New Zealanders Are Increasingly Positive About The Benefits Of The Arts

New Zealanders are increasingly going to and taking part in the arts. This engagement is accompanied by increasingly positive attitudes about the benefits the arts bring to individuals, society, and the economy.

The positive trends are clear in the results of Creative New Zealand’s 2023 research survey New Zealanders and the Arts—Ko Aotearoa me ōna Toi. The survey has been done every three years since 2005, meaning the seventh set of results show trends over time.

“The increase in positive attitudes is striking, with more New Zealanders agreeing that the arts help improve New Zealand society, define who we are as New Zealanders, and contribute positively to our economy,” David Pannett, Senior Manager, Strategy & Engagement says. “We also saw increased agreement with the statement that the arts should receive public funding, and that their local councils should support the arts.”

“The results show that more New Zealanders feel a personal connection to the arts and see the value of the arts for their mental health and wellbeing. Arts participation is at its highest level since the survey began in 2005. At the same time, we can see that barriers to attendance and participation remain and there are opportunities to improve accessibility to the arts,” says Pannett.

“Our goal in continuing this long-term survey is to provide arts communities with evidence to support their advocacy for the value of the arts. The 2023 results provide that,” says Pannett.

Creative New Zealand engages independent research organisation Verian research (formerly Kantar Public) to do the survey and report on the findings.

The scale of the survey means the results can be reported at regional level and by specific demographic groups. Later in the year, Creative New Zealand will release reports on responses from Māori, Pasifika, Deaf and disabled, and Asian New Zealanders. There are also 13 regional reports and two city reports, as well as accessible formats of the Summary report.

The first reports to be released are:

• Survey findings for adult New Zealanders (15+)
• Survey findings for young New Zealanders (10–14)
• Summary report
• Plain English large print

Download the first reports and see the topline results on the development and resources section of our website.

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