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.