending live Reading itself is not arty but writing a novel excluded from a definition of arts and cultural events easily met at least three, usually four is an art. But [pause] I guess it depends activity. For example, many participants of the abovementioned criteria: participants how visual you are. If you’re a reader initially did not include the act of reading a were attending with others, observing and sitting there and imagining the whole world novel or listening to music alone as an arts and participating in self-expression, having around you, that’s kind of creative and arty. cultural activity, though there was no debate an immersive experience, and there were (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, TAS, AUSTRALIAN, as to whether writing a novel or creating a ADMIN) often storytelling elements to the event. piece of music fitted the criteria. The following quotes are in response to the Playing games on one’s phone was another moderator’s question, ‘Do you engage with I think it’s the process of learning how to do example where participants were ‘on arts and culture in your personal life?’ that – to make the art is what counts as art the fence’, though they were relatively and culture…I don’t think reading counts For me, music festivals was a big part of comfortable that the act of creating a video or as arts and culture. Making the book and it, like the atmosphere, the aura, the air – mobile game was an arts and cultural activity. talking about the book – I think that, in and when you go to a live show, I think you’re of itself, is the art, but the reading isn’t. As someone who’s currently studying just unbeatable, you’re really just on cloud (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, SA, AUSTRALIAN/ with a bunch of game designers and nine, it’s an insane feeling. ASIAN, CLEANER) game artists, the amount of work and the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, NSW, MACEDONIAN, amount of artists – the sheer number of IT SUPPORT) creative people involved in the process of making even just a simple little Match 3 I like to go to interactive exhibitions with game [like Candy Crush] is incredible. And friends. There was one on ages ago at the then, again, because I considered arts Docklands. It was kind of like a jumping and culture to be really about the culture castle kind of thing. I forgot what it was and the community, you’ve got multiplayer called, but…it’s good to go out to events games, you’ve got co-op games which with friends, like, whether it be food, or are bringing people together through other kinds of festivals, or like, seeing a play, which is something that we don’t get comedy show or something like that. enough of as adults. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 26 1.1.4 Arts vs culture vs ‘arts and culture’ Unlike the 35–60-year-old middle Australians, Furthermore, for young middle Australians, Some participants found using ‘arts and these participants seemed to feel equally as the term ‘arts’ encompassed the same kinds culture’ as a single term confusing or comfortable with the term ‘arts’ on its own of activities as the term ‘arts and culture’ did: counterintuitive. For example, when the as they were with the broader term ‘arts and from karaoke to tattooing, from opera to street moderator would ask participants to consider culture’ preferred by their older counterparts. festivals, from dancing in your room to writing a particular aspect of arts and culture, it was a screenplay. That’s not to say there was no common for someone to ask whether the Culture and art: debate over what could and should not be moderator wanted them to think about both or synonyms or just related? included in a definition of the arts – debate was just one of those ideas. enthusiastic and engaged across all the focus Ultimately, participants across all focus groups Moderator: [explaining an activity to the groups. But this cohort had no problem applying felt that arts and culture are so indelibly linked group] As you go through each item, select the term ‘arts’ well beyond elite artforms. as to be quite inseparable, even if they aren’t whether you feel it fits within arts and the same thing. I think when you first mentioned art and culture or whether you feel it sits outside. culture, I was very mentally fixated on It’s probably on a continuum. I don’t think galleries – pieces of art on canvas. So, Participant: Is this including arts and you can ever have a mutually exclusive, on the question of novels – and it was culture or just arts? of ‘that’s just art’ or ‘that’s just culture’. But similar with Stan and Netflix – it threw (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, EUROPEAN, some of those activities, I’d go, ‘Oh, that’s STUDENT) me for a minute, and I had to mentally more culture’. But it still had some aspects recalibrate and go, ‘hang on; those are still Moderator: Think about ‘arts and culture’ of art in it. forms of art’. And especially streaming – as one thing. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, I really appreciate it. So, I think novels are AUSTRALIAN, ETHICS OFFICER) definitely a form of art. [Several participants frown] A culture can be a feeling, a history. It sums (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, (FOCUS GROUP 13, WA MALES) up different places and people and the STUDENT) underlying feeling or experience for what Moderator: What do you think the world that thing is. Whereas art is a way to then would look like without arts and culture? be able to express that. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 27, VIC, CAUCASIAN, Participant: Without them both? At the HOMELESS SERVICES) same time? Pretty sh*t. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, AUSTRALIAN, TRADESPERSON)

(FOCUS GROUP 6, VIC MALES)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 27 A minority of participants even felt Conversely, others found the addition What’s ‘culture’ anyway? that the terms were in conflict with of ‘culture’ into the phrase helpful The definition of culture on its own I think even creating a TikTok video of each other. If culture was taken to because they felt the term ‘arts’ was was also not consistent with these you performing a dance. It certainly be synonymous with society, then too broad and expansive: participants – as is the case with this is cultural and it’s a group activity it inherently involved maintaining Moderator: Any other thoughts term in the academic literature. Although that builds a culture – it builds an traditions and preserving things as there [about the term ‘arts’]? most participants seemed to immediately identity almost, and so even though they already are, while art should push Anyone more comfortable with, think of ethnic or national culture with that’s online, you’re not just doing it by against the status quo: say, ‘arts and culture’ or ‘arts this term… yourself, one person – so it builds a If you’re someone who – I don’t and entertainment’ or ‘arts and local culture. I actually find that kids get into know, you want to change society creativity’, for capturing some of (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, culture through reading. So a really in some way, then potentially, what these activities [the less traditional ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT) popular example at the moment is you’re going to be putting forward examples provided as prompts]? they’re reading a lot of the mangas …and a small minority used it to refer to [in terms of art] is not going to be and things like that. But they’re also the idea of ‘being cultured’; that is, being particularly popular or mainstream. Participant: Yeah 100%. ‘Arts’ understanding a little bit more about the kind of person who engages primarily In that sense, you’re potentially just by itself is – vague. It’s big. the culture of Asian countries through with ‘high arts’. going against the grain of society in Everything can be considered the fact that they’re reading the books some sense. Whereas, if you just artistic, like – even rugby league, Yeah, I grew up in a pretty backwards and it takes them a bit go with what’s socially acceptable you know? So, it may need a non-cultural sort of family. My to understand that. So I feel like the [and therefore part of your existing different, extra word, a keyword parents weren’t very cultured. I was books, in themselves, have a lot of culture], you reinforce the status to help narrow down what you’re very typical – it was a very typical, culture in them. Because writers don’t quo. So I guess you could draw looking for. Caucasian, very – I guess bogan sort (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 29, QLD, just come from one place. a distinction in terms of whether of family. ENGLISH/AUSTRALIAN, YOUTH WORKER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, someone is really approaching (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, NSW, AUSTRALIAN, TEACHER) things from an artistic perspective or AUSTRALIAN, MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST) …some were thinking of it in terms of a cultural perspective, in that sense. Although definitions and perceptions (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, SA, subcultures, including cultures that differed, it’s important to note that CAUCASIAN, RECORDS OFFICER) develop online, as well as the idea participants were comfortable using the of a ‘local culture’ in their own towns three terms – arts, culture and ‘arts and or suburbs… culture’ – interchangeably.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 28 1.1.5 High arts, or just…arts? In our previous research, we noted that middle Participant 1: If there’s a bit of a story behind it, or enjoy a piece of art (or at least, the way the artist Australians often feel that the term ‘arts’ really why not? intended) for it to still be worthwhile or important to means ‘high arts’ activities like opera and ballet, the community: and importantly, often feel that high arts are ‘not for Participant 3: Definitely, yeah. For me – I would Moderator: [Following up on a previous people like them’.13 Despite never having attended normally, generally, not go to an opera, but there discussion about a government-funded any high arts events and venues, many of the was this one time – does a musical count as sculpture at the Perth Train Station that a 35–60-year-old participants from that study made an opera? participant had described as ‘kind of a joke’.] Is negative assumptions about what they would be (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, SA, AUSTRALIAN/ASIAN, CLEANER) the big green cactus14 worth preserving? like, and how they would not enjoy experiences like that. Young middle Australians were less concerned Moderator: It’s probably slightly different, but it’s Partcipant 1: I think it is. Obviously, it started about this. Although most of our 18–29-year-old down that same way. out as a bad idea, but now it’s become – not an participants had not attended those kinds of icon, but something that is talked about and – Participant 3: There was the Aladdin Movie events yet, it was less because they didn’t think even joked about. But because of that, it’s an Musical. And if I was to go there with my hearing they’d enjoy it and more that they hadn’t had the identifiable part that everyone knows about and aid, straight up, I wouldn’t appreciate it at all. But opportunity. Consider this exchange between laughs about together. 18–29-year-old participants in the South Australian they had a built-in hearing system that allowed (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, WA, ANGLO, UNEMPLOYED) male focus group: me to connect straight to the microphones and the instruments, so I was able to understand Participant 2: I think sometimes it’s hard to say Moderator: Maybe if I threw some things at them very clearly and appreciated the show what’s worth preserving, as well. Because at the you like an opera or a ballet, is that something quite a lot. time, a lot of things seem – out of place or – just you would go and attend and check it out, or wrong. The Eiffel Tower they were considering something that you probably wouldn’t do? Young middle Australians were also less likely than taking down because it was a thing that they their middle-aged counterparts to feel that they had made to show how good they were at using Participant 1: If there were free tickets to take arts and culture seriously, with numerous metal, so they were considering pulling it down, or something, I’d go and experience it; participants commenting that one could be engaged and now that’s one of the most iconic things in yeah; why not? with artforms – high or otherwise – in an ironic way: the world, really…with the cactus, admittedly, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, SA, GREEK/CYPRIOT ETHNICITY, DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE) I have been to an art gallery; I didn’t take it as while I think it’s gross, I think it’s iconic enough seriously as I probably should have… I don’t think that people find it interesting…I don’t think it Moderator: How about you, [Participant 2]? I could sit through a ballet unless I was making should be destroyed, I guess. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, WA, ANGLO, STUDENT) Participant 2: Yeah, if I found it generally fun of it. interesting in terms of what it’s about, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, NSW, AUSTRALIAN, MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST) yeah, I’d go. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, SA, CAUCASIAN, Or in another exchange, this group of men from WA RECORDS OFFICER) discussed how one doesn’t need to personally like

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 29 In conclusion: What is arts and culture? In summary, young middle Australians believe that ‘arts’, ‘culture’ and the idea of ‘arts and culture’ are all so heavily embedded in our everyday lives that they can be, or be part of, just about anything. This cohort engages with arts and culture through their phones, their bodies, their minds, their jobs, their various other screens and via their family and friends. They want their arts and cultural activities to be about self-expression, immersion, storytelling and togetherness. And although ‘arts’ doesn’t just mean ‘high arts’ to them, they’re keen to try any activity or experience that arts and culture have to offer, including high arts activities, so long as they can get access to it, and it’s telling the kinds of stories they are interested in. Figure 2: The sculpture near the Perth Train Station, formally called ‘Grow Your Own’, colloquially known as ‘The Big Green Cactus’. Image source: Anthonyhcole, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 30 1.2.1 Part 1 Q2: Diverse stories for a diverse nation Participants were asked questions around Many pointed out how Australia’s What is Australian policy areas like international diplomacy demographic profile has changed and and both international and domestic how important it is for the stories we arts and culture? tourism. They were prompted with tell and the voices we hear to reflect questions about whether it is important those changes. to tell uniquely Australian stories, either Australia is becoming very when we are representing Australia multinational. And so, I think that’s a internationally, or internally, when we are good reflection to have [in Australian representing Australia to Australians. This content]. But not necessarily only the sparked a lot of discussion around what white Australian stories that we know, ‘uniquely Australian’ meant: cos that can be quite hurtful. I find it hard to – I think a lot of people (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, SA, don’t – I don’t know, it depends on ENGLISH/HUNGARIAN, DEFENCE) who you’re talking to, really, what I think there’s so many different they would consider Australian, or experiences of being Australian. It’s uniquely Australian…It’s a hard thing not one shared, unified thing. It’s this to determine. whole different range of how people (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, QLD, express being Australian, and I think AUSTRALIAN, HOSPITALITY) art is a way to express that and build their understanding of what that looks like for people outside of Australia coming into Australia, to get an idea that there’s a really diverse range of people here. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, NT, ANGLO, PROJECT OFFICER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 31 They wanted Australian arts and culture to …and they wanted our arts and cultural represent a ‘true’ or ‘honest’ version of our landscape to help everyone (and especially nation’s past… non-Anglo-Celtic, LGBTIQ*, and differently abled Australians) feel that they belong. [When asked what unique Australian voices and stories should be heard] It [existing Australian content] doesn’t I definitely think straight to Aboriginal make me feel included, and I’ve lived history…a lot of people tend to think here my whole life and so has my entire that just because we weren’t firsthand family and so have all my friends and, involved in it, that it doesn’t really apply even though, yeah – we are Australian, to us. But you just saw with the whole and we have Australian citizenship and Black Lives Matter movement, Australia stuff, I feel there definitely needs to be an went mental about what was happening incorporation of what our background in America and realised that it’s exactly is, as well…I think there needs to be a what’s happened here. I think there shift in thinking and making art that is needs to be a lot more recognition of inclusive of everyone. what happened back then and a lot (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, WA, more of their culture brought into ours. AUSTRALIAN/INDIAN, STUDENT) Not just the typical Aussie snag on the I think so many people have been What kind of arts and culture barbie, a lot more historical – about the excluded from stories for so long, so – does Australia do well? culture that was based here before the yeah; I think that’s a big change…I think colonisers came, because it was their Young middle Australians think Australia’s Indigenous arts that women and queer people, or people land before it was ours. and culture is our most unique asset, they think our diversity of with different intellectual abilities, all (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 18, VIC, stories and voices makes us interesting, and they particularly of these stories haven’t been told for AUSTRALIAN, YEAR 12 STUDENT) love character-driven stories like those in the children’s a really long time. animated series ‘Bluey’. It sh*ts me that I was able to get so much (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, NT, about Captain Cook and the colonial side ANGLO-SAXON, CLEANER) of it at school; I didn’t really hear about any of the suffering that our First Nations people went through until they showed us Rabbit Proof Fence with no context in Year Six. The rest of it was just like ‘good luck; figure it out for yourself’. If we’re going to spend money to invest and preserve bits of history, we need to be honest about it. We need to explore both sides, including the sides that don’t make us look good. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 32 1.2.2 Representing Australia to ourselves and the world

Assuming that the stories being told other people’s shoes and I think However, several participants pointed were adequately representative of having that Australian voice in the out that the stereotypical view of twenty-first century demographics, media, especially, through the arts Australian culture still doesn’t compare most participants did feel that it was and through TV shows and radio favourably with other (particularly important that Australian stories be shows – I think that’s a really huge European) cultures: told, both in Australian and international and important thing. I think it’s made to be a little bit of contexts, to solidify Australia’s (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, SA, a joke sometimes. My parents are reputation and build a positive and ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, SCIENTIST) from England, and they always say constructive national identity, as is Participant 2: I mean, Bluey is a very that when someone Australian exemplified in this exchange from a uniquely Australian production, walked into the pub or something South Australian female group. and it is the number one Australian like that, it was always made to Participant 1: I love ABC; I love so children’s show in the world right be a bit of a joke. I think people much of the stuff on the ABC and now. And it is just so quintessentially don’t know a lot about the culture the voices that it gives to people Aussie in every way, I feel like it’s of Australia...I think it could be who would not be heard otherwise. important not only for Aussie kids communicated better in the rest of I think it is such a hugely important to have that exposure to Australia. the world. thing, and I think that’s how – But people all round the world get (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 18, VIC, especially now social media’s so big exposure through Australian media AUSTRALIAN, YEAR 12 STUDENT) – people who wouldn’t previously and they learn that Australia is not And I think Australia as a whole have engaged with things like the just ‘everything is going to kill you – you go over to Europe, and you ABC, they’re getting sponsored and we ride kangaroos to school’. set foot in a country, and you can posts [in their social media feeds] Moderator: The Crocodile feel that culture a little bit, whereas of shows that expose them to a 15 Dundee effect? Australia is a little bit more shoeys completely different facet of life and fairy bread. So I think we should that they might never experience Participant 2: Yeah, it breaks down be celebrating that a little bit more. or interact with. And I think it some of those stereotypes. And so Not that there’s anything wrong with creates such a good opportunity much of the media we consume shoeys and fairy bread, but there’s for Australians to understand the is American nowadays; there’s so more to Australia. life that other Australians lead, much media that comes out of the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, ACT, and I think that’s a really, really US that it’s starting to influence our ANGLO-SAXON, ADMINISTRATION) important thing, because I don’t culture as well, and global cultures. think we spend enough time trying (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, to empathise and put ourselves in ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 33 In conclusion: What is Australian ‘arts and culture’? Young middle Australians think that Australian arts and culture should represent a wide array of different stories and voices, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people whose families migrated to Australia in recent years or who are new Australians themselves, people of different genders and sexual orientations, and people of different abilities. They are adamant that anything less than the full expression of our nation’s diversity is cheating them – and future generations – out of their rightful cultural inheritance. They want this ‘honest’ representation of Australia, through our ‘top-notch’ arts and cultural offerings, to receive international recognition, and help other nations to understand how Australia is unique, and how much our nation has to offer.

Figure 3: Photograph of artist John Murray painting a mural of Gundabooka man Percy Hobson, the first Indigenous Australian to win a gold medal for Australia at the Commonwealth Games in 1962, on a water tower in Percy Hobson Park, Bourke, Queensland in 2021.16 Silo art (typically murals on grain silos but sometimes also on water towers etc., as this one is) is becoming an increasingly common way for rural Australian towns or regions to communicate their values and identities, and attract tourists. Image source: By Q8682. CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103741140.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 34 Can talking about arts and culture change your perceptions of arts and culture?

At the end of each focus group, the final Participants found a number of things about It’s made me rethink what society I guess one of the points you were questions were always about whether the discussions particularly interesting. might be like without the arts and making earlier was about how we feel participants’ perceptions of arts and These came down to three general areas, culture…I didn’t really before think about either it getting extra funding or culture had changed throughout the including: how much – what place arts and less funding: I’ve been thinking, if they discussion, whether their opinions had been • They’d never considered that others may culture had in our society and what [arts and culture] were to receive a strengthened or weakened and whether have different perspectives on arts and value they have. Imagining society massive cut in their funding, I guess 17 they found any aspect of the discussion culture to them. without, say, the Green Cactus – it’s that would also show that there’s especially interesting. For most participants, just a different thing. [Group chuckles] something going wrong in the broader perceptions had indeed been changed, Since I have a very black and white (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, economy. Because we’ve seen a lot strengthened and sometimes even thinking about art, I realise now that EUROPEAN, STUDENT) of positive economic growth and if we obviously, people can view art in a established for the first time. • Some participants commented that this started to see that arts and culture different way, and I wasn’t aware was the first time they’d ever thought was getting funding cuts, I don’t think I guess it’s made me think about it, of the way that people can view art about there being a relationship between that’s a good sign at all. period. I guess I’ve never really sat down other than mine until now. arts and culture and government. The (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 26, WA, to think about what it means to me. But (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, WA, idea of government funding came as a ANGLO-NEW ZEALANDER, WELDER) I guess now I’m realising how much it AUSTRALIAN/INDIAN, STUDENT) does encompass, especially in my life. surprise to them, and for some, will even I mean, even just thinking about • Imagining a world without arts How important it actually is. give them another thing to think about personally I haven’t really connected and culture came up repeatedly (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, SA, ENGLISH/ when it comes time to vote. my voting choices to arts funding, as something participants had HUNGARIAN, DEFENCE) and, like, I like to think I’m somewhat never considered. It’s been pretty interesting…Definitely involved in politics – so it’s been a I think talking about – this is a lot of stuff about government funding, about It definitely stuck out, the parts where bit of an eye opener to me about all that I don’t usually bring up to the front different museums when we were we were talking about imagining the different things that I participate of my brain; it’s in there, but it’s not talking about that, it gives me a whole life without arts and culture, that’s in, and how the government made something that I’m consciously thinking different topic to think about or even something I’d never done before, and choices in how they financially about, so I think overall it’s made me research into…And even how much I suppose with the conclusions that support that and potentially why they verbalise and be more conscious of what they do budget into their yearly we came to, it made sense that arts support it is something that I haven’t my ideals are to do with it. budget for that sort of stuff and where and culture is what defines us and thought about and – it’s a really (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS TRANS MALE, 22, NT, it goes. CAUCASIAN, COVID–19 SCREENER) sets us apart from, just, work robots. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, TAS, interesting thing. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, TAS, AUSTRALIAN, CUSTOMER SERVICE) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, QLD, ANGLO-SAXON, SUPPORT WORKER) AUSTRALIAN, DATA ANALYST)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 35 Part 1 Q3: What is the value of arts and

culture to society? In addition to the value that they saw to themselves as individuals, participants felt that arts and culture brought value to the broader Australian society and even to our development as humans. Yeah, I think if we didn’t have arts or culture, we…I don’t think we’d really live in what you would describe as civilisation. Because I don’t think you would have the people who are capable of driving societies forward. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, SA, CAUCASIAN, RECORDS OFFICER)

I think there’d be a lot more conflict, actually, because there’d be no real way to express yourself in that regard, it would be a lot harder to convey emotion, meaning and significance. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, VIC, HUNGARIAN/AUSTRALIAN, PART-TIME WORKER)

We asked participants if they could identify the value that arts and culture contributes to a number of specific public policy areas. The following policy areas are ordered by those that spontaneously evoked the most passionate discussions.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 36 1.3.1 Place: Regional and urban development, cultural and environmental heritage

Placemaking and community-building The clearest connection that participants Something that came through very made across all 21 focus groups was the clearly in this research that was not role that arts and cultural activities play so apparent with the over–35 middle in placemaking and community-building. Australians was the importance of arts Participants felt that arts and culture and cultural icons in building a collective brought people together, gave them identity with one’s local community. a reason to meet and be a part of I put yes [for whether roadside their broader communities, provided sculptures are arts and culture] opportunities to be with friends and because there’s Facebook pages family and brought together people about the Canberra ones, particularly from different walks of life who wouldn’t the Penis Owl in Belconnen, so it otherwise have spent time together. feels that that adds a bit, to Canberra This was often brought up in terms of culture at least.18 large-scale events like festivals and craft (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, ACT, markets, but was also raised in relation to ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT) online communities and platforms: I completely agree with [other I think culture definitely plays a big participant] on that as well, in that it thing in society – how we speak forms part of the local community’s and act with each other. Seeing – culture, and I think of going to other especially with stuff like YouTube – cities where you have the Big Banana; how different all these other cultures the Big Mango. Those sculptures form and different countries and things like part of the local community’s culture that are, and learning that how we specifically, and it’s something that live life, and how we all act together that culture, that community get well isn’t the only way that stuff goes on, known for. I think that plays a big part in moving (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 28, ACT, forward, being open to different kinds SOUTH-EAST ASIAN, PHYSIO) of people, different kinds of activities and things. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, WA, ANGLO, Figure 4: Photograph of “The Big Powerful Owl” sculpture in Belconnen, Canberra. UNEMPLOYED) Image source: Orthogonal1, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 37 Rapport between participants from Some participants also pointed out Cultural heritage different electorates within the same that arts and culture can be a useful Arts and cultural activities were seen Groups were often divided over what city or state built rapidly when they community-building tool that local not only as ways to invigorate places should be preserved and how to decide recognised arts and cultural activities or politicians should take advantage of in and local cultures now but also as what counted as important or interesting. experiences that they had in common. As representing their constituents. They saw opportunities to gift the important or However, most groups eventually came we saw earlier regarding the big green it as an opportunity to connect with the interesting aspects of a place’s past or to one of two conclusions: 1) that arts cactus sculpture discussed by a WA cultural diversity of communities by both present to future generations. and culture should be preserved if they male group, participants didn’t need to encouraging and financially supporting are something we want our children and think the arts and culture was good in local arts and cultural activities. To preserve that culture, it allows us other future generations to know about, order for it to bring the group together and to – it just gives future generations Your local representative that whether those icons are a source of help them form a common bond. But in a chance to experience as much represents the community should pride, or a source of learning… many cases, they did think it was good. culture as possible. Obviously, be representing their values. And the culture keeps flowing, keeps I was also going to say Uluru, because Participant: Yeah, in Adelaide, the I guess the only way that that is growing, but being able to give future it’s an Indigenous rock and now Fringe is the thing we’re most proud portrayed, or they can understand generations a chance to experience we’re finally not allowed to climb on of; it’s sort of the big thing that what the community wants would the past is pretty important. it again…It’s an icon, especially for we’ve got. I think it’s something that come out through arts and culture (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 26, NT, PAKISTANI, Australian Aboriginals. It’s one thing everyone participates in. There’s and what the community comes out ENGINEER) that’s, I guess, ours and always has almost no one you’d ever come to support or do. been, I feel. Compared to everything across who hasn’t at least gone to (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, else in Australia that got taken over one Fringe show. It’s a sense that the AUSTRALIAN, ETHICS OFFICER) and colonised, I feel like that sort of whole city’s part of it. remained ours. Moderator: What do you think that (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 23, NSW, means for Adelaideans? ABORIGINAL, SEEKING EMPLOYMENT)

Participant: It brings people together, definitely. It’s that same sense of common pride in something. And support. And also just that, it’s always a conversation point. No matter who you’re talking to at that time of year, there’s always that discussion about the Fringe. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SA, ANGLO-SAXON, PHYSIO)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 38 When, like, you’re travelling – specifically Participants were given a list of possible Finally, participants were asked who they in my experience – through outback cultural heritage sites and icons and asked thought was currently responsible for Queensland, there’s a bunch of smaller whether any of them had significance to preserving Australia’s cultural heritage, and museums where they address a lot about them personally, to society, to the economy whether they agreed that the right people or each town’s local history, and I think as a and/or to lowering unemployment. Most bodies held those responsibilities. Overall, cultural – like a product of culture, that’s people ticked every box for value to society. participants were unsure who held formal really important so that we can see what’s Meanwhile, the discussions around choosing responsibility, but felt that it should be shared happened in the past, what experiences or not choosing the other areas is summed up between individuals and governments. people throughout Queensland have well by this quote: I think it is – in a way it’s all of ours. I don’t had. I think a lot of them are community ‘Personally’ was the only one that I did know. It’s really hard to give a specific run, rather than being funded by levels or didn’t tick on some of [the arts and name, but I suppose government is the of government specifically, but that’s cultural heritage icons on the list], but for system we currently have for collective very much an important part of culture ‘society’, ‘the economy’ and ‘improving responsibility, so yeah, which to me that some of these towns have been unemployment’, I think I selected it for all of then ends up with, it’s a government maintained with the backs of volunteers, them. Although not all of these things might responsibility. But I also think it’s something sort of. They’ve just been putting this be things that I personally engage in in my we should all try to be somewhat aware of, together, and I think that’s really important, day-to-day life, I think [preserving them] particularly for things that are important as part of our identity as an Australian. absolutely has an impact on the broader to us. That this information is available. society, our economy and improving (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, NT, ANGLO, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, PROJECT OFFICER) DATA ANALYST) unemployment. The more diversity that we have in all of these areas, the more Government needs to put some money …and 2) that arts and culture should be it’s going to boost our economy, which in into making sure things are preserved and preserved if they have the potential to return boosts employment. everything like that, but everybody has enhance our reputation overseas. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 27, VIC, CAUCASIAN, an individual responsibility: try and be as HOMELESS SERVICES) Well, in terms of art and culture, I think the environmentally sustainable as you can Sydney Opera House is really important. and don’t throw sh*t into the ocean and That has been a symbol of Australia stuff like that. forever – in fact, people think that’s the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, ACT, capital – not so. I think that’s so important, ANGLO-SAXON, ADMINISTRATION) especially for arts and culture, because that not only provides a space for people to display the top-notch art that we have in Australia – the best of the best – but it also gives us a symbol of the appreciation that Australia has for art. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, STUDYING/DISABILITY SUPPORT WORKER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 39 The environment One perhaps surprising finding from Participant: I think there’s some Participants also pointed out how this research is that young middle historical sites and cultural sites blurry the lines between nature and Australians see environmental heritage that Australia is recognised for, culture can get, especially when seeing protection and cultural heritage like the Great Barrier Reef and arts and culture as part of the visitor or protection as being closely related, Sydney Opera House and the experience economy. sometimes even synonymous. As we Harbour Bridge and Uluru; there’s What I can think of, that I would saw in the quote above – when asked some things that you would ask like to be preserved, is a lot of the about who should be responsible for somebody from another country natural beauty and things like that cultural heritage, the participant replies ‘what are some things in Australia?’ – because 1. There’s historical that we all need to be responsible for and they would list those. significance, but also 2. Tourism – being environmentally sustainable. it all ties into each other…Uluru and This was a common thread. When Moderator: And so, when you think the places – the national parks and asked about cultural heritage, many about something like the Great things like that; they’re all things that participants raised points about Barrier Reef – that’s a landscape, I love to visit and go to. the need to protect our national it’s a natural landscape…is that still a part of our cultural heritage, would (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, WA, ANGLO, parks, the Great Barrier Reef and STUDENT) other natural resources, as well as you think? places in nature that have cultural Seeing environmental heritage as a Participant: I think so. I think – significance, particularly to First subcategory of cultural heritage, many there’s – it’s something that people Nations peoples. This occurred even participants also felt that governments identify with Australia, so that is though the moderator never explicitly at different levels had different types of Australian culture…I think that even mentioned the environment in relation responsibility for these things. natural sites can be a part of our to heritage. This exchange provides a culture because Australia has a It’s hard to say who should be good example: very unique landscape. responsible for cultural heritage. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS TRANS MALE, 22, NT, I would say the local council is CAUCASIAN, COVID–19 SCREENER) literally responsible for these things, but something like the Tamar River is obviously – it’s worth preserving, but it’s in a state of decay at the moment, and there does need to be some unanimous decisions being made. Because it’s split up between so many different councils, there’s no proper restoration going into it. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, TAS, ANGLO-SAXON, SUPPORT WORKER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 40 1.3.2 Health Participants were, as one might imagine Dealing with mental health issues as I think, like I said, crime rates would go Participants also described how important in the middle of a global pandemic, quite well. I think, at least to me, arts is very up and I think that there would be – I think they felt arts and culture could be in clinical concerned about health issues – indeed, much used to express those feelings and a lot of people rely on stuff like that, and therapeutic settings. This came across in later questions, when we asked how things that are maybe harder to convey and government – I don’t know; a lot of both in terms of how patients can engage participants would feel if the government in a traditional sense. So I think it’s been those events are the things that people directly with arts and cultural activities to boosted arts and cultural funding, the most super useful for society in that way. look forward to, and we’ve sort of seen, improve health outcomes – often coming common response was along the lines of, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, VIC, AUSTRALIAN, with Covid, with events not being able from participants who worked either in carer ‘sounds good, so long as they aren’t taking it STUDENT) to happen, a lot of people feeling sad or allied health roles – or in terms of the away from health’. and not having anything to look forward aesthetics used in clinical contexts to affect I feel like people express themselves to. They’re very withdrawn and suicide patients’ experiences less directly. Just thinking about Covid, for example, through art, and I feel like people do that rates have gone up. I think having culture I think there’s this idea that we need to as a mental escape. Cos personally, I work with a lot of people with intellectual and arts engages the community and put citizens’ health first, before the arts. I dance basically every single day, and disabilities and brain injuries and using being engaged in the community gives At the moment, in India, for example, if I didn’t have that, I would probably go music through – whatever music it is you a lot of things to look forward to in it would just be a bit obscure to build a insane. I think it’s amazing for mental they like, whether it’s something they your calendar, and that’s important for statue in front of a hospital whilst there’s health; people make music to show how might not be familiar with in terms of mental health. thousands a day going into hospitals. they feel, cos they can’t say it. I think classical music or something that is one (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS TRANS MALE, 22, NT, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, EUROPEAN, there’d be a lot more problems if art CAUCASIAN, COVID–19 SCREENER) of their favourite songs now – it creates STUDENT) just disappeared. – it makes it relatable for them and it (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 19, SA, Even if you go to the dentist and there’s completely changes their health and However, most participants felt there was ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT) pictures on the wall, there doesn’t need wellbeing in a given moment. some connection between arts and culture to be pictures on the wall; the art’s there (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 28, ACT, SOUTH-EAST and health, especially in terms of benefits Some participants also made the to – promote wellbeing, mental wellbeing ASIAN, PHYSIO) to mental health in the general population. connection between arts and culture and especially. And I think there’s maybe Many participants described the way mental health at a societal level – and the You look at hospitals and how they [use a link between mental wellbeing and that engaging with arts and culture – and role of government in getting the policy arts and culture to] make people feel happiness and the society you live in and most commonly, with music – helped them settings right so that society can maximise safer and good about themselves while the economy. personally, either to change their mood or those benefits. they’re there. A lot of people are scared, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, EUROPEAN, help them to work through a difficult emotion and there’s lots of artwork down the think what it creates within a community, STUDENT) or experience. allowing people to express themselves corridors and things like that. I think it works in every space really. For my generation personally, [arts and – even the mental health effects from (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 28, VIC, that – the positive benefits of being part culture are] really important, in terms CAUCASIAN, PROGRAM OFFICER) of music especially. I know every day, of something and sharing something with walking to school, and driving anywhere, other people that you live with or live in listening to music lets out this emotion the vicinity of, I think is definitely part of that you don’t have without the music. government’s role. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 18, VIC, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SA, AUSTRALIAN, YEAR 12 STUDENT) ANGLO-SAXON, PHYSIO)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 41 1.3.3 Education and children As was the case with 35–60-year-olds, Given the many different cognitive, social, As that quote and the next two demonstrate, young middle Australians felt strongly about emotional and other benefits children can many participants were surprisingly the impact of arts and culture on educational garner, participants felt that it was important knowledgeable about the research around experiences. This was true for participants that arts and cultural activities were integrated impacts of arts and culture in education. with and without children. Discussions across the whole curriculum, not just into a Often irrespective of age or their own level typically boiled down to a combination of the siloed ‘art class’. of education, some participants were able to benefits for building social skills, learning to describe in detail exactly why arts and culture It’s definitely [contributing value to] think laterally and learning appropriate ways has been found to be so important in schools. education. I can say that because of the to express emotions. This was exemplified in cognitive benefits and the social and Education is, for me, the biggest one, this exchange in a WA female focus group: emotional benefits for children. Art, in because education is this phase of Participant 1: It helps them learn and gives many ways – just to sit doing a painting secondary socialisation; people are them more of an understanding as to can allow them to express their emotions learning who they are and learning to be backgrounds of other people. – situations that are going on in their themselves in society. And so, at this key (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, WA, AUSTRALIAN, home life. But it also – it’s not just about stage, they need arts and culture to build ACCOUNTS OFFICER) developing that cognitive brain activity; up that identity and figure out what cultures it is also proven to make them feel better… they fit into and who they identify with. Participant 2: Definitely. Also, building It’s a big part of the curriculum, not just in (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, ANGLO-SAXON, creativity and thinking outside of the box an art classroom; it’s utilised in lots of other YEAR 11 STUDENT) and things like that. Being open minded, subjects, I guess you could say. I think it helps with that. Skills development, creative development (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, NSW, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, WA, AUSTRALIAN/ – studies have shown that children who AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT LOOKING FOR WORK) INDIAN, STUDENT) learn music or do visual arts and creativity have better academic outcomes as well Participant 3: Maybe even expressing because they learn in different ways to themselves – how they feel. Children children who don’t. It’s all exposure and don’t have the vocab that we do, so they skills and development. can’t communicate, so maybe they can (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, do that through expressing themselves in ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, GRAPHIC DESIGNER) a different way. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, WA, ASIAN, RECEPTIONIST)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 42 Some participants also raised concerns about Many also felt that arts and cultural activities, Other participants saw a strong relationship how arts and culture’s value to education can objects and experiences could be valuable between the cultural content you engage with depend on how well equipped a school is to learning tools outside the classroom and as a child or adolescent, and your ideological, deliver these activities in the curriculum… that this was often the place that young and therefore political, leanings as an adult: people learned the skills that led to being A lot of schools don’t have the funding to When people go to vote, well, if as kids, creative adults. do whatever arts they might be doing – art when they were watching their favourite classes, studio art, dance classes, any of I think it has a huge effect on skills. TV show or they were engaging with that kind of stuff. I think that stuff is really Obviously, it depends on what sorts of arts these arts and culture, if that inspires one important, especially in primary schools, they’re getting involved in, but it forces us particular value and that has been shown to allow kids to be able to be themselves, to think in a different way and allows you to them their entire life, then they’re going not just what the school wants them to be. to develop your own thoughts and your to be much more inspired towards policies I think that’s important. own thought processes, not just what your and political leanings of that description. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, AUSTRALIAN, teacher or your parents told you. It teaches (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) you to think for yourself – teaches you to STUDENT) work with other people – cos obviously, …and worried that some schools were doing a lot of artistic endeavours involve not less arts and cultural activities than in the past, just working alone; and I think it also or even removing them entirely, and that this teaches that things don’t always work out. would have detrimental effects on children’s Whenever I did do art, I always stuffed development: it up. I was always focusing on getting I’m actually becoming a primary school everything right – on my spelling tests or teacher, and I was just on placement at a whatever – but when I did – when we had school, and they actually have gotten rid our art classes and things didn’t go the of art as a subject; they’ve taken art off way I wanted, I had to learn to deal with the curriculum in their school because that, and I think it teaches you a lot of soft they’ve just said, ‘it’s not important’. So, skills as well that are really important to I’m not sure about that, cos I know people make well-functioning adults. our age – they’re more accepting and they (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, SA, want to get into arts more, but people who ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, SCIENTIST) are younger than us aren’t getting taught art as much, which is really weird, because I remember it being pretty important when I was in primary school. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 19, SA, ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 43 1.3.4 Innovation

Participants were asked whether We deliberately shied away from asking them about the they were creative in their jobs, and connection between arts and culture and developing creativity what role they thought creativity in this section, as we wanted to see whether it emerged naturally. played in the workplace. The most Although most participants made an immediate connection common responses centred around between creativity and innovation, both at work and more creative problem solving and newness broadly in society, some also pointed out the connection they – having new ideas, inspiring new saw between being a creative adult and having had arts and ways of thinking or doing things. The cultural experiences as a child. This connection was exemplified focus groups indicated that young in this story from a South Australian scientist: middle Australians believe creativity is linked to innovation and leads Like I said earlier, I’m quite involved in the sciences, but when to new enterprises, new jobs and I was a kid, I was never really allowed to get involved in the new industries. arts. Mum was always like, ‘we can’t afford for you to have guitar lessons’, so I was never involved in anything artistic as I think creativity, as well, promotes a child, and I do think it does affect the way that I think now. innovation and new things. Like I do struggle more with that lateral thinking that people who with Star Trek, how they had a lot have come from a more creative background are just able to of high-tech things, just imagining do. I have to be more like ‘wait – okay – but this is the way it what the future could be like, and works!’ and I can’t think outside of that box. we’ve taken a lot of that and turned it into actual products that we now And I feel like, as a country, when we – so many inventions use. Stuff like Elon Musk and his and really incredible products and things have been made landing spaceship – that’s thinking and developed in Australia, and without that creativity, outside the box, being creative without someone asking, ‘what if we could get the internet and open. to work on a wireless connection?’, we wouldn’t have Wi Fi. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, WA, ANGLO, That was something that was just a ridiculous idea twenty UNEMPLOYED) or thirty years ago, and cos that one person had a creative thought, Australia developed Wi Fi. I feel like it plays a huge I was just going to make a comment role, and we are a country that has a lot of potential to do a lot on the fact that creativity, in a and I think having creativity is a huge part of that. way, drives the economy. It’s the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, SA, ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, SCIENTIST) reason we have new firms, and new markets. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, NSW, ANGLO-SAXON, WOOLWORTHS WORKER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 44 1.3.5 Jobs and economic growth Young middle Australians were much more One of the key areas, as was mentioned in A number of participants also specifically comfortable with the idea of arts and culture the previous quote, was the impact of arts referenced the increase in international film as parts of the economy than their older and culture on tourism. Arts and culture were studios filming in Australia since Covid–19, counterparts were. Although we will address seen as drawcards to encourage tourism. highlighting the advantages this had brought their perspectives on the cultural and creative Specificity of arts and cultural experiences to Australia’s economy and job market. industries and how they operate in a later was seen by participants as a way to make With Covid and all of that lovely stuff that section, it is worth noting here that many felt an area distinctive and provide an experience happened, it’s brought a lot more film and there was direct value added to economies by that tourists wouldn’t get to have anywhere television creation to Australia, which in arts and cultural activity. else in Australia; and this in turn was seen as turn has brought a lot more jobs and a lot both a means to stimulate the economy and a I guess it’s a huge part of the economy, more skills required of Australians here. way to create jobs. like cinemas and restaurants and all So when you go to make a movie, you the huge events that states put on. It’s I think from a regional space, at least don’t just need your camera crew and massive…I guess even their connection where I am, arts and culture is something your actors, you need all of the people to supply, like supply chains, and other that brings people to regional areas, that make up that industry itself. So you – it all links back to other industries. and that in turn will impact growth and need make-up artists; you need costume They’re linked together…If you mention development of these spaces. Arts and designers; you need set designers…And the fashion industry, there’s obviously culture brings people together and so they all lead to more and more people the design elements, but then there’s for there to be further development in being employed in Australia because we’re the manufacturing, they have to have infrastructure or jobs or resources, you becoming bigger and better at doing that suppliers…So I guess it’s all connected. need to have more people there and arts kind of stuff. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, SA, ENGLISH/ and culture is a way to bring more people (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, HUNGARIAN, DEFENCE) out to those areas. AUSTRALIAN, TEACHER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 27, VIC, CAUCASIAN, HOMELESS SERVICES)

So I think tourism is a big thing for us in Tasmania as well…I feel like, without some of those things [Mona and Port Arthur], I’m not sure how much the want would be… People come down here to see some of these things and sometimes it’s only for that reason. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, TAS, AUSTRALIAN/GERMAN/EGYPTIAN/HUNGARIAN, TEACHER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 45 1.3.6 Sport, recreation and ‘the experience economy’

One strong connection, and again a point of Participant 2: I agree. Especially when for a drink at Winter Festival down at the difference from the 35–60-year-olds, was things like the World Cup – I’m a big beach and there’s performers there and the relationship between arts and culture soccer fan – and the World Cup is, to me, fireworks and stuff like that. I think it’s the and other types of experiences such as you could define that as a literal cultural same sort of emotions and feelings that attending sporting matches. This is possibly activity, experience, whatever word you I get from it. because the 18–29-year-olds typically saw want to use. Cos it’s bringing all these (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SA, ANGLO-SAXON, the word ‘culture’ quite differently to their older different people from all over the world ACCOUNTANT) counterparts, with many pointing out that who have one thing in common: their love This also seemed to apply to other types of sport is a part of Australian culture. However, for the sport. And I guess also, through experiences, with participants referencing many specifically pointed out how blurry the different art forms, show and express that science shows, food and beverage festivals lines were between these two areas and love. Some people dress up, some people and even clubs and volunteering when how incorporating art into sport enhanced have posters. Again, the tangible aspect of asked about the kinds of arts and cultural the experience. the art side to that. experiences they enjoyed attending. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, QLD, Participant 1: It definitely does [have a AUSTRALIAN, FINANCIAL PLANNER) Music and – if there’s something – I go to connection] in sport. A lot of sports that a lot of comedy gigs and stuff like that, we play here – have a look at AFL – they Participants also described how attending especially if there’s something weird. Or have an entire round of the AFL each year sporting events and arts and cultural events food stuff, food festivals – I’m all about that. could achieve similar ends. In the following where they have their Indigenous round, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, WA, ANGLO, and they’ll have Indigenous artworks on quote, the participant had described ‘going to STUDENT) their uniforms, and they’ll do the Welcome the footy on the weekends’ where, ‘there’s a to Country at the start of the matches bit of theatrics that goes on – a bit of fireworks I suck at dancing and singing, but I feel like and things like that. We have the national and some arts and cultural elements there’, that’s expressing creatively as well – just anthem that plays. And if we’re playing a and the moderator asked the participant what by myself, even though I’m not good at it! team from another country, we have their he felt made sports events similar to arts and But at uni…when I joined all these clubs and national anthem that plays. So I feel like cultural events: volunteering, the community that came sport is very cultural. And they display a with that – I had no idea. That’s a big part of Well, they are performing. And yes, they’re lot of those cultural arts within sports and my life and I would say that’s like a culture competing, which maybe is not an arts and things like that. of its own. culture element…But yeah, it’s about the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, SA, TAMIL/ community, the spectacle, the excitement, AUSTRALIAN, TEACHER) MALAYSIAN, NANNY) the sounds. Everything that I think gives me Moderator: What do other people think the same sort of feelings and emotion that about that? I experience when I go to a Fringe show [at the Adelaide Fringe Festival] or when I go

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 46 In conclusion: What is the value of arts and culture to society? Young middle Australians believe that arts and culture are highly beneficial at a societal level, making strong and enthusiastic connections between arts and culture and a range of ostensibly disconnected policy areas. They feel that arts and cultural experiences, activities and objects have significant impacts on placemaking and community-building and can help bring local communities together or help build a collective state or national identity. They believe that cultural and environmental heritage are intertwined, and that heritage protection is important for understanding the past and the present, as well as being a gift we can give to future generations. They also believe that young people, in particular, use arts and culture to help them work through mental health concerns, and that this has implications at a societal level. Young middle Australians are knowledgeable about the benefits of arts and cultural experiences for children and are fierce about protecting children’s right to access those benefits in schools, particularly because they could see how their own childhood experiences of arts and culture have affected their capacity to innovate and think laterally as adults. They see a direct link between creativity, innovation and the development of new products and markets. And they feel that arts, cultural and creative industries contribute both directly and indirectly to the economy and help create new jobs, especially connected to tourism and the film industry. Finally, they believe there are connections between arts and culture and a range of other types of recreational or experiential activities, because every experience is enhanced when arts and cultural elements are incorporated.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 47 The young middle Australians who However, many also spoke openly participated in this study believed that and passionately about the ways they Part 1 Q4: they were benefiting, both directly and personally engaged with arts and culture, indirectly, because of the benefits that and the benefits they saw from that What is the value of arts and culture can have on society direct engagement. The connection that more broadly. This was irrespective of participants felt towards their personal arts and culture to them, whether they considered themselves cultural engagement became particularly to be ‘artsy’, liked going to arts and clear when we asked each focus group: personally? cultural events, had creative pastimes, or ‘What would a world without arts and considered private consumption of arts culture look like?’ This immediately and cultural products to be an arts and elicited faces of disgust, disbelief and cultural activity in itself. They recognised dismay. Most felt it was an implausible that they were engaging with arts and thought experiment. culture on a daily basis both digitally and Yeah, well most of our whole lives in other ways, and that their lives were have been surrounded by arts and made better by the opportunities to do so. culture. I can’t really imagine what it I work in science; I study in science; would be like without them. that’s always been the trajectory (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VICTORIA, I’ve followed. But arts is still quite AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) important to me. I love listening to Some participants made a connection music; I love – like I said earlier, I love between the idea of a world without going to live gigs; I love listening to arts and culture and the experience of the radio; I like watching movies. Like Covid–19 lockdowns. [other participant] said, I’ve never considered myself an artistic person I would struggle [in a world without because no matter how hard I try, any arts and culture]…I go to a lot I can’t draw or paint or write a song, of music festivals – specifically but it still is something that’s quite the music side of arts and culture; important to me – but also something and even the past year, with Covid, I never really consider, either. I guess I noticed a really big difference cos it’s not related to my career and in my life. Obviously, it didn’t ruin stuff; it’s only when you sit and think my life, but not being able to go to ‘oh, actually, yeah, it does matter a lot’. those events and express – not only It is quite a big part of my life without myself, but everyone else around me me really putting a lot of thought into it. was doing the same through these (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, SA, music festivals – it hurt. I was quite a ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, SCIENTIST) different person. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, NSW, AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT LOOKING FOR WORK)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 48 Others felt that Covid–19 lockdowns had caused Australians to find new ways to be creative, emphasising that this was why a world without arts and culture was impossible. I don’t think that [a world without arts and culture] could happen…In World War One, Aussies were known as the larrikins, and I kind of just feel like, even throughout Covid, there was still a culture of people coming together and banding together, just obviously not in a physical capacity. They did those – one of my colleagues was doing one of these Zoom discos or something… where – everyone – it was like a massive party, but it was in isolation. And there was the ‘bin isolating’ – yeah. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, NSW, AUSTRALIAN, MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST)

In this section, we explore some of the key ways that young middle Australians feel they benefit from their personal engagement with arts and cultural activities.

Figure 5: ‘Bloody Bin Chickens!’ Bendigo man Brad McDonald and his kids spent five hours making this costume using old pallets and bin bags. Like hundreds of fellow Australians who dressed up to take their bins out during pandemic lockdowns, the family uploaded footage of their masterpiece to the Facebook group ‘Bin Isolation Outing’. See the video here. Source: Brad McDonald.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 49 1.4.1 1.4.2 Giving colour to your life Giving you a unique identity Participants felt that a world without arts One key consequence of a world I think that a world without arts and and culture would be ‘bland’, ‘bleak’, ‘grim’, without arts and culture that came up culture feels like…if you can’t express ‘boring’ and ‘sad’. They felt that cultural repeatedly was the idea that our cultural yourself in a culture, it feels almost like engagement was essential to prevent us engagement, either as an individual or [pause] a terrible society, where you from ‘just being like robots’. as a society, is what makes us unique don’t actually have freewill [pause] and gives us points of differentiation dystopian, that’s the word I wanted. Yeah, it’s very important. I love going to from others. It feels almost dystopian because gigs, I play instruments, I like artwork; people don’t have the freedom or it gives you something to do…it gives You’d have no separation from self-insight to express themselves. colour to your life. Without it, we’d just anyone else, you’d all be the same. So I think without expression, socially, talk about bitcoins, stocks and that’s it. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, you are not anything. So, either it (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 29, QLD, ENGLISH AUSTRALIAN, TRADESPERSON) AUSTRALIAN, YOUTH WORKER) would be a world of robots, or it Pretty bland. Wouldn’t be interesting, would be a world of people who… Can’t imagine that would be even kind of would be all the same, kind don’t connect at all. There’s no group possible…Just grey. of copies of each other. That’s why activity if there’s no arts and culture, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, SA, I think – that’s where I think arts and in my mind. AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) culture’s so important, because, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, you know, it diversifies us, and ANGLO-SAXON, YEAR 11 STUDENT) I think there’s something powerful in diversity. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, NSW, MACEDONIAN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 50 1.4.3 1.4.4 Helping connect you to culture – yours and other people’s Making you feel good For participants who had identified as Yeah, I think for me, for my lifestyle For many, arts and cultural activities were having a culturally or linguistically diverse and where I’m from, culture isn’t tools they could use to help them feel better (CALD) background, ethnic culture a very big thing, it’s not much about the world, lift their mood, connect and the artforms that accompanied happening – the old joke of white them to others and deal with problems. their family’s culture were often highly people having no culture and that. So the idea of a world without arts and valued, and again demonstrated how (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 21, NSW, culture elicited images of social isolation engagement with arts and culture was AUSTRALIAN, SELF-EMPLOYED) and loneliness. ‘intertwined’ with other aspects of life. I know nothing about my culture and I think it would feel quite isolated and Culture and arts to me is pretty I kind of wish that – my dad taught me lonely. I guess, again, for me, culture important. My background is little things, but I wish that I knew it is community and experience. And Macedonian, so that’s been really and practised it. without that, I don’t think you’d be able important in shaping how I see the (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, NSW, to express creativity at all without some outside world, and you know, my AUSTRALIAN, MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST) form of art or culture. So I think it would morals and stuff like that – and that’s However, even when they didn’t feel be a very lonely, sad place. where culture kind of comes in. And strongly connected to their own cultures, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, ETHICS OFFICER) learning the Macedonian culture, they typically felt that it was very important and being Australian born, it’s very to engage with other cultures, and that The first word that came into my mind intertwined with dancing and music. one of the best ways to do this was by was, it would be kind of sad. Even That’s something I’ve grown up with, engaging with the art of other cultures. though I do engineering, I feel like I’m still so, yeah, it’s very…very important in, quite a creative person and I like doing kind of, forming societal values and I feel like everyone would be even art and reading or doing sport. That’s stuff like that. more isolated, especially in a cultural bringing people together, so, when you (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, NSW, sense, in our generation and the don’t really have that, no matter what MACEDONIAN, PROJECT MANAGEMENT) generations to come, if they didn’t know about other cultures and form it’s in – bringing people together Many of the non-CALD participants, interacting with people from other – it’s a bit lonely and a bit sad and the although emphasising that they put high cultures and things like that. world isn’t as colourful or vibrant in value on their interactions with the arts, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, QLD, various ways. often described themselves and their AUSTRALIAN, FINANCIAL PLANNER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, SA, backgrounds as being ‘devoid of culture’. TAMIL-MALAYSIAN, NANNY) This was often a lament, with participants explaining their belief that Australians (typically referring to Australians with Anglo-Celtic backgrounds) don’t have a culture to speak of, and that this was something they envied about Australians with non-Anglo-Celtic backgrounds.19

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 51 1.4.5 1.4.6 In conclusion: Giving you something to do and Knock-on effects: Stuff you What is the value of arts and connecting you with others don’t even know it’s giving you culture to them, personally? While at a societal level, participants Yeah, very important, love going And finally, a number of participants pointed Young middle Australians are aware that often discussed bigger, more to gigs, I play instruments, I like out that arts and cultural objects, activities they, personally, reap the benefits of a philosophical ideas about value, on a artwork – it gives you something and experiences frequently catalyse other rich cultural life at a societal level and feel personal level – for some, at least – the to do. The amount of cool pop things in the world. One participant talked that their direct engagement with arts and benefits came from having a variety of festivals and science things that about Star Trek and how today’s tech giants cultural activities also benefits them as activities with which to engage and a are on – science isn’t really an art, often draw inspiration from 1980s sci-fi. individuals. They find it difficult to imagine range of interesting ways to spend their but – it all gives colour to your life, Another talked about how often movies are a world without arts and culture, but when free time. it’s entertainment. based on books or plays, and then the movie they try, it gives them images of a sad, grey, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 29, QLD, lines become memes, and before you know dystopian world full of identical robots with Growing up, in most of my spare ENGLISH AUSTRALIAN, YOUTH WORKER) it, people are just saying these things all the no free will. They feel that arts and culture time, I spent it doing musical time, without anyone even knowing where give their lives colour, give them the means theatre, all through my schooling… It’s something to do and not sit the saying came from anymore. A number to create and express identity, and help it feels like all my best memories around the house and the social mentioned how famous visual artworks them make meaningful connections to are of time doing that, and it’s aspect of it, really, to catch up with often inspire design trends, which we then other people. They use arts and cultural because the collective creation friends, to go on a date, whatever it end up incorporating into our clothes or activities to lift their mood, bring them joy, of something that is art – it builds might be. our homes. chill them out, pump them up and ultimately, the best memories. It’s such a (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 28, VIC, just give them something interesting to do great experience – not because CAUCASIAN, PROGRAM OFFICER) And you also don’t know what things – with their time. And they are aware that, dancing is great, or acting is great. like music or art or theatre – what that’s It’s definitely enriching…these days despite all those positives, there are sure It’s because of the teamwork inspired that’s not necessarily – that you I’m creating a lot of music and I’ve to be other benefits that they are receiving, and collaboration and I think that wouldn’t necessarily put in the bubble of got a lot of friends that are very all the time, without even knowing that arts there’s a real enjoyment that comes ‘art’. Art’s inspired a whole lot of random musical and it’s just a whole lot of and culture have made them possible. from that…So, I think it has a lot of fun getting together and not just stuff, so if you were to take all of the artsy emotional connotation to me, that talking and whatever other people people out of the world – yeah; we’d it’s quite important to me and I think do. And just creating something be doomed. it’s very valuable. with them, it’s great. So, that’s (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, ADMINISTRATION) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, definitely a real connection. ANGLO-SAXON, YEAR 11 STUDENT) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, TAS, ANGLO-SAXON, SUPPORT WORKER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 52 1.5.1 Part 1 Q5: Do the arts, cultural and creative industries contribute much to the economy? How do the cultural and The term creative industries had about Profitability as much familiarity to this cohort as Many participants seemed surprised by creative industries work? it did to the middle Australians in last this question; most considered it a given year’s study. There were some tentative that the cultural and creative industries In this section, we wanted to understand how suggestions in some groups about the were profitable. much participants knew about the cultural and music industry and the film industry, but creative industries. Were they familiar with little certainty. Participants were then Oh for sure, otherwise they wouldn’t offered a definition: ‘Creative industries these terms? Did they think of arts and culture be able to keep going, if they didn’t are industries that are inherently reliant make any profit off it or anything. in terms of industry and jobs? Did they know on individual human creativity for their (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, how arts, cultural and creative businesses success. They include industries such AUSTRALIAN, STUDENT) as broadcasting, design, fashion, film supported themselves? These questions were This initial reaction was generally and television, galleries and museums, then countered by other participants asked, in part, because 35–60-year-olds had literature, music, theatre and other bringing up the effects of Covid–19 typically been unfamiliar with these ideas. performing arts, and visual arts.’ lockdowns. Most groups eventually We wondered whether younger people, Participants were then asked, ‘Thinking came to a consensus that under who may have been presented with a range about all those things, do you think the normal circumstances, arts and of career types while at school, would have combined creative industries contribute cultural businesses ‘do pretty well a greater understanding. much to the economy?’. Follow-up for themselves’, but that the current prompt questions included ‘How much?’, unusual economic environment had ‘In what ways?’, and ‘Do you imagine they caused a lot of difficulty for these kinds are very profitable?’. of organisations. Most, though not all, felt that the government should support these creative businesses because it was essential that they survive the pandemic for the good of society, as illustrated in this exchange between the female Queenslanders.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 53 Participant 1: [Because of Covid–19 Some participants pointed out that while Contributions to the economy lockdowns] we’ve got so, so many the creative industries and the activities Most participants focused more on the I guess that’s where our disposable children coming up in the current or goods they produce may not be hugely idea of the profitability (and losses) of income goes. Any extra money that generation that just don’t have the profitable, that was okay because you specific businesses and/or individual we have, we tend to spend on culture same exposure as, say, people in don’t get involved in that kind of work for creators – the idea of profitability was and arts. So I guess it’s a huge part our generation and older did. Their money anyway. offered predominantly as a prompt of the economy, like cinemas and exposure is so different because they I know quite a few people who run from the moderator to groups that were restaurants and all the huge events are accessing it online and things like music events and stuff…They do some unsure about questions of economic that states put on. It’s massive. that. There’s not the same opportunity of the bigger ones. They do all right, contribution (‘I don’t really know anything (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, SA, to go and see a play on a Friday night but not fantastically well. They get by about how the economy works, hey’.).20 ENGLISH-HUNGARIAN, DEFENCE) or something like that. and certainly enough to keep doing Some did think in terms of contributions (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, …and those who felt that contributing what they’re doing because they love to the economy, and these participants AUSTRALIAN, TEACHER) to the economy isn’t the point of arts it, but I would say it’s more – at least were split between those who thought and culture anyway, irrespective of Participant 2: Yeah. And I think it takes for me, there’s easier ways to get the contributions were very large, due to their views on how large the economic away a safe space for a lot of people. more money than doing – organising the popularity of the goods and services contribution may have been: Arts and culture really is about having those types of things. Yeah, you do being produced… that community…Cutting that out it cos you love it and then money I think that, yes, they do add a huge I would say it’s quite a big contribution would remove that safe space for is – maybe not secondary, but it’s amount of economic value, but I also because, once you’re working, as people, that community. certainly not the only thing. get a bit hesitant when we talk about soon as you start getting surplus (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, QLD, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, WA, ANGLO, them as economic value because income, the majority of people like to AUSTRALIAN, HOSPITALITY) STUDENT) I don’t think that’s their inherent value. spend it, and the creative industries And it shouldn’t be brought down to are behind the products that we are a number if that makes sense. They buying with our surplus income, be it have this huge value to who we new clothes; stuff for your house cos are as people and how we relate to you want to make your house look each other, and that to me is a higher a bit different or, anything like that. priority than the economic value. The creative industries are coming (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, NT, ANGLO, up with that and coming up with the PROJECT OFFICER) marketing to tempt us to purchase their products, so I guess from the economy’s point of view, it’s probably quite a major player in getting the money moving around the economy. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 26, WA, ANGLO-NEW ZEALANDER, WELDER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 54 I guess this is one thing where you Others hastened to point out that 1.5.2 could draw a distinction between contributions to the economy could immediate impacts and longer-term be both direct and indirect, in terms of How do arts, cultural and creative businesses effects. The immediate impact may the productivity of individuals as well operate financially? not be seen for quite some time, as spill-over effects from cultural and and that can potentially lead to a creative industries into other industries: Across the board, there was an initial • Earned income, including through society where people undervalue art belief from most participants that arts and digital monetisation Then there’d be the indirect ways it because it may not be immediately cultural businesses and organisations benefits the economy as well. Going Sometimes the funding comes profitable. I guess it’s that cliché of supported themselves through the sale back to music again, for me, the music from a little side thing which they how a famous artist may not make of goods and services; however, this itself, and the production and the know will make more money. Like, all their money until after they’re belief was immediately destabilised by sales are maybe not going to help the you see YouTubers making a lot long dead. It can take a long time the fact that the question had been asked. economy broadly, but they’re sure as more money from merchandising for a particular artwork to get that Participants often described having sh*t going to help me stay productive than from their videos themselves, type of appreciation. So, if you have always assumed that earned income was in a job I’m not too fond of for the next and they will plug their merch a lot a short-term society, that type of the predominant business model, but eight hours. because they are like, ‘well, this legacy – well, it may never become then realised they’d never really thought (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, ACT, is how I’m going to make money; about it, and now that they were thinking a legacy because that art may never ANGLO-SAXON, STUDENT) if lots of people buy my jumpers, about it, they didn’t really know. be produced…If you have a long-term which have a huge profit margin, I think people just think of the numbers society that realises the benefits of I think some are quite profitable then that’s what I’ve got’. prudence and patience, then the art side of it; they don’t think of the and some are a bit harder, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, innovation side of it. Architecture, and culture can be enhanced cos based – in terms of the industries ANGLO-SAXON, YEAR 11 STUDENT) for example: architecture’s used to they may recognise ‘hey; this stuff is they’re in. Yeah, it’s a bit hard to incorporate space. Whether that I think for many artists, unless going to set us apart’. decipher though. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, SA, be in the CBD, for example – if you they can do something like Twitch (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 20, QLD, GERMAN CAUCASIAN, RECORDS OFFICER) stream21 their art or something didn’t have well-designed buildings, AUSTRALIAN, COLES RETAIL) it wouldn’t all flow together. I think – unless they can find some way that’s a form of art in itself, and I think Discussions of the Covid–19 economic to monetise, in a way, to help just because you’re not getting situation typically provided an opening for generate extra funds…I think that direct revenue from it or that the moderator to ask whether and how you’ve got this huge lag-time immediate benefit, people overlook creative organisations and businesses between the amount of time it it. And I guess that’s reinforced at the that were struggling managed to survive, takes to create a piece of art… moment with all the policy changes both during and prior to the pandemic. and the eventual pay-off, if it making culture and arts degrees a This evoked a more nuanced discussion ever happens. lot more expensive. I think that plays of operating models in arts and culture, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 24, SA, into that. with responses spanning the range CAUCASIAN, RECORDS OFFICER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 22, SA, GREEK/ of different operating models in these CYPRIOT ETHNICITY, DEPARTMENT industries, including: OF INFRASTRUCTURE)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 55 • Organised philanthropy • Crowdfunding • Volunteering Perhaps there’s some wealthy There’s also crowdfunding; See, from a cultural aspect, a lot philanthropist who decides ‘hey, Patreon and Kick-Starter of these things would actually I think that this is important, it and stuff is the same idea of be voluntary. Therefore, there’s was important to me as a child donors and patrons and that no money going home with so I’m going to put in the money’. sort of stuff, but on a smaller anyone, and a lot of them are That’s less usual, but it happens. scale. Rather than having one not-for-profit kinds of things, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, very rich person give you a sideline businesses…Festivals, ANGLO-SAXON, YEAR 11 STUDENT) living wage, you get a hundred for instance, like the Falls • Corporate sponsorship not-so-rich people to give you a Festival – I think 80% of their little bit because they like what staff are volunteers. They just I think sometimes companies you’re creating. And so they’re get paid the ticket to go in there and corporates like to help supporting you there. for the whole weekend. sponsor these things. Put their (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 26, TAS, name on it and it doesn’t cost 26, SA, ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, AUSTRALIAN, STAY-AT-HOME MUM/ them that much in comparison GRAPHIC DESIGNER) PART-TIME CLEANER) to things. • Self-funding • Government support (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 23, WA, ANGLO, UNEMPLOYED) I’ve seen groups being funded Yeah, I think there’s a lot of by – where the person running money that goes into these big it worked somewhere else, and galleries to be able to put on that’s how they had the money these huge exhibitions, and to then to fund this. So, they are be honest I’m not that familiar simultaneously earning the with how – what kind of money money to fund this thing which comes from the government in won’t make money but is going terms of funding that and what to be a good thing to do. the gallery puts together for that. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, TAS, But I feel like a lot more money ANGLO-SAXON, YEAR 11 STUDENT) goes into the bigger institutions of art and less into the more community-based art: the local arts centres that put together small productions of things. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 28, ACT, SOUTH-EAST ASIAN, PHYSIO)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 56 1.5.3 The advantages and disadvantages of government boosts or cuts to arts and culture funding In groups where government funding Advantages of governments boosting arts and cultural spending was not raised by participants, the moderator asked the question directly: The advantages that participants identified Another advantage brought up by many Some participants also raised the point that ‘Do governments provide financial fell into four main categories (in order of participants was the opportunity to stimulate boosting government spending helps sustain support to arts and culture?’ Most frequency in the discussions): stimulating communities and maximise the benefits aspects of arts and cultural activity that benefit participants did then identify that they economic activity, social cohesion, wrought by strong social cohesion. Australia’s policy priorities, such as building a sustaining arts and cultural activity and national identity: were aware of examples of government There’s probably some unseen flow-on improving accessibility. grants or other forms of financial effects. I think what it creates within a Art and culture’s not something I think of support from the various levels of In terms of economic benefits, participants community, allowing people to express so much in relation to the government. government for arts and culture. We felt that stimulating arts and culture could also themselves – even the mental health When I’m thinking about what the then posed two hypothetical scenarios stimulate other areas of the economy. effects from that – the positive benefits government does – it feels like more for participants. First, if a government of being part of something and sharing regulating industries, sort of thing. But, I think with boosting or putting more money announced that they were going to be something with other people that you programs – like channels – the ABC have into the arts, you know, whether that’s boosting spending on arts and culture, live with or live in the vicinity of, I think, is mandated amounts of contents they opening up more industries or allowing what would participants think the definitely part of government’s role. We’re have to produce in Australia, and I think more live performances to be happening, advantages and disadvantages of that trying to create not just a society where if the government – because I think it can it boosts other hospitality sectors and it might be? people purely live, but actually enjoy be expensive – than just purchasing a boosts all the hotels and accommodation themselves. Yeah, I think funding creative program that already exists – having to and all those sorts of things. So if it’s arts and things is really important. create new programming is expensive, money put in to try and boost, you know, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 27, SA, ANGLO-SAXON, so when the government mandates that, more jobs as [other participant] said, to put PHYSIO) you get things like Bluey, which is a very more money to a greater area rather than popular show, which I haven’t watched but just boosting arts, I see it making sense. is on my radar because it is such a popular But yeah, it depends on circumstances. show everywhere, and that’s – that sort of (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 28, NSW, ANGLO-SAXON, TEACHER) stuff, which is very definitely art, wouldn’t exist without the government mandating a certain percentage of ABC being Australian content. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 25, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, DATA ANALYST)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 57 Disadvantages of governments boosting arts and cultural spending The key downside that participants Yeah, I would prefer if they put it into identified of boosting spending on arts science rather than arts and culture, and culture was that the money would because, for example, in labs – funding then be displaced from funding other labs that could find a better vaccine for things. Most were not adamant that this Covid or other diseases and things like was a bad thing (though some were), but that, and I don’t think art and culture is most wanted to know where the money as important as the health – physical was coming from and that it wasn’t health – I do understand that arts and Figure 6: Australian animated kids TV show ‘Bluey’ is produced in Queensland, set in Brisbane, and focuses on themes of family, growing up and Australian culture. Image source: PR handout image via the Australian coming from somewhere they personally culture helps with the mental health Broadcasting Corporation, 1/4/2020. valued more highly – usually health, and for a lot of people out there, but I also especially Covid–19 vaccine development think that physical health is more The other area that participants brought up as an or treatments – before they’d be willing to important, personally. advantage to government spending on arts and back a funding boost to arts and culture. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 20, WA, culture was that governments can make certain AUSTRALIAN/INDIAN, STUDENT) activities accessible to the public when they I think as long as it’s not – arts and wouldn’t otherwise be. This quote was a response culture is super important, but I think to the question of why government funding could be you’d have to look at it as a bigger valuable for arts and cultural venues and events. picture, as well as, is that taking money from elsewhere? If there’s I literally went to an art gallery yesterday. Being another sector that super needs it – able – also they’re free. I walked in and said, but I think it would be really good to ‘Where can I buy a ticket?’ He said, ‘No, it’s free’. boost…because I know a lot of times Things like that. Me, being someone that’s willing something is boosted and something and able to buy a ticket – but the next person else is cut. So I think it’s something might not be. And that might stop them from that you’d – as long as it wasn’t being going to certain events and things like that. taken out of something else that really (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 24, QLD, AUSTRALIAN, needed it. FINANCIAL PLANNER) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, NT, ANGLO, PROJECT OFFICER)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 58 Many participants pointed out that although Advantages of governments cutting arts and cultural spending they supported the idea of boosting spending Next, participants were asked, ‘If a That said, the most common answer to this on arts and culture in principle, they didn’t feel government announced that they were going question, across most of the focus groups, that existing arts and cultural funding always to be cutting funding to arts and culture, what was essentially, ‘it depends’: ‘it depends on found its way to the places they felt it should be do you feel would be the advantages and why it’s needed elsewhere’, ‘it depends on going, as exemplified by this exchange in the disadvantages of that?’ where it would be going instead’, ‘it depends ACT male group: how much they were going to take’, ‘it depends The main advantage participants saw to Participant 1: So, if the government on whether they were planning to put it back’. cutting cultural spending was, predictably, was announcing and was going to be Participants were hesitant to endorse cuts as the same as the disadvantages of boosting implementing – giving a whole bunch they felt those cuts would likely be permanent, cultural spending – it would allow funds to be of money into the arts, I would just hope while overall, their answers were context reallocated elsewhere. that it would be accessible to people specific. In the middle of a global pandemic, it who actually work there. Real people. If it’s going to something good like seemed fair for many participants to reallocate And engaging – I would hope that the healthcare, it’s good. But, like, depends some funding to healthcare, but once the government would be engaging with how much they cut, I guess. pandemic was over, most participants wanted people in that industry to work out where it (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 20, QLD, ITALIAN/ to see those cuts rectified, ‘for the good of is – not just the people who work at the top AUSTRALIAN/ENGLISH, MENU COORDINATOR) the community’. of the industry in the high-level, expensive A small number of participants also pointed stuff – people actually at the community out that they believed in ‘small government’ level as well. and that consequently, they did not believe (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 28, ACT, SOUTH-EAST ASIAN, PHYSIO) arts and culture should be the responsibility of governments. Participant 2: Yeah, I think it’s really, I think I’d be pretty happy because that really important that there’s some kind money can now go towards erasing of accountability around where that some deficit or erasing the money that money goes, cos I’ve completely lost any we owe to other countries or to lowering semblance of excitement when there’s an the taxes and money which I then have announcement about funding to the arts or to pay, and you guys then have to pay, to mental health. Because it doesn’t seem to the government. pan out in a way where it affects the people (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 18, VIC, AUSTRALIAN, who it should be helping. STUDENT) (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 29, ACT, ANGLO-SAXON, PUBLIC SERVANT)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 59 Disadvantages of governments cutting arts and cultural spending Interestingly, although there had 1. The negative flow-on effects for 2. Concerns that the arts and culture 3. The negative effects on creators and been significant hesitation from individuals and communities that did get funded after the cuts their livelihoods (and the negative some participants about whether would be more geared towards effects on the community as It’s a tough one, because it’s like boosting funding was a good idea, the other people and would no longer a consequence) – well, you can cut arts or cultural idea of cutting funding was met with reflect young people’s interests or events or funding, but then you might I kind of feel like the exposure is dismay, sometimes even by the same experiences get an increased demand for funding already limited so much more participants. These disadvantages fell for mental health…so there’s that: you I don’t really see what the positives [to than what it used to be [because into three major themes: [governments] could be potentially cutting spending] would be…overall, of Covid–19] that it would be really making the problem worse or making I think arts and culture is something upsetting to a lot of people if it was it harder for yourself. that is seen as more important by cut even further. Cos if you’re going to (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, ACT, younger people than older people – cut something, at the end of the day, ANGLO-SAXON, STUDYING/DISABILITY I guess this is just based on what I see you’re going to have people [creators] SUPPORT WORKER) happen on Facebook comments and that just look at it and go, ‘I can’t do I think there would be one major things like that, but – I feel like it would this anymore. I can’t produce this effect: the loss of identity of certain be something that would cause quite anymore. I can’t continue to do this communities. When I think of Freo, a bit of anger and frustration. Even without the funding that I used to get’. for example – there’s these big though, like I’ve said, I enjoy live gigs (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, QLD, containers – that’s my image of Freo; and stuff, but I’m not involved in the AUSTRALIAN, TEACHER) that’s what I associate Freo with arts world at all. But it’s still something being…losing that sense of identity that myself and my friends would be would have long-term effects. most unhappy about. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS MALE, 19, WA, (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 29, SA, EUROPEAN, STUDENT) ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN, SCIENTIST)

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 60 In conclusion: How do the cultural and creative industries work?

Young middle Australians typically don’t Young middle Australians are cautiously know much about how arts and culture enthusiastic about the idea of boosts work from a business or operational to arts and cultural funding from perspective – it generally isn’t something governments, so long as the money they’ve ever really thought about. They wouldn’t be coming from health and assume, given the value they personally would be going to creative activities place on these activities, that arts and of optimal benefit to society – mostly cultural organisations and businesses they wish to see greater investment must be financially viable and probably in community-level arts and cultural make contributions to the economy, but experiences. Some are adamant that also believe that money isn’t really the arts and cultural organisations need point of this kind of activity anyway. When government support now more than prompted, young middle Australians ever, thanks to Covid–19. Others feel it can list a range of ways that arts and would be reasonable if the government cultural organisations generate income, needed to temporarily reduce funding to including self-funding, crowdfunding, arts and culture to support emergency sales of goods and services, monetising Covid–19 preventions or treatments, but their process as well as their products, would want reassurance that the funding organised philanthropy, corporate would be returned, post-pandemic.

Figure 7: Marcus Canning’s sculpture Rainbow at the Fremantle port is made of nine shipping containers. sponsorship, relying on volunteers and But they also feel that if cuts were Image source: Photo 146001570 / Fremantle Rainbow © Marco Taliani De Marchio government support. made to government spending on arts and culture, there would be a range of flow-on effects that would probably end up costing the government – and Australian society – more in the long run.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 61 Comparing generational perceptions of arts and culture

Theme Young middle Australians Middle Australians Divergent versus (18–29 years old) (35–60 years old) aligned views

Life without arts Drab; grim; grey; there’d be no differences between people, we’d all be the same; Bleak; dull; colourless; like a war-torn country; boring; and culture boring; people would be more isolated. There’d be no more self-expression a more divided community; no innovation; people D ------A or diversity. would be more isolated.

Arts and culture & Arts and culture bring people together and really drive that community Arts and culture bring the community together – community and social connectedness. That’s what arts and culture are about, for some. Arts and that’s what arts and culture are for; they give us cohesion cultural activities are often how they make friends, and build a sense of belonging. opportunities to be with friends and families; unite D ------A people from all walks of life and help us understand each other.

Arts and culture Funding creativity and arts in schools is really important to help children work out Essential to children’s development; gives children & children’s who they are and shape them into who they can be. They need broad exposure a constructive way to express themselves; helps development because not every art form will resonate with every person. And it’s usually fun, neural pathways develop; helps kids build resilience D ------A so it helps them learn and develop their brains. There are cognitive, social and and other social skills. emotional benefits. Also really important for children to have exposure to lots of different cultures and cultural histories.

Arts and culture & The arts and culture you engage with shapes your identity as an individual, and Arts and culture help us tell our own stories to Australian identity the arts and culture available in a country (both to residents and what people ourselves and each other, as well as to the world can see of a nation from the outside) shapes the nation’s identity. So we need more broadly, so they are essential for building more of that so we’re shaping our identity more, setting ourselves apart. It’s also our national identity. Content needs to reflect our D ------A about reframing and being honest about our past – especially our colonial past diverse voices. and our ongoing relations with our First Nations peoples – and about what a contemporary Australian identity is or even could be. Arts and culture can be a vehicle for updating that identity to include diverse voices.

Arts and culture Creativity runs through everything, and the more chances you have to think Arts and culture stimulate creativity and broaden & creativity and creatively by engaging with the arts, the better you get at thinking creatively in your mind. The experiences stay with you and inspire innovation all the other aspects of your life. With creativity comes innovation. But arts and innovation in other areas of your life, not just when culture aren’t always about creativity. If you’re doing things the way they’ve you’re directly participating in arts and culture. D ------A always been done and not thinking about it much, that’s not creative, even if you’re doing something considered an artform (e.g. singing, if it’s singing the national anthem at school). Both active participation and passive consumption can elicit imagination and internal stimulation.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 62 Comparing generational perceptions of arts and culture (continued)

Theme Young middle Australians Middle Australians Divergent versus (18–29 years old) (35–60 years old) aligned views

Perceptions of Often weren’t aware of government funding for arts and culture but felt that it Felt that it was obvious that people want the public spending on would be good if it was more community-driven. If arts and culture were getting a government to fund community-building, arts and culture boost in government funding, they’d think that was good but would want to know opportunities for children to develop, and things that where that money was being taken from and make sure there was a balance. And make people think more and feel more – and agreed D ------A if there were cuts, they’d want to be sure it was going somewhere necessary, that that’s what arts and culture actually is a lot of the because cutting arts and culture is devastating for communities and has a range time. But when it’s traditional high arts, often felt, ‘But of negative flow-on effects. what about health? What about schools? Where else could that money be going?’

Arts and culture as All artforms are valuable for society, even the ones that don’t interest an individual Arts and culture should be for social benefit; should a public good personally, because everyone learns in different ways, and you don’t always be accessible to all regardless of income; should D ------A know what’s going to click with you until you see it. exist in many forms, even in the forms that don’t interest them specifically, for the benefit of society.

The role of Indigenous Integral to the Australian story; should receive more attention in Australia and Helps non-Indigenous Australians understand arts and culture across the world. It’s the thing that actually makes Australian arts and culture Indigenous cultures; Indigenous culture is good for D ------A most unique. We’re getting better at keeping Indigenous stories alive, but we tourism and Australia’s reputation abroad; valuable need to do more. but under-appreciated.

What does each 18–29-year-olds think that older generations don’t engage very much with 35–60-year-olds think that younger generations have cohort think are arts and culture, and don’t rely on it as much as they (younger Australians) a broader definition of arts and culture that includes the differences in do, especially for their mental health. They feel that older generations can’t activities that they (the 35–60-year-olds) believe other generations’ access as many arts and cultural experiences as quickly because they are not are just mindless entertainment or time wasters. D ------A perceptions of arts as comfortable in digital spaces. Despite that, the 18–29-year-olds think that They are comfortable with others having a different and culture? older generations do value arts and culture as highly, they just don’t have the definition to theirs though. opportunities to engage as readily.

Perceptions of Cultural heritage is about anything we do now that will have an impact on future Cultural heritage was a topic that held the interest cultural heritage generations, including preserving the environment, preserving traditions and of this cohort more than it did their younger heritage sites, but also encouraging creative innovation, placemaking and counterparts. The cultural heritage that is continual improvement for the benefit of future generations. Cultural heritage deliberately preserved in Australia should reflect is also seen as good for tourism and has economic value. Older participants Australia’s identity, incorporating the nation’s D ------A (i.e. Gen Y, 26–29 year olds) and participants with children had a much greater diversity and passing those diverse stories on to interest in this topic. Cultural heritage icons that commonly came to mind included future generations. Cultural heritage icons that Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and the Sydney Opera House. commonly came to mind included Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and the Sydney Opera House.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 63 Comparing generational perceptions of arts and culture (continued)

Theme Young middle Australians Middle Australians Divergent versus (18–29 years old) (35–60 years old) aligned views

Perceptions of The perception is that pre-Covid–19, most arts and cultural activities were able If it’s for profit-making, rather than expression or ‘commercial’ arts to support themselves commercially. But Covid–19 lockdowns made that difficult challenging the status quo, that’s not arts and culture, and culture or impossible, which they feel is a real problem. They think it’s good when arts that’s just mindless entertainment. Most did not D ------A and cultural organisations/individuals are self-sufficient, and they also feel that include commercial art galleries, commercial radio or governments should step in when they’re not able to be self-sufficient, for the big budget Hollywood movies in the category of ‘arts good of society. and culture’.

Definitions of arts ‘Arts and culture’ as a collective term is not naturally used to encompass a single ‘Arts and culture’ as a collective term is a broader, and culture idea by this cohort, though they do feel that the two ideas (‘arts’ and ‘culture’) are more inclusive term than ‘arts’ or ‘culture’ alone, inextricably linked. Arts create culture, and arts are an expression of culture – you and refers to activities that inspire, stimulate your can’t have one without the other – but they do stand alone. Culture elicited three imagination and challenge existing perceptions. The D ------A ideas – multiculturalism, subcultures, and high culture or being a cultured person, activities included in ‘arts and culture’ are broad and in that order. also flexible – middle Australians were comfortable with the idea that other people included different activities to them.

Definitions of Participation in arts and culture means you are actively doing something yourself. Participation in arts and culture included attending participation and Participation can include building on something someone else has done (e.g. if performances, visiting venues etc. The line between consumption in arts you livestream yourself playing a video game, you are participating, in that you participation and consumption was blurry, but most and culture are building a new thing with an existing thing, but just playing the game on your participants felt that consumption wasn’t the same as D ------A own is not participation; it’s consumption). participation if you were doing it alone (e.g. listening to the radio in your car or watching TV alone). Group involvement was an important criterion.

Perceptions of ‘Sure, I’d give anything a go once – if someone gave me a free ticket, sure’. ‘Not for people like me’; ‘for more of an D ------A ‘high arts’ exclusive crowd’.

Digital engagement Gen Y and Z communicate differently than Gen X and Boomers, including Most participants did not include digital activities with arts and culture through arts and culture. Digital is integrated with everything, including face to such as YouTube or TikTok videos, or video/mobile face. Digital engagement means much greater exposure to other cultures and phone games etc. in their definition of arts and subcultures from a very young age, and that niche interests can be cultivated. cultural activities. Most described these activities Most participants described digital engagement as just a normal part of the as mindless, a waste of time or just for fun. However, D ------A experience of arts and culture and life more broadly. With digital engagement they also believed that younger generations would comes expanded and immediate accessibility to a wider range of ideas. see these digital activities as arts and culture. Since this was pre-Covid–19, it is unsurprising that online engagement with museums, live streaming of events etc. were not mentioned.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 64 Summary of key findings

Young middle Australians think:

Finding 1 Finding 2 Finding 3 Finding 4 Finding 5 Arts and culture are The stigma that some Australia’s arts and Arts and culture are Childhood interactions embedded in and Australians attach to high cultural content should community-building with arts and culture inseparable from arts is largely absent. reflect the diversity of tools that help mitigate influence creative thinking everyday life, partly They are as keen to engage our population, and the loneliness and social in adulthood, as well as because digital and with traditional ‘high arts’ stories of our First Nations isolation. Consequently, innovation outcomes physical experiences are as they are to engage with peoples. This cohort this cohort believes in the workplace and in so thoroughly intertwined. any other kind of arts and believes arts and culture politicians and society more broadly. It is impossible for them to cultural experience, as long help deepen Australians’ governments have a However, they worry that imagine a world without as those experiences are understanding of different critical role to play in the cognitive, social and arts and culture as they accessible and the stories people and perspectives, supporting cultural and emotional benefits are access these experiences they tell feel relevant. and also help tell Australia’s creative organisations decreased when schools constantly. Any approach diverse range of stories to and industries. are poorly equipped or that treats arts and culture international audiences. choose to reduce the time as separate, or ‘add-ons’ spent on arts and culture in to daily life, will not make the classroom. sense to this cohort.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 1: Findings 65 Part 2: Discussion & implications

In this section: 67 About Australian Young People 69 Part 2 Q1: What is ‘arts and culture’? Implications of young Australians’ definitions 76 Part 2 Q2: What is Australian arts and culture? Implications of young Australians’ perceptions of nation building, diversity and inclusion 78 Part 2 Q3: What is the value of arts and culture to society and individuals? Implications of young Australians’ perceptions of value 85 Part 2 Q4: How do the cultural and creative industries work? Implications of young Australians’ knowledge of cultural and creative industries’ operating models 86 Concluding thoughts 87 Summary of key opportunities

The Next Generation of Voters 66 About Australian Young People

43% of 20–24-year-olds In 2011, 25% of 46% of 18–24-year-olds In 2018, just over 80% 57% of 15–24-year-olds and 17% of 12–24-year-olds in Australia are overweight of 20–24-year-olds had work part time, and 20% 25–29-year-olds live were from a culturally and or obese.27 either completed year 12 work as casuals.34 in their family home.22 linguistically diverse (CALD) or equivalent or held a Today’s 20-year-olds 16% of 15–24-year-olds background.25 Certificate III level or above. Approximately 3.2 million can expect to live almost do volunteer work, and this This was highest in major 15–24-year-olds lived Aboriginal and a decade longer than figure is growing.35 cities at 91% and lowest in Australia in 2020, Torres Strait Islander their parents.28 in remote and very remote 18–34-year-olds make up constituting around 12% young people made The leading causes of locations at 67.7%.31 53% of the gig workforce.36 of the population. This has up 5.1% of the young ill health and premature steadily declined from 17% person population in 2019, In 2016, 60% of A quarter of death in 15–24-year-old in 1971 but is now expected compared to the national 22-year-olds had attended Australians under 30 work males is self-harm/suicide to stabilise.23 average of 3.3%.26 (but not necessarily multiple jobs.37 and alcohol use disorders. graduated from) university, Around 1% of For females, it is anxiety compared to 53% in 2011.32 In September 2020 12–24-year-olds were and depressive disorders.29 in Australia, average homeless on Census Between 2003 and 2015, unemployment among Close to 10% of night 2016.24 the proportion of Australian 15–34-year-olds was 15–24-year-olds live with 15-year-olds who expected around 11%. Average a disability.30 they would go to university unemployment among declined from 63% Australians 35 and over to 54%.33 was at 4.9%.38

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 67 The 84 young people who participated in In this section, we further unpack the most critical findings from the focus groups in light this study shared a lot of information with of existing research on Australian youth engagement with arts and culture. As previously mentioned, ‘young middle Australians’ is a descriptive term, and consequently, this is us – nearly 30 hours’ worth, in fact – which is not a group that the Australian Bureau of Statistics specifically reports on. In fact, the substantial, even when distilled down into the definitions of ‘young people’ and ‘young adults’ vary widely across different agencies pages of this report. But what should readers and research bodies in Australia, encompassing age ranges from 12–24-year-olds39 at 40 take away from those insights? What do they the younger end of the spectrum, to 20–35-year-olds at the upper end. So, in Part 2, we provide some context regarding the cultural engagement of ‘young people’ and ‘young mean, and what can be done about them? adults’ in Australia, drawing on existing research that incorporates a range of different age brackets and definitions available in this country. We also outline key opportunities arising from this research. Again, we do that using the following themes:

1. What is ‘arts and culture’?

2. What is Australian arts and culture?

3. What is the value of arts and culture to society and to them personally?

4. How do the cultural and creative industries work?

To draw the opportunities presented by these 4 themes together, ANA is calling Opportunity: for a National Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan (NACC Plan).41 A NACC Plan would Prepare and implement a National allow for strategic coordination of the Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan to needs and priorities of the many relevant inform more coherent, non-partisan stakeholders of arts and culture in this policy settings and investments and country, including those of young people, clarify responsibilities across the and would be a practical way for the three levels of government. Digital Australian Government to facilitate more disruption, changing demographics coherent and effective investments, and a global cultural market are as well as legislative, regulatory and changing our opportunities and policy settings. preferences; a NACC Plan will help Australia respond to and anticipate these changes.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 68 2.1.1 Part 2 Q1: ‘Arts and culture’ is the sum of several different types of experience What is ‘arts and culture’? Young middle Australians believe create an Instagram story about your that arts and cultural activities experience there, you are 1) attending Implications of young need to meet a number of criteria: an arts and cultural venue, 2) consuming they are a form of or catalyst for the art on the walls and 3) creating Australians’ definitions expression, they are experiential, something new that can be shared with a they tell a story and/or they create different audience. opportunities for togetherness. This While all four of the listed criteria are aligns with the generalised definition of important, expression and storytelling cultural engagement. are more traditionally incorporated into As mentioned in the Introduction, cultural a definition of arts and culture anyway, engagement is broadly defined as while the other two – experiential any level of involvement with an arts, immersion and togetherness – may cultural or creative activity, including be harder to incorporate into some consuming, attending, performing and arts and cultural forms. Nonetheless, creating. Similar terms include cultural understanding their importance is critical participation, arts participation and to engaging with this cohort, and so we cultural involvement. For more on these shall unpack them further here. various definitions and how they have been used in Australian research, see Immersion and having an Appendix 1. experience It is useful to take this inclusive approach Many creators now take advantage to defining cultural engagement because, of these trends of active participation as the young middle Australians in and immersion in their work, even in our focus groups pointed out, these offline contexts. Take, for example, activities are becoming increasingly ‘Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema hybrid notions. The blurry lines between Experience’.43 Held at open-air venues producer and consumer brought about around Australia, attendees could by Web 2.042 have catalysed broader wander the grounds at their own pace trends that can be seen across many to enjoy scenes being played in various arts and cultural (and indeed many locations or break it up by participating other) activities. For example, if you in the kinds of 1960s vacation lodge attend a visual art exhibition and

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 69 activities that were quintessential to the film, with badminton, golf, dance classes, Opportunity: Want more? painting workshops, food trucks and bars creating a festival-like atmosphere and To engage young middle See Appendix 1 for an overview of different getting the ‘audience’ intimately involved Australians in arts and cultural studies’ definitions of cultural engagement. in the action. If one does a dance class activities, build in experiential See what we mean by arts, culture and at an event like this, does that qualify aspects and opportunities for as attending, consuming, performing immersion, either in person creativity for more on ANA’s categorisation or creating? Actually, all of the above, or digitally. of cultural engagement. and this is why a broad definition of cultural engagement is a useful way to encompass this increasing trend towards interactivity.

Figure 8: Youtube video overview of the 2019 ‘Dirty Dancing: the Immersive Cinema Experience’, showing the blurry lines between creators, performers and audiences. Video source: Reproduced with permission from Mushroom Creative House.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 70 Togetherness Although the focus on togetherness Cultural and creative organisations and Understanding these criteria should is critical for most of this cohort, individuals could consider activities like give cultural and creative institutions many young middle Australians do setting up an online group to discuss a and individuals new insight into what is not require physical togetherness to novel or TV series, a Twitch stream to likely to engage this cohort – a cohort have these needs met. For example, engage with people live while playing that, the research shows, genuinely being a member of online groups or creating, or bringing a director or wants to be engaged, now more than focused around particular areas of the cast of a show on stage after a ever. With these insights, there is an interest – a particular genre of book, performance so the audience can opportunity to build layers into and a gaming community or groups for ask questions. While these types of around specific outputs, either building fans of specific creators, artworks or activities may have traditionally been those layers inherently into the work, organisations, for example – didn’t seen as audience development or or surrounding the work in an authentic just enhance the experience; it was marketing – separate to the cultural way (i.e. not just as an add-on for the deciding factor as to whether they experience itself – for this cohort it promotion purposes). considered it to be arts and culture at is part and parcel of the experience. all. This suggests that the addition of Investors and supporters (including opportunities to be together, either on governments and philanthropists) Opportunity: or offline, and specifically to interact with a priority focus on this cohort Incorporate at least three of the and feel immersed in a joint experience, should ensure their funding programs following in arts and cultural is key to engaging this cohort. recognise the role of these types of experiences to ensure they engagement activities as inherent to are relevant and appealing the cultural experience. to young middle Australians: (1) creative expression and Opportunity: self-discovery; (2) inspiration, an immersive experience or a Ensure funding programs different perspective; (3) telling by investors and supporters a story; (4) an opportunity to be (including governments and together with others (in person philanthropy) recognise the or digitally). role of interactive engagement activities as inherent to the cultural experience for young middle Australians.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 71 2.1.2 ‘High arts’ are for people like these Young people are okay with the word ‘arts’ – opera if someone gave them a ticket or check Opera Australia also runs the Regional they don’t feel excluded by this term or by the out the ballet if they thought the storyline Children’s Chorus, which involves recruiting specific artforms normally associated with would interest them. They may or may not a chorus of local children in each town they ‘high arts’ the way middle-aged Australians have gone to an art gallery recently, but they tour to and teaching them the songs so did in ‘A view from middle Australia’, our 2020 weren’t ruling it out for the near future either. they can perform on stage alongside the report. They are also typically okay with using And they were certainly looking at things like professionals. Opera Australia describes their this term to encompass a broad range of that online, particularly if that kind of content goal for regional engagement as continuing to activities. The activities that were included in was showing up in their social media feeds. ‘challenge preconceptions of what an opera a definition of the arts differed from person to can be and how it can be experienced’.45 There are many ways for traditionally ‘high person, and participants were okay with that. art’ experiences to engage with this cohort, We noted in ‘A view from middle Australia’ irrespective of what kind of arts and cultural that, although the middle Australians in those activity is involved. As an example, in a case Opportunity: focus groups did mention specific artforms study of Opera Australia’s engagement with Continually review investment and that they felt excluded from – opera, ballet, Barkly Regional Arts in the Northern Territory, support for activities that increase contemporary dance and classical music the Opera Australia associate producer for access and reduce barriers to were examples that were frequently raised touring pointed out that true collaboration and participation in the arts, including ‘high – they were also bringing up festivals, shows exchange was critical to the success of their arts’, among young middle Australians. and other types of events that they loved, regional engagement program. They had which featured aspects of these artforms. realised early on that they simply wouldn’t Participants mentioned Cirque du Soleil, which engage (or even have) audiences if they took incorporates opera and contemporary dance a traditional approach; they needed to make but is performed in a circus tent; Symphony it flexible to what the community wanted and in the Park; and the annual open-air event in get the community involved. This was equally WA called Ballet at the Quarry among other critical from the perspective of the regional examples. This suggests that it was not the communities involved in the program. artform that was making middle Australians The idea being that there is cross-way feel uncomfortable and excluded. It was more learning; they [Opera Australia] learn about likely the connotations they associated with the music that’s here [in Tennant Creek]; the spaces those artforms were held in. we learn about their music out there, and Young middle Australians made less of a it brings in the families who want to watch connection between grand (read: potentially and support our artists being there.44 unwelcoming or inaccessible) spaces; (KATHY BURNS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BARKLY wealthy, exclusionary people; and specific REGIONAL ARTS, NT) artforms. Young Australians would go to an

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 72 2.1.3 Consuming, attending, creating

Young middle Australians do see a difference between consuming arts 25% Performing in a drama, comedy, and cultural content (such as watching musical or variety act TV, watching content online, reading Fashion, interior or graphic design a book, or playing games on a phone, Singing or playing a musical console or computer), attending cultural instrument events and venues (such as going to the 20% Dancing Designing websites, computer games or interactive software movies, to a gallery, to the theatre or to a festival), and being creative themselves, Writing song lyrics, or mixing or either by making something (which for composing music, including digital composition most included digital creations including Craft activities 15% memes) or performing something Writing any fiction or non-fiction, (including singing karaoke with your such as stories, poetry, scripts or blogs mates or dancing in your living room). Photography, film-making or editing, apart from recording personal events They see benefits to each, but while middle-aged middle Australians were Visual art activities, such as 10% painting, drawing and sculpting happy for all these kinds of activities to come under a single heading of Photography,Visual film-making art activities, or such as painting, drawing and sculpting ‘arts and culture’, these category editing, apart from recording breakdowns really seemed to matter to personal events the 18–29-year-olds. 5% Craft activitiesWriting any fiction or non-fiction, such as stories, poetry, scripts or blogs Interestingly, this distinction between Designing websites, computer consumption, attendance and creation/ games or interactive software active participation is captured in the Writing song lyrics, or mixing or composing music, including digital composition way Australian Government bodies Fashion, interior or graphic design 0% collect data about these areas. 15–24yo males 15–24yo females 25–34yo males 25–34yo females Creation and active participation Dancing (including performance) is measured by the ABS Cultural Participation Survey,46 in Figure 9: Arts and cultural activities young Australians (aged 15–34) participate in. Source: ABS, 2019, Cultural Participation Survey 2017–18 dataset. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/ which 15–24-year-olds have the highest people/people-and-communities/participation-selected-cultural-activities/latest-release. frequency of participation of any age group. Figure 9 shows the kinds of arts and cultural activities young Australians like to do, and what percentage of young Australians do them.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 73 Attendance is captured in a separate measure: the ABS Attendance at 100% Selected Cultural Venues and Events Cinemas and drive-ins Survey.47 Again, younger Australians are more likely to attend these kinds of venues and events than their older counterparts, with more than 88% 80% Other performing arts of male 18–34-year-olds and more than 90% of females in the same age group having attended at least once in Musicals and operas the 12 months before the survey was 60% conducted. These numbers steadily Art galleries declined with each increase in age bracket. Figure 10 shows the kinds of Museums Dance performances venues and events young Australians Libraries and archives like to visit. 40% Live music concerts and Consumption is measured by the performancesTheatre performances Australia Council for the Arts’ National Theatre performances Arts Participation Survey (NAPS), which Dance performances measures listening to recorded music, 20% Live music concerts and performances reading and digital engagement such Musicals and operas as with podcasts, music streaming services and digital radio; and by Other performing arts Libraries and archives Screen Australia, which captures Cinemas and drive-ins screen consumption through various 0% measures. The NAPS data shows that 18–24yo males 18–24yo females 25–34yo males 25–34yo females 15–34-year-olds have the highest rate Museums of listening to recorded music (95–96% Figure 10: Arts and cultural events and venues attended by young Australians. compared to the population average of Source: ABS, 2019, Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events 2017–18 dataset. 92%); around 74% of 15–34-year-olds https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/attendance-selected- read for leisure, topped only by the cultural-venues-and-events-australia/latest-release. over–65s; and 15–34-year-olds are by far the most likely to engage with arts and culture online, at 96% compared to the average of 82%.48

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 74 In terms of consumption of screen In addition to measuring consumption, content, young Australians are typically the Australia Council’s NAPS survey Opportunity: less likely to consume broadcast also measures attendance and television but are more likely to engage creation, finding similar results Consider access and barriers to consumption, with content on their own schedule – to the ABS surveys. Additionally, attendance and creation/performance as separate that is, ‘on demand’. This may seem NAPS asks about barriers to concerns when planning for cultural and creative obvious in an era of Netflix and Stan but participation, attendance and engagement activities with young middle Australians. was in fact also the case back in 2012 engagement. The most significant before streaming became ubiquitous reasons that 15–34-year-olds gave in Australia. At that time, they were for not participating in culture were found to be more likely to choose video 1) ‘cost of tickets/entry’ at 29% viewing and gaming participation for 15–24-year-olds and 28% for Young Australian adults are more over broadcast TV compared to older 25–34-year-olds, and 2) ‘too far likely to attend cultural events and 49 generations. away/not near where I live’ at 22% venues, more likely to be involved for 15–24-year-olds and 21% for 25–34-year-olds. in creating or performing and more likely to engage with screen-based content ‘on demand’ than any older Australian generation.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 75 2.2.1 Part 2 Q2: Diverse stories reflecting diverse communities Being able to relate to the stories you This is equally the case with arts and What is Australian arts see and hear around you is incredibly culture in Australia, particularly for powerful. This is as true for smaller, less Australians living in outer suburbs and and culture? Implications mainstream communities as it is for their regional areas, and even more so with larger and more dominant counterparts. people of diverse cultural backgrounds, of young Australians’ And sometimes, that means that not all sexual orientations and physical or stories will appeal to everyone equally. intellectual abilities. Our focus groups perceptions of nation At the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, the showed that young middle Australians winning film, ‘Rosetta’, set in Belgium, so want to see a greater variety of stories building, diversity and resonated with Belgian audiences that told in arts and cultural spaces, the Belgian government introduced a especially on screens. Non-Anglo-Celtic inclusion new initiative related to the film’s themes Australians were particularly keen to and named it ‘The Rosetta Plan’.50 The see their stories reflected in Australian same film was widely slammed by content, but participants in every focus American reviewers and audiences for group, irrespective of gender, cultural being out of touch with the lives of real background, sexuality or location, people. Context matters. wanted to see content representing the true diversity of Australia and recognising that Indigenous arts and culture sit at the core of Australian arts and culture. Australia has one of the most diverse

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 76 2.2.2 National reputation populations on earth, and this has been Screen Australia found that in 2015, only Young middle Australians are concerned confidence in, and support of, our nation’s widely recognised as one of our greatest 18% of main characters in Australian about how other countries perceive cultural life. And as we have argued assets along with the fact that we live and TV dramas had non-Anglo-Celtic Australia. They want people to be able elsewhere, our international reputation create art on land where people have backgrounds, significantly lower than the to pick up on our culture as soon as they as a prosperous, well-educated and been living and creating art for millennia 32% of non-Anglo-Celtic backgrounds ‘set foot’ in the country and understand inclusive country has long buoyed us in – longer than anywhere else on earth. found in the broader population.53 more than the Crocodile Dundee our international relations. However, in Young middle Australians want to see And while 5% of main characters on stereotypes by watching Australian recent years, that reputation is starting to those assets recognised and celebrated. screens were Indigenous Australians, films and television. They want us to be slip. According to a range of international slightly higher than in the broader perceived as larrikins and laid back, measures, our nation brand – the sum Somewhat ironically, recent research population, these characters were but not as jokes to be laughed at – more of people’s perceptions of our country – from the Australia Council for the Arts concentrated in a smaller number of as jokers to be laughed with. And they has reduced in value over the last five to pointed out that First Nations people shows. 36% of Australian programs want other nations to know that there is eight years.55 and Australians with diverse cultural in 2015 still had casts that were entirely of more to Australia than only our larrikin backgrounds are significantly more likely Anglo-Celtic backgrounds. side, particularly in terms of Indigenous to attend live cultural events in person, arts and culture, which many see as Opportunity: engage with arts and culture online our most unique and valuable asset for 51 Draw on Australia’s cultural and identify as creators themselves. representing Australia internationally. Yet they found that these groups have Opportunity: inheritance to create public proportionately lower representation Prioritise schemes, incentives These concerns and suggestions diplomacy initiatives that in cultural leadership roles and among and requirements that support align with the Australian Government’s celebrate Indigenous and Torres 54 grant recipients. Focus group research production and distribution of Foreign Policy White Paper from 2017. Strait Islander arts and culture as conducted for this Australia Council study diverse Australian content and This paper suggested that culture well as the diverse stories of our also found that artists with culturally iconography that is relatable to and cultural activity are at the heart of multicultural nation. diverse backgrounds felt ‘excluded young middle Australians in all efforts of countries that have effectively from cultural venues and organisations, communities across Australia. mobilised public diplomacy initiatives. It educational institutions, government argued that to better harness Australia’s and funding bodies’, pointing out that, creative potential in the area of public ‘this can hinder career development, diplomacy, we need bipartisan and public prevent stories from being told and create barriers between artists and audiences’.52 Similarly, a report by

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 77 2.3.1 Part 2 Q3: Arts and cultural engagement as a ‘third place’, What is the value of arts and its role in mitigating loneliness and isolation Although the 18–29-year-old cohort creating Instagram Stories on the bus as and culture to society and share many of their needs around you head home – when these kinds of arts and culture with middle-aged activities can all count as engaging with individuals? Implications middle Australians, a key difference arts and culture, then it becomes obvious between the two groups is in the why young middle Australians feel that of young Australians’ regularity of engagement. While arts and culture are not only for special middle Australians feel that arts and occasions; they’re for all occasions. culture are special-occasion kind perceptions of value One could argue that arts and culture of experiences – not for every day – have become intertwined, for young young middle Australians see arts and people, with spaces that have been cultural engagement as woven through described as ‘third places’.56 Third places everyday life. Not only do they see daily are locations (that is, either physical engagement with arts and culture as spaces like cafes, parks, festivals and acceptable and beneficial, but they also weekend markets, as well as online see it as inevitable and unavoidable. spaces like social media forums or online This is, in part, because young middle gaming community spaces – but we’ll Australians are comfortable with a come back to online spaces in the next broad definition of ‘arts’, as well as ‘arts section57) where we interact informally and culture’ – the terms are equally with people and society. The ‘first place’ inclusive for this cohort. Take everyday is the home – an important but typically activities like listening to music on your private space. The ‘second place’ is headphones while you’re at the shops, work, which is highly structured and admiring the design work on the labels often ‘reduces individuals to a single, you’re perusing, stopping to watch productive role’.58 A third place is neutral some street performers on your way to ground on which people who are not so the bus, then watching TikTok clips or intimate as family, but do want to be in

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 78 each other’s company, can meet and enjoy individuals’ perception of their community interacting with each other to the extent that and their role in that community to build a Opportunity: they feel comfortable doing so. Third places sense of ‘thick’ or ‘thin’ belonging, depending are accessible to the public. They inherently on how intertwined individuals become with To mitigate loneliness, social exclusion involve some level of engagement with others, these spaces.59 A sense of belonging, in turn, and social isolation among young and you can go there alone or in a group and helps to mitigate feelings of loneliness and middle Australians, prioritise using feel equally comfortable and safe. You’re likely social isolation. arts and cultural activities in existing to see people there that you’ve seen there and new initiatives, especially in Our 2019 review of the evidence-based before, and they are often taken for granted. placemaking and community-building. impacts of arts, culture and creativity found Playfulness is encouraged. that a quarter of all Australians report These descriptors align very well with the frequent feelings of loneliness, and the risks way young middle Australians describe their of premature death due to loneliness and In addition to the obvious benefits of social daily engagements with arts and culture, social isolation have been found to be as cohesion for society, the findings of this report particularly with face-to-face interactions big or bigger than obesity, smoking up to 15 are also good news for Australia given the in physical space. Participants described cigarettes a day or air pollution.60 This review extensive research showing the relationship ‘hanging out’ with friends at live cultural also highlighted studies that have found that between engagement with arts and culture, events and ‘hanging around’ with a wide deliberately focusing cultural and creative increasing public safety and decreasing 62 range of people in cultural and community interventions towards social cohesion helps recidivism. centres. They described arts and cultural to build community, belonging and trust; it icons and landmarks as ‘places to meet enhances empathy and inclusion and helps friends’ that were easy to find and gave you combat the growing issues of loneliness something to talk about and using arts and and isolation. cultural activities as ‘something to do’ with Arts and cultural experiences, as this young others that was different to just sitting around middle Australian cohort perceive them, can talking. In other words, they were casual provide opportunities to build the crucial about their encounters with arts and culture; prerequisites of close friendships: ‘proximity; they took them for granted. Scholars from repeated, unplanned interactions; and a the Youth Research Centre have found that setting that encourages people to let their place, and everyday interactions that a young guard down and confide in each other’.61 person has with place, contribute to their sense of belonging, especially in rural and regional Australian locations. Connections to locations and landscapes come together with

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 79 2.3.2 Arts and culture enliven any kind of locality, not just inner‑city areas

Participants in this study lived in Participants were keen to see funding outer suburbs of major cities and for arts and culture reach communities Opportunity: in regional towns. These are often like theirs. They believed that local the areas where the so-called ‘quiet level arts and cultural activity helped Consider how funding Australians’63 live and are raising their to build community, bring people programs, public policy children. Yet they are also areas that together and provide a safe space and political leadership can scholars have described in the past as for working through positive and reflect the value young middle being ‘culturally barren’: negative emotions. They also believed Australians place on making that arts and culture make spaces arts and cultural experiences Australian suburban life has long unique, which in the context of local and infrastructure accessible been imagined and experienced communities, also makes them worth to people wherever they live as distinct from inner-city life. The visitation by tourists. These findings and on increasing accessibility association of inner-urban life support much of the existing literature in the way public spaces with excitement, diversity, and around placemaking in outer suburban are designed. inclusivity contrasts sharply with and regional areas, especially in suburban life with its associations places that hope to attract or retain of peace, order, and privacy (on the young people.67 Making spaces vibrant one hand), and homogeneity and by enhancing their ‘social offerings, desolation (on the other).64 openness and aesthetics’,68 such as That said, there have always been creating iconic visual imagery (from dissenters to this view,65 and many of the ‘Big Green Cactus’ in Perth to the the 18–29-year-olds from our focus ‘Penis Owl’ in Canberra),69 having groups would likely be among them. music, lighting and shapes that have Although some who were regionally been designed to create a feeling of located described frustrations openness and safety, and providing that the major cities had a livelier and maintaining infrastructure that cultural experience than they did, enables these goals are steps that most described the importance of young people would likely encourage community arts and culture in their policy makers to take. lives and the lives of their friends and families. Indeed, research indicates that Australian outer suburbs are increasingly becoming hubs of creative engagement, and this was reflected in the experiences of many participants.66

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 80 2.3.3 Digital arts and culture are here to stay

Accessibility and innovation: opportunities for arts and culture catalysed by Covid–19 In his opening address to a recent webinar, In the same webinar, Executive Director Libby Federal Arts Minister the Hon. Paul Fletcher Christie of The Australian Ballet pointed out Opportunity: described how, despite the many difficulties that while it has been highly worthwhile for that Covid–19 has wrought for cultural and organisation, pivoting to digital is neither easy Ensure the role digital spaces play in creative organisations and individuals, many nor cheap.71 She outlined four core reasons to community-building and connection have successfully ‘pivoted’ to create new begin embedding digital into ways of working for is understood and respected in policy, opportunities, and most of these opportunities an arts and cultural organisation: legislative and regulatory settings and 70 were made possible by turning to digital. 1. To be competitive with other forms of that cultural programming approaches There are benefits to this for both audiences entertainment in-person and digital connections and cultural organisations. The pivot to digital in as complementary, rather than 2. To be efficient in how content is distributed arts and culture has increased access to arts in competition. and cultural experiences, especially for people 3. To build brand and reputation in regional and remote areas and for people 4. To continue engaging with audiences and with disabilities, and it allows Australians to even extend audience reach during the Covid–19 era when audiences may not be continue enjoying arts and cultural experiences Opportunity: even when they can’t (or don’t wish to) leave comfortable engaging in person their homes. At the same time, the innovations Consider long-term opportunities to But Christie also pointed out that it would take introduced by many organisations have now support arts and cultural organisations time and support for this digital pivot to become let them access new audiences and build in pivoting to digital, given the profitable. She noted that it has been possible stronger relationships with existing audiences. importance that Australians, and for The Australian Ballet to implement these The digital pivot has also made arts and cultural especially young middle Australians, changes, at least in part, because of RISE consumers more comfortable with digital are now placing on digital engagement funding – an Australian federal government means of accessing – and purchasing – arts with arts and culture. initiative to assist arts and entertainment sector and cultural content, increasing revenue organisations with projects, activities and events potential for cultural organisations in the future. that will help the sector recover from Covid–19 All these ideas are well aligned with the findings disruptions.72 Support like this will be critical for of our focus group study. cultural and creative organisations if they are to continue to offer both digital and non-digital offerings in the post-Covid world.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 81 ‘When the demons of loneliness or boredom strike’: Digital arts and culture as ‘third places’ Given the prevalence of discussion Digital forms of engagement (often about young Australians’ engagement on social platforms) make this feeling with digital arts and culture, it’s worth of everyday-ness possible. Digital considering how online cultural ‘places’ engagement with arts and culture is so could be enhanced. Participants embedded in young people’s lives that if described socialising and connecting in a you’re not on digital platforms, it would ‘low key’ way in online spaces like TikTok, be difficult to deeply connect with this Instagram and Twitch. They felt that being cohort. Given that young people are able to engage in these communities more likely to want to engage with arts and activities at their own pace, when and culture than their older counterparts, they needed them, was positive for their digital platforms create an opportunity mental health and overall happiness to ‘meet them where they are’ and and wellbeing. This, too, aligns with the form deep relationships with potential idea of arts and cultural experiences as audiences/fans in this age group. intertwined with third places: Figure 11: Popular mobile phone games like ‘Pokémon Go’ and ‘Ingress’ use augmented reality Third places that render the best and technology to allow users to engage simultaneously with physical and virtual worlds. Both games Opportunity: incorporate public art as landmarks, prompting players to get out of the house and connect with their fullest service are those to which one local environment. Image source: Photo 95247011 © David Molina may go alone at almost any time of the Acknowledge the critical role that day or evening with assurance that online communities play in the acquaintances will be there. To have lives of young people. Build safe, such a place available whenever the vibrant, accessible online spaces demons of loneliness or boredom in which young people can meet strike, or when the pressures and connect over arts and cultural and frustrations of the day call for experiences and activities, relaxation amid good company, is a understanding that these spaces powerful resource.73 can be vital to building a sense of belonging for this cohort.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 82 2.3.4 Arts and culture, and knowledge about the benefits of arts and culture, should be made consistently available in schools Young middle Australians believe in the power opportunity to talk these ideas through in the This is a shame, as the sport and physical of arts and culture to help children both in context of a focus group catalysed that thinking activity programs have been found to be very and out of school, but they worry that the for the first time for many of them, with several effective in getting children engaged with curriculum is so flexible that different schools pointing out that they would be rethinking the this kind of activity, suggesting that subsidy are providing vastly different experiences for way they talked about those activities with their programs also have real potential in arts and students in this area. They’re not wrong to be existing or hypothetical future children. culture.76 The Creative Kids voucher program concerned. Education and extracurricular in NSW is a good example of an exception; Arts and cultural education in schools, opportunities play critical roles in reducing this program allows parents to apply for however, does provide opportunities for young negative effects that can come from growing $100 vouchers for their children to participate people who are not engaging with these up in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.74 And as in ‘creative arts, speech, drama, dance, activities actively or knowingly to be made existing research indicates, for young people digital design, coding and music lessons and more conscious of the benefits they can gain from lower- to middle-income families or living activities’.77 from this kind of engagement. Although the in outer suburban and regional areas, arts Australian F–10 Curriculum provides a rationale and cultural education is critical in increasing for the inclusion of arts and culture, there are no cultural capital and social capital, both of which learning areas associated with that rationale – Opportunity: make a huge difference for lifelong outcomes. that is, students are taught to create, to perform To support good lifelong outcomes for Many participants, particularly those who and to critically analyse existing works, but young people, especially those from identified as Anglo-Australians, noted that their there is nothing in the curriculum to ensure lower- to middle-income families or parents ‘weren’t very cultured’, or that arts and they understand why it will be beneficial for living in outer suburban and regional culture had not been given much emphasis them to learn these things. This contrasts with areas, both arts and culture and the in their households when they were growing areas like Health and Physical Education, or benefits of participating in them should up. This isn’t to say they didn’t engage with Technologies, in which understanding of these be taught consistently at school. these kinds of activities – most could think of rationales is built into the curriculum and the examples from their childhoods of listening or assessment.75 Although there are no doubt singing along to music, drawing or painting, many individual teachers and schools who do watching television shows, going to the movies build these explanations into their teaching of or going on family holidays during which they arts and culture, without consistency across Opportunity: had engaged with various arts and cultural the curriculum, children are left unprotected. Subsidy programs for arts and cultural experiences. But it hadn’t occurred to their Similarly, although many states and territories activities and/or tuition would benefit families, and therefore to them, to ever think subsidise children’s engagement with sport children from every state and territory about those activities as arts and culture or and physical activity, very few subsidise and ensure that cost is not a barrier to consider the benefits they were potentially engagement with cultural and creative activity. access for any Australian child. gaining from engaging with them. Having the

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 83 2.3.5 Sporting events and arts and cultural events are not in competition Both our own and existing research Our research supports this notion and indicates that young people who are suggests it can be taken even further; interested in attending live arts and that these two policy areas actually cultural venues and events are also likely enhance each other, working together to to attend sports events or other kinds of create a vibrant cultural life for the nation. events – science exhibitions, food and The real reason this matters, then, is beverage festivals, makers and farmers also articulated in the abovementioned markets and so on. People who like to go report – it is of great importance that to things just…like to go to things. There policy makers ‘be persuaded to rework has long been a narrative in Australia that Australia’s public symbols so they better arts and culture are in opposition to sport, reflect the actual lives of their people’.79 with a recent report pointing out that: Australia’s public culture is overwhelmingly about sport, perhaps Opportunity: because a few events draw very Consider how Australian life is big crowds. But the private lives of represented in iconography, Australians are much more about speeches, public documents arts and culture. More Australians and other items of public buy tickets more often for performing interest and ensure that arts and arts performances than live sport, cultural activities are included in they watch twice as much drama as those items. sport on television, and they are more likely to create arts and culture for themselves than to play sport.78

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 84 2.4.1 Part 2 Q4: If you build it, they will come: Young middle Australians’ interest in arts and cultural income models and government funding How do the cultural and One interesting finding from this research was that young middle Australians had Opportunity: creative industries work? typically never thought about arts and cultural operating models or what role Seek opportunities to talk to young Implications of young governments play in supporting arts people about arts and cultural and culture. However, once they really funding and operating models as Australians’ knowledge started reflecting on their feelings about well as the roles of government the topic, they often found themselves and other stakeholders, and then of cultural and creative highly engaged with passionate opinions, ask them questions about their industries’ operating sometimes to their own surprise. beliefs in this space. This suggests that young middle models Australians are open to learning more about these areas. They want to know what their governments – at all levels – are funding in arts and culture and why. They want to understand how arts and cultural businesses operate. There is space here for cultural and creative industries, businesses and individuals to tell the stories of what they do well, where and why they need support, and who makes up the broad cultural and creative ecosystem of stakeholders in this space. Equally, there is an opportunity for governments at all levels to talk more to young people about the decisions they make around funding arts and culture, why they feel it is beneficial, who that funding is helping and how.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 85 2.4.2 Opportunities for ‘reopening’ Australia Concluding thoughts

Both existing research and our The changes to the digital landscape 5. They’ll have more access to Well, I have ‘life’ [as a word associated with own have shown that the Covid–19 wrought by Covid–19 also present knowledge than any previous arts and culture] because basically, my lockdowns had a huge impact on many opportunities for creators to generation. Decision-making need life revolves around art and culture…I’m the cultural engagement of young engage with these new types of never be a solo task with constant Aboriginal, so everything I basically do Australians. They made young people consumers. A recent report from access to a collaborative and revolves around art and culture. more aware of what life without live Lippincott identified that there will be 6 connected feedback loop. (SELF-IDENTIFIES AS FEMALE, 22, NT, ANGLO/ATSI, PROJECT OFFICER) arts and culture can look like and major shifts in the lives of consumers 6. They will live in a ‘synthetic reality’, how important it is to them. Many over the next 10 years, and these where the distinction between This country has a long and deep history of participants described the enthusiasm could be noted by Australian cultural digital versus real no longer integrating arts and culture into every aspect with which they were looking forward and creative organisations wanting to makes sense, and everything of life. For the young middle Australians in this to the arts and cultural landscape engage with young Australians: is always both.81 study, too, embedding arts and culture into their ‘returning to normal’. These findings 1. Their lives will become more everyday experience is the only way they can were entirely aligned with the research flexible and delocated, with a imagine existing. from the Australian Audience Monitor stronger emphasis on freedom, Opportunity: A future-focused approach to this policy area Outlook, showing that Australians autonomy and accessibility. under the age of 35 had the firmest Consider emerging consumer that meets the needs of these young people 2. They will increasingly blur the lines intentions of any age group to engage trends when imagining new is aligned with ways of being that have been between what’s private and what’s more with live arts and cultural events ways to produce creative practised in this place for millennia. public, valuing transparency in once Australia fully reopened.80 content that is aimed at a young their own actions and in the actions The time to reflect that approach in middle Australian audience. of organisations. public policy is now. Opportunity: 3. They will see customisation and control over experiences as Young middle Australians can the norm. be a key target audience in 4. They will expect to be able to rebuilding consumer confidence consume ‘on-demand’ — instantly for attending events and and at a time convenient to them. in-person cultural experiences as Australia emerges from Covid–19-related lockdowns and restrictions.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 86 Summary of key opportunities

Public policy initiatives that would serve the interests of or be supported by young middle Australians:

Opportunity 1 Opportunity 2 Opportunity 3 Opportunity 4 Opportunity 5 Opportunity 6 Prepare and Update policy, To mitigate loneliness, To support good Prioritise schemes, Take an industry implement a National regulatory and social exclusion lifelong outcomes incentives and transformation Arts, Culture and legislative settings and social isolation for young people, requirements that approach to Creativity Plan to to reflect the value among young arts and culture, support production supporting arts and inform more coherent, young middle middle Australians, and the benefits of and distribution of cultural organisations non-partisan Australians place on: prioritise using arts engaging, should be diverse Australian in pivoting to digital, policy settings and (1) making arts and and cultural activities taught consistently content and given the importance investments, and cultural experiences in existing and new at school. This is iconography that is that Australians, clarify responsibilities and infrastructure initiatives, especially especially relevant relatable to young especially young across the accessible to people in placemaking and for those from lower- middle Australians middle Australians, three levels of wherever they community-building, to middle-income in all communities are now placing on government. Digital live, (2) increasing recognising that they families and those across Australia. This digital engagement disruption, changing accessibility in the can be creators, living in outer includes drawing on with arts and culture. demographics and way public spaces consumers, suburban and Australia’s cultural a global cultural are designed, and (3) co-collaborators regional areas. inheritance to market are changing making interactive and enthusiastic This could be create international our opportunities engagement activities attendees. supplemented by public diplomacy and preferences; a priority. subsidy programs initiatives that a Plan will help for arts and cultural celebrate Indigenous Australia respond activities and/or and Torres Strait to and anticipate tuition to ensure Islander arts and these changes. cost is not a barrier culture as well as the to access for any diverse stories of our Australian child. multicultural nation.

The Next Generation of Voters Part 2: Discussion & implications 87 Appendices and notes

In this section: 89 Appendix 1: About cultural engagement 94 Appendix 2: Technical appendix – Research design and methodology 100 Appendix 3: What we mean by arts, culture and creativity 102 Endnotes

The Next Generation of Voters 88 Appendix 1: About cultural engagement To best understand the findings of this ‘Exercise for your soul’: Why cultural engagement is report, it is useful to understand a little about important for young people young people’s cultural engagement – that There is a significant body of research Young people who engage with arts and is, any level of involvement they have with showing that when young people culture are also, in the longer term, more arts, cultural or creative activities, including engage with arts and culture, there likely to engage in civic participation is a wide range of benefits for those activities84 including prosocial consuming arts and culture, attending individuals in both the short and long behaviours (picking up litter, recycling arts and cultural events, as well as being term, as well as benefits for society or other activities that help maintain creative by performing and/or making more broadly. Young people can gain public goods) and civic behaviours such things themselves. new skills and experiences, acquire a as volunteering, which contributes tens sense of achievement and belonging, of billions of dollars to the Australian get exposure to types of people who are economy.85 And research indicates different than they may have met before, that these effects occur irrespective cultivate their imagination and capacity of sociodemographic factors. In other for innovation and ingenuity, build both words, even if you didn’t get the best social and cultural capital and feel valued start in life, you’re still likely to become a and sometimes really seen for the first more engaged citizen in the long run if time.82 A participant in an Australian you’ve engaged with arts and culture in study conducted in the Northern Territory your youth.86 described participation in youth arts as like ‘exercise for your soul’.83

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 89 Barriers and enablers: Why some young people engage with arts and culture, and others don’t

Research from across the globe has identified Socioeconomic factors have been shown to Physical health and disability a range of factors that seem to influence be significant: children from lower-income There is strong evidence showing that whether a person is more or less likely to households whose parents have lower levels engagement with arts and culture has engage with arts and cultural activities in of education and/or low-status occupations positive effects on health in both the short their childhood, teens or early adulthood. This are significantly less likely to engage with arts and long term.93 However, there is also some section outlines five predictors of cultural and cultural activities outside of school time evidence indicating that physical ill health or engagement in the twenty-first century that (and this continues to be true once they have disability can be correlated with lower levels helped us shape our focus group research completed formal schooling).88 Aligned with of engagement with arts and culture in young with young Australians. These five factors are: these findings, one of the most consistent people. For example, children with physical enablers of childhood engagement with arts • sociodemographic determinants disabilities have been found to be more and cultural activities is having parents who • physical health and disability restricted in their engagement with cultural have engaged with those activities as children activities, particularly if these activities are • engagement with arts and culture at themselves and who have have engaged with not encouraged by their families. They are school those activities in the previous 12 months.89 also more likely to participate less intensely, • participation in other kinds of Interestingly, in countries where internet and often in the home rather than in group extracurricular activities coverage is relatively consistent in rural areas contexts.94 This may relate to research that • Covid–19 lockdowns as both barriers (such as the UK), digital engagement with indicates that ‘children with disabilities often and enablers. arts and culture is more prevalent in rural feel socially isolated’.95 and remote locations than in cities,90 while Sociodemographic determinants in Australia, living outside of a metropolitan The most common and well-researched area is a barrier for both digital and in-person 91 determinants of engagement with arts and engagement with arts and cultural activities. culture are related to demographic factors This indicates that although remote location like how and where one grows up. This may be a barrier to in-person cultural research typically indicates that female engagement, it need not be one for engaging youths engage more than young males online, so long as adequate infrastructure is 92 (implying that being female can be an enabler in place. and being male can be a barrier to cultural engagement) and that membership in the ethnic majority in your country is an enabler.87

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 90 Engagement with arts and culture Participation in other kinds of For example, the Australia Council for the Arts at school extracurricular activities commissioned the Audience Outlook Monitor to track audience sentiment throughout Another enabler of young people’s cultural A study of nearly 900 Australian adolescents the pandemic. In phases two and three of engagement is involvement in arts and culture across three states explored what factors this research (i.e. data captured in July and at school. A study of in- and out-of-school could be associated with attendance at September 2020), participants under 35 were participation in ‘performing arts activities’, out-of-school live theatre, music and dance the most likely to report that the health crisis 97 ‘arts, crafts and design activities’ and events. Interestingly, the study found that had encouraged them to attend more as well ‘archives, museums and heritage sites’ among adolescents who attended sporting events as to spend more on arts and cultural activities British youths showed that regardless of were more likely to also attend cultural events. in the future.98 where a child lived, what their household’s This lends support to emerging theories about income was, their ethnic background or – most extracurricular activities with young people Looking overseas, a recent national study of importantly – whether they had opportunities indicating that rather than the dichotomy New Zealanders found that 18–29-year-olds to participate in arts and cultural activities that is often presented between interest in were more likely than the national average with their families, they still had an equal the arts versus interest in sport, the types of to have participated in arts and culture likelihood of participating in arts, cultural young people who participate in either arts in 2020, despite the lockdowns and many felt and creative activities at school.96 This was or sport are also more likely to participate in a that arts and culture had indeed supported 99 the case both in schools with compulsory wide range of other kinds of activities. These their wellbeing during the lockdowns. A arts and culture in the curriculum and those forms of participation are complementary, British study found that young people (aged where participation was voluntary – so long not competing. 18–29) increased their arts engagement as these activities were offered in some form. during Covid–19 lockdowns across a wide This indicates that arts and cultural activities Covid–19 lockdowns as both barriers range of activities such as singing, creative provided by schools are important to ensuring and enablers writing, painting, making films, creating wider and more consistent access to arts digital artworks or animations, dancing Pandemic lockdowns over the last 18 months 100 and cultural activities among young people. and crafting. Participants reported using have unquestionably created barriers for The study found that this was important given arts and cultural activities to regulate their people all over the world to access arts findings that cultural engagement can help emotions and to avoid negative emotions. and culture live and in person. However, to reduce the effects of growing up in a low Somewhat ironically, participants who lived various studies undertaken during this period socioeconomic environment. alone, felt lonely, or had a mental health have explored whether the lockdowns also diagnosis were less likely to use creative created opportunities or conditions that activities for emotional regulation in this have encouraged new forms of cultural study. This may correlate with a lack of engagement, sometimes even above and awareness of the proven benefits for mental beyond previous levels of engagement. health that can be brought about through cultural engagement.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 91 Understanding cultural participation, attendance, consumption and creation

When defined broadly, cultural participation The Australia Council for the Arts conducts The ABS captures data about Australians’ • writing any fiction or non-fiction such as is sometimes also called cultural the annual National Arts Participation experiences with arts and culture across stories, poetry, scripts or blogs engagement (as we have in this report) or Survey (NAPS), which captures ‘how people a number of different instruments, though • visual art activities such as painting, cultural involvement. The United Nations from diverse backgrounds understand, none of them provide a formal definition drawing or sculpting (including face and 102 takes this broad approach, putting a participate in and value the arts’. This of cultural participation. The key one is body painting, cartooning, digital art particular focus on the importance of survey separates ‘arts participation’ the Cultural Participation Survey, which pieces, tattooing, printmaking, screen national or ethnic cultures in describing into three subcategories, capturing data includes participation in cultural activities printing and etching) how we make choices about participation for each: including: • craft activities (including knitting, in arts and culture. They define cultural • Attendance: defined as experiencing arts • drama, comedy, musical or variety act embroidery, cross stitch, tapestries, participation as: activities in person or online. (including acting on stage and film, quilting, applique, dressmaking or ...participation in the arts and everyday • Creative participation: defined as street theatre, stand-up comedy, opera, tailoring, jewellery making, beading, life activities that may be associated creating, producing or collaborating in cabaret, circus performances and scrapbooking, card making, collage, with a particular culture. It refers to the making of art. rehearsals and classes) wood crafts, pottery, ceramics and ‘the ways in which ethnically-marked • Individualised consumption activities • singing or playing a musical instrument mosaics. Respondents were asked differences in cultural tastes, values and such as listening to recorded music, as a soloist or as part of a band, choir or to exclude mending, repairing and behaviours inform not just artistic and reading and digital engagement, which orchestra (including singing or playing maintenance for clothing and wood craft) media preferences but are embedded in includes researching or reviewing the in a public forum with an audience such • photography, film-making or editing, the daily rhythms of different ways of life, arts or artists online; creating, learning as a with a church choir or performing apart from personal events (excluding and of the ways in which these connect to create or selling art online; listening to at an aged care facility or retirement acting in a film, scriptwriting and use of with other relevant social characteristics streamed music; following or interacting home. Also included are practicing and video or DVD as a tool in another activity) – those of class and gender, for having lessons. Excluding informal or with artists online; sharing arts with • designing websites, computer games or example’.101 impromptu singing around the home others or engaging with an online arts interactive software community; and using digital platforms and karaoke) See the original source here: • fashion, interior or graphic design such as Facebook, Instagram or • dancing, including rehearsals and http://uis.unesco.org/en/glossary-term/ (excluding home DIY projects). cultural-participation. Pinterest to engage with the arts. classes (including dancing for which the respondent has practised or taken The Cultural Participation Survey defines Read more here: https://www. lessons. Excluding dancing for another a cultural activity as ‘an activity in which australiacouncil.gov.au/research/ performance such as singing in a band a person has participated, which has not creating-our-future. and informal or impromptu dancing such been done for secondary or tertiary studies. as at weddings or nightclubs) Respondents were asked whether they • writing song lyrics or mixing or participated in each of the selected cultural composing music, including digital activities listed, in the 12 months before 103 composition interview’.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 92 Read more here: https://www.abs.gov. Read more here: https://www.abs.gov.au/ • visiting entertainment and cultural au/methodologies/participation-select statistics/people/people-and-communities/ venues (movies, concerts, theatres, ed-cultural-activities-australia-methodo attendance-selected-cultural-venu libraries, museums, exhibitions, art logy/2017-18. es-and-events-australia/latest-release. galleries, zoos, botanical gardens, amusement parks, other mass events) Notably, the adult questionnaire does not Although the ABS does not capture screen include consumption activities such as participation (and screen is not part of the • attendance at sports events attending live performances, watching films, Australia Council’s remit), Screen Australia • religious activities and ritual ceremonies 104 looking at visual art or reading a book. has in the past collected data about media • sport and outdoor activity Some of these are captured in the ABS’s participation, which is inclusive of: • games, hobbies, arts and crafts Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues • watching television (both free-to-air 105 • reading and Events Survey, but this survey still and subscription) does not capture engagement with arts and • watching TV • going to the cinema culture in the home or as an individual, when • watching videos the purpose is for leisure, such as reading, • watching a video/DVD/Blu-ray • listening to radio watching TV, listening to the radio or even • watching videos online, either on a singing in the shower or dancing in the computer or mobile phone • listening to CDs, records and tapes living room. This survey was last conducted • social media participation • attendance at recreational courses. in 2017–18 and data is typically collected • console gaming, both on and offline.106 To see the full study: every four years. The ABS assesses https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/ Read more here: https://www. cultural attendance by asking whether people-and-communities/arts-and-culture- screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/ participants have ‘attended at least one australia-statistical-overview selected cultural venue or event in the last people-and-businesses/audience-trends/ 12 months’. They were then asked which of media-participation-rates. For more on how ANA defines participation in arts, culture and creativity, see What we the selected cultural venues and events they In 2007 the ABS created Arts and Culture mean by arts and culture. had visited, and how often they had visited in Australia: A Statistical Overview, which each. The selected cultural venues and collated statistics from a wide range of events included: different sources dating back as far as the • libraries or archives 1990s.107 As part of this, they presented data • art galleries for ‘Time spent on cultural activities’, defining • museums this as time spent by participants on any cultural activity, regardless of whether it was • cinemas the main activity being undertaken at the • live music concerts or performances time or whether it was a secondary activity • musicals or operas being undertaken simultaneously (such • theatre performances as watching TV while eating a meal). The cultural activities in this study included: • dance performances • other performing arts.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 93 Focus group composition Appendix 2: The 84 participants in this study hailed • Their parents worked in ‘lower- or from every state and territory in Australia. middle-prestige occupations’ (this We have called them ‘young middle was assessed using an occupational Technical appendix – Australians’. This, like the term ‘middle prestige framework upon asking Research design and Australians’ used in our 2020 report, is a about parental occupation). descriptive term. We used the following • 77% were registered to vote in methodology criteria for recruiting participants: electorates that were marginal before • Must be 18–29 years old. and/or after the 2019 federal election. In May 2021, A New Approach (ANA) • Must self-identify as ‘undecided Participants lived in a range of electorates commissioned the Social Research Centre to voters’ – that is, they have not yet in each state or territory, as Table 1 undertake focus group research with ‘young decided who they will vote for in the demonstrates. 48% of participants were next federal election or have changed middle Australians’ aged 18–29 years of age from registered to vote in federal electorates their mind on who they will vote for at currently held by the Coalition, and 52% across Australia, to explore their perceptions and least once in the last 12 months. lived in federal electorates currently held attitudes relating to arts and culture. Between • Their family’s household income by Labor. May and June 2021, the Social Research Centre when they were growing up was conducted 21 online focus groups across every either lower (up to $70,000 per household) or middle ($70–$150,000 Australian state and territory. The research per household). and analysis was led by Dr Stephen Cuttriss in • Must now live in outer suburban or collaboration with ANA. regional locations (irrespective of where they grew up). • Neither they, nor their parents or other immediate family members, will have worked in arts and culture as their primary occupation.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 94 Table 1: Electorate breakdown by state

State / Electorates Currently Marginal either before State / Electorates Currently Marginal either before territory held by or after the 2019 territory held by or after the 2019 federal election federal election

ACT Bean ALP No Tas Franklin ALP No

Fenner ALP No Braddon LIB Yes

NSW Gilmore ALP Yes Bass LIB Yes

Cunningham ALP No Lyons ALP Yes

Dobell ALP Yes Vic Bendigo ALP No

Macquarie ALP Yes Corangamite ALP Yes

Bennelong LIB No Dunkley ALP Yes

Watson ALP No Corio ALP No

Paterson ALP Yes WA Hasluck LIB Yes

Fowler ALP No Pearce LIB Yes

Lindsay LIB Yes Swan LIB Yes

NT Lingiari ALP Yes Curtin LIB No

Solomon ALP Yes Moore LIB No

Qld Capricornia LNP Yes Cowan ALP Yes

Petrie LNP Yes

Forde LNP Yes

Herbert LNP Yes

SA Boothby LIB Yes

Sturt LIB Yes

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 95 Table 2 summarises the breakdown of the total number of participants in relation to key demographic details.

Table 2: Participant demographic details All participants were Australian citizens Participants worked in a wide array of State / Total Gender CALD ATSI as they were registered to vote in occupations, as Table 3 demonstrates. territory participants F M Australian elections. As Table 2 makes All participants grew up in low- or clear, about a third of participants also middle-income households with parents Qld 9 5 4 3 (33%) came from culturally and linguistically working in ‘low- or middle-prestige diverse (CALD) backgrounds, which is occupations’, and about two-thirds of Vic 10 4 6 3 (30%) consistent with the general Australian participants were working in a similar NSW 14 6 8 2 (25%) 1 (7%) population in this age group. In 2011, level job themselves. Occupational 25% of 12–24-year-olds in Australia were prestige is a sociological term used to WA 8 4 4 3 (37.5%) from a CALD background.108 Participants measure a person’s means of converting who identified their cultural backgrounds their level of education into income. SA 16 9 7 4 (44%) described being Indian, Chinese, Australian occupations are ranked in ACT 8 3 5 2 (25%) Hungarian, Portuguese, Kiwi, British, the AUSEI06 Socioeconomic Index for Malaysian, Taiwanese, French, German, Australia (2009), using the Australian Tas 9 7 2 1 (16%) 1 (11%) Egyptian, Greek, Macedonian and Bureau of Statistics’ ANZSIC occupational Pakistani. 18% spoke different languages codes. For the purposes of this study, we NT 10 7 3 1 (25%) 3 (30%) at home while growing up, including excluded participants whose parents Total 84 45 (54%) 39 (46%) 19 (28.5%) 5 (6%) Hindi, Greek, Urdu, French, Portuguese, could be included in the high prestige (15 LOTE 18%) Mandarin and Malay. end of the ‘professionals’ category, which includes occupations such as lawyers, 6% of participants identified as Aboriginal engineers, doctors, scientists, and or Torres Strait Islander, which is just academics and are likely to represent above the population average of 5% for high levels of education, income and young Australians.109 cultural and social capital.110

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 96 Table 3: Types of jobs held by participants Recruitment Participants were recruited by specialist Primary job type (highest to lowest frequency) Number of Percentage of recruiting firms in each state and participants participants territory, using a range of on- and offline recruitment tools inviting 18–29-year-olds Professional roles (i.e. roles typically requiring at 18 21% to participate in research about ‘social least a bachelor’s degree) issues’ – participants were not advised in Students 12 14% advance that they would be participating in a focus group about arts and culture, in Administration (office-based roles that don’t 10 12% order to avoid self-selection bias.111 Upon usually require a bachelor’s degree) nominating themselves for participation, they were then taken through a series of Caring roles (unqualified or low-level qualification) 9 11% questions over the phone to determine Retail workers 6 7% whether they met the criteria for a ‘young middle Australian’. If they did, they were Unemployed or declined to answer 6 7% asked a secondary set of questions as we had also set a series of quotas for the Hospitality workers 5 6% recruiters to meet. For example, more Manual workers (including tradespeople) 5 6% than 50% of participants needed to be from marginal federal electorates, CALD Teachers 4 5% and ATSI participants needed to meet population averages, less than 20% could Allied health workers (minimum bachelor’s 4 5% be full time students and less than 10% degree required) could be unemployed. Stay-at-home parents 2 2%

Self-employed 1 1%

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 97 Data collection Data collection occurred in online focus of ‘arts and culture’. In addition to Participants were asked about their groups using the video conferencing some traditional items like painting a own engagement with arts and cultural platform Zoom. Most groups contained watercolour or going to the ballet, the activities and whether they felt arts between three and six participants, in survey also included less traditional and culture had value to them, their line with best practice for conducting activities, such as: friends and families, to society, to the focus groups via video that suggests • listening to the radio in your car economy and to jobs. They were asked smaller groupings than for face-to-face how familiar they were with the term • filming yourself doing a dance contexts. Groups were split along ‘creative industries’ and asked about taught to you by your grandparents, gender lines to encourage greater their knowledge of operating models and then uploading it to TikTok rapport between participants. in those industries – that is, ‘How do Participants were reminded at the • singing the national anthem at a arts, cultural and creative institutions beginning of each group that the Zoom sporting event and individuals support themselves call was being video recorded (they • reading a novel financially?’ If government funding was had been informed at the recruitment • playing a game on your phone not raised in this discussion, they were stage), given an additional opportunity asked explicitly whether they thought • watching a Hollywood blockbuster to opt out and reminded that they were governments played a role in financially on Netflix. free to opt out of the research at any supporting arts and culture. This was time. All participants consented to Once all participants had submitted then followed up with questions about these measures. their surveys, the facilitator identified the advantages and disadvantages of which of the activities were most giving arts and culture a funding boost Data was collected over a 70- to polarising for the group and used these and the advantages and disadvantages 90-minute period with each group. as prompts to explore the boundaries of cutting government funding to this The facilitator opened by asking that participants put around their policy area. participants to log in to an online definitions of arts and culture. This audience participation tool called Conversations wrapped up with generated debate in most groups, Menti. Here, participants were asked discussions of the importance of though the young middle Australian to write down every word that came Australian content, Australian cultural participants were more open to having to mind when they heard the term heritage and hearing uniquely their minds changed by other group ‘arts and culture’. These words were Australian stories and voices. The members than we observed with then used as prompts for participants final question to each group asked middle Australians in 2020. Groups to discuss their initial, top-of-mind participants whether they felt their were then prompted to think about how reactions to this term. perceptions of arts and culture had their definitions might change if they shifted in any direction or become Participants were then provided a link were only asked to think about ‘arts’ strengthened or weakened over the to a two-minute online survey showing or only asked to think about ‘culture’, course of the discussion. a list of activities and were asked to and what the effects of using these two select any activities they considered terms together might be. to be within their own definition

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 98 Analysis Quote conventions This study used an abductive approach The quotes presented throughout this Throughout this report, we have provided verbatim examples of participants’ to analysis, noting that the emergence report are not the only instances of each contributions to the discussion. The following conventions have been applied to of theories from the data typically builds theme being mentioned; they merely these quotes: on implicit theories developed at the exemplify the kinds of things participants research design stage. The focus group were saying about that topic, as is typical Convention Description discussions were digitally recorded in qualitative studies. then transcribed verbatim. A top line Ellipses (…) used at the start, Means that less relevant words or utterances have It should also be noted that this was not coding hierarchy was developed out end or in the middle of a quote been removed from that location in the quote. Only a comparative analysis between the of the key themes and topics from the done if it does not change the meaning of the quote. variables along which the focus groups discussion guide. Then, through an were split – i.e. gender and location. Italics in a quote Means the participant put extra emphasis on that iterative review of the transcripts as Themes that emerged through the word or phrase. they were completed, two qualitative analysis had to apply to all the focus researchers developed a system of groups to be considered worthy of note in Use of quotation marks Means the participant quoted someone else or sub-codes to flesh out a coding frame the report. Decisions about both gender ( ‘’ ) within a quote used ‘air quotes’ (i.e. gestured quote marks with specific to the data that had emerged. and location divides were made in their fingers). Once this coding frame had been tested consultation with the qualitative research on several different data items (i.e. focus An en dash ( – ) in the middle The participant paused briefly, and often this pause consultants conducting the research on group transcripts), it was then finalised of a quote results in a change to the grammar of the sentence. ANA’s behalf. ready for use in coding the data in the May be used to denote an aside. software package NVivo. Each transcript Square brackets ( [ ] ) before Information inside square brackets is not was coded using the coding frame or during a quote part of the quote but provides the reader with as a starting point, while other codes important context. emerged inductively through the analysis process. At that point, a third researcher Each quote is followed by a description CALD status was self-described during was brought in to ensure inter-rater of that participant’s demographic recruitment (verbally answering the reliability. The use of this rigorous characteristics – gender, age, the question ‘How would you describe your technique to manage the coding of focus state they are now living in, whether cultural background?’ during the phone groups ensures that findings are directly they identified as being culturally and/ screener), and descriptors are provided traceable to the raw data, thus providing or linguistically diverse during the throughout the report in participants’ own a fully transparent and robust process recruitment process and their main words, using a phrase like: (self-identifies with a high level of transferability. occupation at time of research. As with as male, 25, Victorian, Anglo-Saxon, all of these demographic descriptors, cleaner).

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 99 All these perspectives can help shape The word ‘culture’ has a lot of different a cultural life that emboldens us. This meanings. We use ‘culture’ to refer to Appendix 3: aspiration informs ANA’s definition of arts ways of living and everyday forms of and culture, which is broad and inclusive. expression and creativity that we either What we mean by arts, It includes activities like: share as Australians or that we share • attending cultural events in person with other members of our particular culture and creativity (e.g. going to the movies, a festival, social groups or communities. In the the symphony) words of participants from our 2020 middle Australia research: ANA acknowledges the cultures of Aboriginal • visiting cultural venues in person and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia (e.g. going to an art gallery or Culture is belonging…where we and their continuing cultural and creative museum, visiting the war memorial, feel we fit in. using libraries and archives) practices in this land. This reminds us of We have an Australian culture. Even the importance of sharing knowledge, skills • creating something (e.g. making though there are many nationalities in something out of materials like wood, it, we live the Australian way of life. and stories. clay or wool, painting, photography or film-making, designing something This research showed that when we use We recognise that Australia’s culture on paper or on the computer, writing the terms ‘arts’ and ‘culture’ together as has been uniquely shaped by Aboriginal stories or poetry) a collective term – ‘arts and culture’ – this new term can take on a broader, more and Torres Strait Islander peoples, by the • performing something (e.g. inclusive meaning than either word on singing, dancing, playing a generations of people born in this place, and its own. musical instrument) by the people from all around the globe who We note also that arts and cultural have made this place their home. • engaging with arts, culture and creative content within one’s own activities can sit within the industrial home (e.g. listening to music, category of the cultural and creative watching TV, reading books, looking economy, which includes industries at art, visiting cultural venue websites, and occupations that use creativity for playing computer games). production and where cultural symbolism is evident in the finished product. This Not all arts, cultural and creative activities includes the kinds of activities outlined appeal to all people, but most people above, but also includes industries feel that there is something within the and occupations that may be less category of ‘arts and culture’ that they obvious, such as advertising, design enjoy and that is relevant and significant and architecture. to them.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 100 What we mean by arts, culture and creativity

Figure 12: What we mean by arts, culture and creativity infographic. Source: Reproduced from Trembath and Fielding 2020, p. 163. Original was created using inputs from Australia’s Cultural Funding by Government data series 2007–08 to 2017–18, the UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics and UNCTAD’s Creative Economy Report 2008.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 101 1 Headspace National Youth Mental Health 7 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. Foundation. 2020. Insights: Youth Mental Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues Health and Wellbeing over Time. Results and Events, Australia. Australian Bureau Endnotes of the Headspace National Youth Mental of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/ Health Survey 2020. Australia: Australian statistics/people/people-and-communities/ Government. https://headspace.org.au/ attendance-selected-cultural-venu assets/Uploads/Insights-youth-mental-hea es-and-events-australia/latest-release. lth-and-wellbeing-over-time-headspace-N 8 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. ational-Youth-Mental-Health-Survey-2020. Participation in Selected Cultural pdf. Activities 2017–18 Dataset. Australian 2 Commonwealth of Australia. 2021. 2021 Bureau of Statistics. https://www. Intergenerational Report. Canberra: abs.gov.au/statistics/people/ Commonwealth of Australia. https:// people-and-communities/participati treasury.gov.au/publication/2021- on-selected-cultural-activities/2017- intergenerational-report. (p. 29). 18#data-download. 3 Pureprofile. 2019. “Australian Federal 9 For more on occupational prestige, go Election: It’s Getting Political!” Pureprofile to Appendix 2 or see McMillan, Julie, (blog), May 16, 2019. https://www. Adrian Beavis, and Frank L. Jones. 2009. pureprofile.com/australian-federal-electi “The AUSEI06: A New Socioeconomic on-its-getting-political/. Index for Australia.” Journal of 4 For an interesting analysis of what to Sociology 45 (2): 123–49. https://doi. expect in technological trends over the org/10.1177/1440783309103342. next 10+ years, see Clay, Dan, John 10 Pureprofile. 2019. “Australian Federal Marshall, and Simon Glynn. 2018. Meet Election: It’s Getting Political!” Pureprofile Dawn: The Customer of the Future. New (blog), May 16, 2019. https://www. York: Lippincott. https://lippincott.com/ pureprofile.com/australian-federal-electi customer-of-the-future/meet-dawn/. on-its-getting-political/. 5 For a broad overview of the research on 11 Young, Sally, and Nick Economou. 2013. the benefits of engaging with arts and “FactCheck: Are Swinging Voters culture, see our second Insight Report: Disengaged and Hard to Reach?” The Fielding, Kate, Iva Glisic, and Jodie-Lee Conversation (blog), July 17, 2013. Trembath. 2019. Transformative: Impacts http://theconversation.com/factch of Culture and Creativity. 2. Insight Series. eck-are-swinging-voters-disengag Canberra: A New Approach and The ed-and-hard-to-reach-15804. Australian Academy of Humanities. 12 One participant specifically identified as a https://newapproach.org.au/. trans male and chose to be categorised as a 6 Headspace National Youth Mental Health male participant. Foundation. 2020. Insights: Youth Mental 13 Fielding, Kate, and Jodie-Lee Health and Wellbeing over Time. Results Trembath. 2020. “A View from Middle of the Headspace National Youth Mental Australia: Perceptions of Arts, Culture Health Survey 2020. Australia: Australian and Creativity.” 2020–01. Insight Series. Government. https://headspace.org.au/ Canberra: A New Approach and the assets/Uploads/Insights-youth-mental-hea Australian Academy of the Humanities. lth-and-wellbeing-over-time-headspace-N https://newapproach.org.au/perceptions- ational-Youth-Mental-Health-Survey-2020. of-arts-culture-report-3/. (p. 39) pdf. 14 Angus, James. 2011. Grow Your Own (AKA The Green Cactus). Hollow-cast aluminium.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 102 15 Shoeys – i.e. drinking alcohol out of a shoe 21 Twitch is a digital platform that allows 32 Productivity Commission. 2019. The Demand 41 See our recent report for more on this: – have become particularly prevalent in individuals to livestream anything to an Driven University System: A Mixed Report Trembath, Jodie-Lee, and Kate Fielding. 2021. Australia’s music scene. International artists audience of fans. Twitch users with large Card. Commission Research Paper. Canberra: Imagining 2030: Preparing for a National Arts, touring Australia are often encouraged by fan bases can monetise their content via Productivity Commission. https://www.pc.gov. Culture and Creativity Plan. 2021–01. Analysis Australian crowds to ‘do a shoey’ on stage. sponsorship, donations, merchandise, paid au/research/completed/university-report-card/ Series. Canberra: A New Approach. 16 Murray, John. 2021. Percy Hobson Mural. subscriptions and share of ad revenue. university-report-card.pdf. https://newapproach.org.au/. Paint on water tower. https://en.wikipedia. 22 AIFS. n.d. Young People Living with 33 AIHW. 2019. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ 42 For more on the notion of Culture 3.0 see: org/wiki/Percy_Hobson_(athlete)#/media/ Their Parents. https://aifs.gov.au/ australias-welfare/secondary-education-scho Sacco, Pier Luigi. 2011. Culture 3.0: A New File:AU-NSW-Bourke-Percy_Hobson_ facts-and-figures/young-people-living-the ol-retention-completion. Perspective for the EU 2014–2020 Structural mural-2021.jpg. ir-parents. 34 Foundation for Young Australians (FYA). 2020. Funds Programming. European Expert Network 17 Angus, James. 2011. Grow Your Own (AKA The 23 AIHW. 2021. Australia’s Youth. Australia: The New Work Standard: How Young People on Culture. http://www.interarts.net/descargas/ Green Cactus). Hollow-cast aluminium. Australian Government. https://www.aihw.gov. Are Engaging with Flexible Work. FYA’s interarts2577.pdf; and our 2020 report, Trembath, Jodie-Lee, and Kate Fielding. 2020. 18 Armstrong, Bruce. 2011. The Big Powerful au/reports/children-youth/australias-youth/ New Work Order Report Series. Australia: contents/about. Foundation for Young Australians. https://www. Behind the Scenes: Drivers of Arts and Cultural Owl. Concrete. This sculpture, colloquially Policy Settings in Australia and Beyond. 4. known as the Belco Owl or the Penis Owl, is 24 Department of Health. 2020. Youth Taskforce fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ FYA-New-Work-Standard-2020.pdf. Insight Series. Canberra: A New Approach and often discussed among locals regarding its Interim Report. Australia: Australian the Australian Academy of the Humanities. unusual shape. Government. https://www.health.gov.au/ 35 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2017. 2016 https://newapproach.org.au/. sites/default/files/documents/2020/10/ Census – a “Selfie” of Young People in Australia. 19 We use the term Anglo-Celtic here in alignment 43 For an overview of this experience, see with Census data and the Australian Human youth-taskforce-interim-report.pdf. Media Release. August 14, 2017. https:// www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]/ Newton-Smith, Emily. 2019. “Review: Rights Commission, which includes four wide 25 Department of Health. 2020. Immersive Cinema Presents Dirty Dancing.” groups of cultural backgrounds: Anglo-Celtic https://www.health.gov.au/sites/ mediareleasesbyReleaseDate/AC02F0705E32 0F58CA25817C00016A47?OpenDocument. Energetiks (blog), April 6, 2019. https://www. (English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish); European default/files/documents/2020/10/ energetiksblog.com.au/blog/2019/3/28/review- (those countries where English is not the first youth-taskforce-interim-report.pdf. 36 FYA. 2020. https://www.fya.org. immersive-cinema-dirty-dancing. language, including France, Germany, Poland, 26 AIHW. 2021. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ Latvia, Greece, Italy); Non-European (all other FYA-New-Work-Standard-2020.pdf. 44 Regional Arts Australia. 2019. Collaborating with children-youth/australias-youth/contents/ Regional Communities: Guidelines and Tools backgrounds including Asian, South American, about. 37 FYA. 2020. https://www.fya.org. African, Middle Eastern, Oceanic and Pacific for Regional Arts and Cultural Engagement. 27 AIHW. 2021. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ Australia: Australian Government Regional Arts Islander); and Indigenous (Aboriginal and/ FYA-New-Work-Standard-2020.pdf. or Torres Strait Islander). Australian Human children-youth/australias-youth/contents/ Fund. https://regionalarts.com.au/uploads/ Rights Commission. 2018. “Leading for about. 38 Gilfillan, Geoff. 2020. COVID–19: Labour files/FINAL-Regional-Engagement-Guidelin Change: A Blueprint for Cultural Diversity and 28 Worldometer. 2020. Australia Market Impacts on Key Demographic Groups, es-July-2019.pdf. (p. 15). Inclusive Leadership Revisited.” Australia: Demographics 2020 (Population, Age, Sex, Industries and Regions. Canberra: Parliament 45 CircuitWest. 2016. Case Study: Opera Australian Human Rights Commission. https:// Trends). 2020. https://www.worldometers.info/ of Australia. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_ Australia’s Regional Children’s Chorus. humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/ demographics/australia-demographics/. Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/ CircuitWest. July 20, 2016. https://www. document/publication/Leading%20for%20 Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2021/COVID- circuitwest.com.au/case-study/opera-australi 29 AIHW. 2020. Health of Young People. 19-Stat_Snapshot. Change_Blueprint2018_FINAL_Web.pdf. Australia: Australian Institute of Health and as-regional-childrens-chorus/. 20 For more on the difference between profitability Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ 39 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2021. 46 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. and economic contribution in arts and culture, australias-health/health-of-young-people. Australia’s Youth. Australia: Australian Participation in Selected Cultural Government. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ see our 2020 report: Trembath, Jodie-Lee, 30 AIHW. 2021. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ Activities 2017–18 Dataset. Australian Bureau and Kate Fielding. 2020. “Australia’s Cultural children-youth/australias-youth/contents/ of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/ children-youth/australias-youth/contents/ about. and Creative Economy: A 21st Century about. people/people-and-communities/partici Guide.” 2020–03. Insight Series. Canberra: A 40 Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). pation-selected-cultural-activities/2017- 31 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2019. New Approach and the Australian Academy of n.d. Young People Living with Their Parents. 18#data-download. Secondary Education: School Retention and the Humanities. https://newapproach.org.au/. Australia: Australian Government. https://aifs. Completion. Snapshot. Australia: Australian gov.au/facts-and-figures/young-people-living-t Government. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/ heir-parents. australias-welfare/secondary-education-scho ol-retention-completion.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 103 47 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. 55 From sixth to tenth in the Portland Soft Power 61 Hamde, Moataz. 2019. “How to Keep Making 64 Collis, Christy, Emma Felton, and Phil Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues 30 Index between 2015 and 2019; from eighth Friends after 30 (and Stay Close to the Ones Graham. 2010. “Beyond the Inner City: and Events, Australia. Australian Bureau of to fifteenth in the FutureBrand Country Index You’ve Got).” ABC News, October 3, 2019, Real and Imagined Places in Creative Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/ between 2014 and 2019; and from fourth to sec. ABC Everyday. https://www.abc.net.au/ Place Policy and Practice.” The Information people/people-and-communities/attendance-s sixth in the Global Reputation Rankings report everyday/making-friends-and-maintaining-frie Society 26 (2): 104–12. https://doi. elected-cultural-venues-and-events-australia/ between 2013 and 2018. For more on this, see ndships-after-30/11374380. org/10.1080/01972240903562738. (p. 107). latest-release. our second report: Fielding, Kate, Iva Glisic, and 62 For examples of research on the relationship 65 Waterhouse, Richard. 1995. Private Pleasures, 48 Australia Council for the Arts. 2020. National Jodie-Lee Trembath. 2019. Transformative: between engagement with arts and culture, Public Leisure: A History of Australian Popular Arts Participation Survey 2019 Data Tables. Impacts of Culture and Creativity. 2. Insight increasing public safety and decreasing Culture since 1788. Melbourne: Longman. Series. Canberra: A New Approach and Australia Council for the Arts. https:// recidivism, see: Hughes, Jenny. 2003. “Doing 66 Felton, Emma, and Christy Collis. 2012. www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/ The Australian Academy of Humanities. the Arts Justice: A Review of Research https://newapproach.org.au/. “Creativity and the Australian Suburbs: The creating-our-future. Literature, Practice and Theory.” England: Arts Appeal of Suburban Localities for the Creative 49 Screen Australia. 2013. Media Participation 56 Oldenburg, Ray. 1999. The Great Good Place: Council England, the Department for Culture, Industries Workforce.” Journal of Australian Rates: Screen Consumption by Age, 2005–6 Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Media and Sport and the Offenders’ Learning Studies 36 (2): 177–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/1 to 2012–13. Screen Australia. 2013. https:// Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart and Skills Unit at the Department for Education 4443058.2012.676560. of a Community. 3rd edition. New York: Da and Skills, as core partners in the Research into www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/ 67 See for example: Gibson, Chris, and John people-and-businesses/audience-trends/ Capo Press. Arts and Criminal Justice Think Tank (REACTT). https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/assets/ Connell. 2012. Music Festivals and Regional media-participation-rates/by-age. 57 Oldenburg’s original work on third places Development in Australia. Farnham, UK: did not include virtual spaces, but many ckeditor/attachments/1062/doing_the_arts_ 50 Smiers, Joost. 2003. Arts Under Pressure: justice_by_hughes.pdf?1412194272. Taylor & Francis Group.; Gibson, Chris, and Promoting Cultural Diversity in the Age ensuing scholars have built on his theory to John Connell. 2003. “‘Bongo Fury’: Tourism, of Globalization. London: Bloomsbury include these spaces. Some early notable Ross, Caroline. 2016. “Exploring the Ways Music and Cultural Economy at Byron Bay, Academic. https://www.google.com. works include Soukup, Charles. 2006. Arts and Culture Intersect with Public Australia.” Tijdschrift Voor Economische En au/books/edition/Arts_Under_Pressure/ “Computer-Mediated Communication as a Safety.” USA: e Urban Institute / ArtPlace Sociale Geografie 94 (2): 164–87. https://doi. aXCHJ9CBQLEC?hl=en&gbpv=0. Virtual Third Place: Building Oldenburg’s Great America, LLC. http://www.urban.org/sites/ org/10.1111/1467-9663.00247; Schupbach, Good Places on the World Wide Web.” New default/files/publication/79271/2000725- Jason. 2015. “Creative Placemaking: Putting the 51 Australia Council for the Arts. 2021. Towards Media & Society 8 (3): 421–40. Examining-the-Ways-Arts-and-Cultu Equity: A Research Overview of Diversity in Arts to Work for Economic Development.” IEDC https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444806061953; re-Intersect-with-Public-Safety.pdf. Economic Development Journal 14 (4): 28–33. Australia’s Arts and Cultural Sector. Sydney: and Steinkuehler, Constance A. 2005. “The Australia Council for the Arts. https://www. UNODC. 2018. “Introductory Handbook on https://www.iedconline.org/clientuploads/ New Third Place: Massively Multiplayer Online The Prevention of Recidivism and the Social Economic%20Development%20Journal/ australiacouncil.gov.au/research/wp-content/ Gaming in American Youth Culture.” Journal of uploads/2021/06/Towards-Equity-Report.pdf. Reintegration of Offenders.” Criminal Justice EDJ_15_Fall_Schupbach.pdf. Research in Teacher Education 2005 (3): 17–32. Handbook Series. Vienna: United Nations. 52 Australia Council for the Arts. 2021. https://bit.ly/3hCTKMH. 68 Schupbach. 2015. https://www.iedconline.org/ https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-a clientuploads/Economic%20Development%20 https://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/ 58 Oldenburg. 1999. (p. 15). nd-prison-reform/18-02303_ebook.pdf. research/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ Journal/EDJ_15_Fall_Schupbach.pdf. (p. 28). Towards-Equity-Report.pdf. (p. 17). 59 Cuervo, Hernán, and Johanna Wyn. 2017. 63 “Quiet Australians” was a term used by 69 Angus, James. 2011. Grow Your Own (AKA “A Longitudinal Analysis of Belonging: Scott Morrison following the 2019 election 53 Screen Australia. 2016. Seeing Ourselves: The Green Cactus). Hollow-cast aluminium. Temporal, Performative and Relational to describe “Australians who have worked https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Reflections on Diversity in Australian TV Drama. Practices by Young People in Rural Australia.” hard every day. They have their dreams. They Australia: Screen Australia. https://www. File:Forrest_Place_sculpture_Perth_with_ YOUNG 25 (3): 219–34. have their aspirations – to get a job, to get an street_dancers.jpg; screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/157b05b4- https://doi.org/10.1177/1103308816669463. apprenticeship, to start a business. To meet 255a-47b4-bd8b-9f715555fb44/ Armstrong, Bruce. 2011. The Big Powerful Owl. 60 Fielding, Kate, Iva Glisic, and Jodie-Lee someone amazing, to start a family, to buy a tv-drama-diversity.pdf. home. To work hard and provide the best you Concrete. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl_ Trembath. 2019. Transformative: Impacts (sculpture). 54 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2017. of Culture and Creativity. 2. Insight can for your kids.” Tingle, Laura. 2019. “Who Are Soft Power Review: Foreign Policy White Paper. Series. Canberra: A New Approach and Scott Morrison’s Quiet Australians?” Digital. The 70 Fletcher, Paul. 2021. “‘Opening Address’ Australia: Australian Government. https://www. The Australian Academy of Humanities. 7.30 Report. Australia: ABC. https://www.abc. presented at the Arts Going Digital webinar: fpwhitepaper.gov.au/home. https://newapproach.org.au/. net.au/7.30/who-are-scott-morrisons-quiet-au Australia Council for the Arts.” YouTube video, stralians/11706370. July 12, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9hsvNHrbSwg.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 104 71 Christie, Libby. 2021. “‘Digital Business’ panel 82 Ennis, Gretchen Marie, and Jane Tonkin. 2018. 90 Mak, Hei Wan, Meg Fluharty, and Daisy 93 For examples, see: Callinan, J, and I presentation for Arts Going Digital webinar: “’It’s like Exercise for Your Soul’: How Fancourt. 2021. “Predictors and Impact of Arts Coyne. 2020. “Arts-Based Interventions to Australia Council for the Arts.” YouTube video, Participation in Youth Arts Activities Contributes Engagement During the COVID–19 Pandemic: Promote Transition Outcomes for Young July 12, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/ to Young People’s Wellbeing.” Journal of Youth Analyses of Data from 19,384 Adults in the People with Long-Term Conditions: A Review.” watch?v=9hsvNHrbSwg. Studies 21 (3): 340–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/ COVID–19 Social Study.” Frontiers in Psychology Chronic Illness 16 (1): 23–40. https://doi. 72 Office for the Arts. 2020. “Restart Investment 13676261.2017.1380302. 12 (April): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3389/ org/10.1177/1742395318782370.; Edwards, to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.” 83 Ennis and Tonkin. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/ fpsyg.2021.626263. Brydne M., Eric Smart, Gillian King, C. J. Curran, December 21, 2020. https://www.arts.gov.au/ 13676261.2017.1380302. (p. 352). 91 Using the Patternmakers Dashboard tool, filter and Shauna Kingsnorth. 2020. “Performance and Visual Arts-Based Programs for Children funding-and-support/rise-fund. 84 Campagna, Desirée, Giulio Caperna, and by online participation, age group and level of remoteness to explore the effects of living with Disabilities: A Scoping Review Focusing 73 Oldenburg. 1999. (p. 31). Valentina Montalto. 2020. “Does Culture Make on Psychosocial Outcomes.” Disability and a Better Citizen? Exploring the Relationship outside a major city on young Australians’ digital 74 Skattebol, Jennifer, and Gerry Redmond. 2019. engagement with arts and culture, particularly Rehabilitation 42 (4): 574–85. https://doi.org/1 “Troubled Kids? Locational Disadvantage, Between Cultural and Civic Participation in 0.1080/09638288.2018.1503734.; Fancourt, Italy.” Social Indicators Research 149 (2): during the pandemic lockdowns. Patternmakers Opportunity Structures and Social Exclusion.” and Wolf Brown. 2021. “COVID–19 Audience Daisy, and Saoirse Finn. 2019. What Is the Children’s Geographies 17 (1): 76–89. https:// 657–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020- Evidence on the Role of the Arts in Improving 02265-3. Outlook Monitor – Australia (Dashboard doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2018.1487031. Tool).” Intrinsic Impact. https://dashboard. Health and Well-Being? A Scoping Review. 75 See the Australian Curriculum’s pages for 85 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2014. Spotlight intrinsicimpact.org/. See also Australia Council WHO Health Evidence Network Synthesis the arts, health and physical education and on the National Accounts: Unpaid Work and the for the Arts. 2020. Creating Our Future: Results Reports. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office technologies learning areas to explore this Australian Economy. Australian Government. of the National Arts Participation Survey. for Europe. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/ further. https://australiancurriculum.edu.au/f- May 26, 2014. https://www.abs.gov.au/ Sydney: Australia Council for the Arts. https:// NBK553773/.; Gordon-Nesbitt, Rebecca. 2015. 10-curriculum/. ausstats/[email protected]/mf/5202.0. www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/ Exploring the Longitudinal Relationship between Arts and Engagement and Health. Manchester: 76 Foley, Bridget C., Katherine B. Owen, Adrian 86 Catterall, James S., Susan A. Dumais, and wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Creating-Our-F Arts for Health. https://www.artsforhealth. E. Bauman, William Bellew, and Lindsey J. Gillian Hampden-Thompson. 2012. “The Arts uture-Results-of-the-National-Arts-Participati org/research/artsengagementandhealth/ Reece. 2021. “Effects of the Active Kids Voucher and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings on-Survey-PDF.pdf. ArtsEngagementandHealth.pdf; Ullán, Ana Program on Children and Adolescents’ Physical from Four Longitudinal Studies.” Research 92 It’s important to also note, however, that digital M., and Manuel H. Belver. 2021. “Visual Arts in Activity: A Natural Experiment Evaluating a 55. Washington: National Endowment for engagement relies on individuals having access Children’s Hospitals: Scoping Review.” HERD: State-Wide Intervention.” BMC Public Health the Arts. See also Campagna, Caperna and to hardware (mobile phones, laptop computers), Health Environments Research & Design 21 (1): 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020- Montalto. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205- either personally or in community-provided Journal, Online First: March 29, 2021. 1–29. 10060-5. 020-02265-3. contexts such as in local libraries or community https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867211003494. 77 Service NSW. 2019. “Apply for a Creative 87 Mak, Hei Wan, and Daisy Fancourt. 2021. “Do cultural centres, not just national infrastructure 94 Law, M, G King, S King, M Kertoy, P Hurley, Kids Voucher.” January 1, 2019. https:// Socio-Demographic Factors Predict Children’s such as broadband. Felton, Emma. 2014. “A/ P Rosenbaum, N Young, S Hanna, and T www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/ Engagement in Arts and Culture? Comparisons Effective Connections: Mobility, Technology Petrenchik. 2006. Patterns and Predictors apply-creative-kids-voucher. of in-School and out-of-School Participation and Well-Being.” Emotion, Space and in the Taking Part Survey.” PLOS ONE 16 (2). Society 13 (1): 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. of Recreational and Leisure Participation for 78 Daley, John. 2021. Performing Arts Advocacy in https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246936. emospa.2014.09.001. Children with Physical Disabilities. Canada: Australia. Australia: Australian Major Performing CanChild Research Centre, McMaster Arts Group. April 26, 2021. https://apo.org.au/ 88 Solecki, Przemysław, Michał Chlebicki, and University. https://www.canchild.ca/en/ node/312235. (p. 4). Seweryn Grodny. 2014. “Income and Life resources/80-patterns-and-predictors-of-recr Condition as Predictors of Young People’s eational-and-leisure-participation-for-children- 79 Daley. 2021. https://apo.org.au/node/312235. Cultural Participation in Poland.” PowerPoint (p. 4). with-physical-disabilities. presentation, Statistical Office, Cracow, Poland. 80 Patternmakers and Wolf Brown. 2021. September 26, 2014. https://www.slideserve. 95 Law et al. 2006. https://www.canchild.ca/en/ https://dashboard.intrinsicimpact.org/. com/alovell/income-and-life-condition-as-pre resources/80-patterns-and-predictors-of-recr eational-and-leisure-participation-for-children- 81 Clay, Dan, John Marshall, and Simon dictors-of-young-people-cultural-participation with-physical-disabilities. Glynn. 2018. “Meet Dawn: The Customer of the -in-poland-powerpoint-ppt-presentation. Future.” New York: Lippincott. https://lippincott. 89 Mak and Fancourt. 2021. https://doi. 96 Mak and Fancourt. 2021. https://doi. com/customer-of-the-future/meet-dawn/. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246936. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246936.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 105 97 Martin, Andrew J., Michael Anderson, and 105 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. 4114.0 – Ricci-Jane Adams. 2012. “What Determines Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Young People’s Engagement with Performing Events, Australia, 2017–18. Canberra: Australian Arts Events?” Leisure Sciences 34 (4): 314–31. Bureau of Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/ https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2012.687631 statistics/people/people-and-communities/ . attendance-selected-cultural-venu 98 Patternmakers and Wolf Brown. 2021. es-and-events-australia/latest-release. “COVID–19 Audience Outlook Monitor – 106 Screen Australia. 2013. Media Participation Australia (Dashboard Tool).” Intrinsic Impact. Rates: Patterns of Screen Media Consumption. https://dashboard.intrinsicimpact.org/. Screen Australia. 2013. https://www. 99 Colmar Brunton. 2020. New Zealanders and screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/ the Arts 2020: Attitudes, Attendance and people-and-businesses/audience-trends/ Participation. New Zealand: Creative New media-participation-rates. Zealand. https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/ 107 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2007. 4172.0 assets/paperclip/publication_documents/ – Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical documents/793/original/final_nzers_and_the_ Overview, 2007. Canberra: Australian Bureau of arts_2020_19022021.pdf?1623669582. Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/ 100 Mak, Fluharty, and Fancourt. 2021. https://doi. [email protected]/Previousproducts/4172.0Main%20Fe org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.626263. atures12007?opendocument&tabname=Sum mary&prodno=4172.0&issue=2007&num=&vi 101 Bennett, T. 2001, quoted in UNESCO. 2020. ew=. Cultural Participation (Glossary Entry). UNESCO Institute for Statistics Glossary. June 22, 2020. 108 Department of Health. 2020. Youth Taskforce http://uis.unesco.org/en/glossary-term/ Interim Report. Australia: Australian cultural-participation. Government. https://www.health.gov.au/ sites/default/files/documents/2020/10/ 102 Australia Council for the Arts. 2020. Creating youth-taskforce-interim-report.pdf. Our Future: Results of the National Arts Participation Survey. Sydney: Australia Council 109 AIHW. 2018. https://www.aihw.gov.au/ for the Arts. https://www.australiacouncil.gov. reports/indigenous-australians/atsi-adolesc au/research/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Cre ent-youth-health-wellbeing-2018/contents/ ating-Our-Future-Results-of-the-National-Arts table-of-contents. -Participation-Survey-PDF.pdf. 110 For more on this, see McMillan, Julie, Adrian 103 Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2019. 4921.0 Beavis, and Frank L. Jones. 2009. “The – Participation in Selected Cultural Activities, AUSEI06: A New Socioeconomic Index for Australia, 2017–18. Australian Bureau of Australia.” Journal of Sociology 45 (2): 123–49. Statistics: Participation in Selected Cultural https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783309103342. Activities. 2019. https://www.abs.gov.au/ 111 Glen, Stephanie. 2017. “Self-Selection Bias.” statistics/people/people-and-communities/ Statistics How To. July 30, 2017. https://www. participation-selected-cultural-activities/ statisticshowto.com/self-selection-bias/. latest-release. 104 It’s worth noting that the children’s questionnaire in the Cultural Participation Survey does include reading for pleasure and screen-based activities including watching TV, using the internet and gaming. It does not include singing or dancing informally around the home.

The Next Generation of Voters Appendices and notes 106 A New Approach (ANA)