01
74%
attended a live arts event or festival
That represents 15.4 million Australians aged 15 and over in 2025, up from 68% in 2022.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 3.Industry reference
Live performance
statistics.
A clear, sourced snapshot of how Australians attended, valued and experienced live arts in 2025.
Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refer to the 2025 National Arts Participation Survey.
The headline
More people
in the room.
Creative Australia reports that 2025 recorded the highest live arts attendance in the history of its National Arts Participation Survey. The figures below are a practical reference for producers, writers, educators and anyone following the audience behind live performance.
02
42%
attended theatre
8.6 million Australians attended theatre in 2025.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 2.03
70%
named entertainment as a reason to attend
Socialising was the next most common motivation at 47%.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 4.04
60%
said cost was a barrier to attendance
55% said there were events they wanted to attend but did not because of cost.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 4.05
44%
would like to attend more arts events
42% said they were happy with how often they attend.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 3.06
43%
create, produce or collaborate in art
That is 9 million Australians aged 15 and over. Theatre participation reached 9%, up from 6% in 2022.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 4.07
88%
engage with the arts online or through digital platforms
49% engage through social media and 44% through streaming platforms.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 5.08
80%
of adults taught an art form at school attended arts events
The comparable figure for those not taught an art form at school was 58%.
Creative Australia, 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, executive summary, p. 5.Method and source
Built for
citation.
This page draws only on Creative Australia’s 2025 National Arts Participation Survey executive summary, published in June 2026. The survey was conducted between June and September 2025 with a nationally representative sample of 9,065 people.
Each figure links to the same primary report and records the relevant page. The wording here preserves the survey’s scope: Australians aged 15 and over, unless otherwise noted.
Cite this page
Kristy Sellars, “Live Performance Statistics in Australia (2025),” updated 29 September 2026, https://kristysellarslive.com/live-performance-statistics.
Discover the performance language behind these figures in What Is Immersive Theatre?, or explore live event performance with Kristy Sellars.