This report examines a number of national Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) household surveys plus the 1991 Census of Population and Housing and compares the cultural activities undertaken by youth, either as part of their work or part of their leisure, with those pursued by older Australians. Some results from the Domestic Tourism Monitor, a survey conducted by the Bureau of Tourism Research, have also been included.

There were proportionally fewer young people working in cultural occupations or receiving some payment for work in culture/leisure activities in comparison with those aged 25 years or more. However, youth spent slightly more time on culture and leisure recreational activities than older people, whilst young households had an average weekly expenditure on cultural commodities considerably higher than that of other households.

The major features of the cultural activities of youth occurred in the following sectors of the National Culture - Leisure Statistics framework:

Libraries:

• Over a tenth of young people working in cultural jobs as a main job worked in libraries with Library assistant being the second and most prevalent cultural occupation of 15 to 24 year olds.
  
  
• Persons aged up to 25 years were proportionally much larger users of public libraries than all people, a fact possibly attributable to the high number of people in that age group who undertake schooling and other study.

Literature:

• The cultural occupation with the highest proportion of youth was that of Cadetjournalist. There were also above average proportions of young people working as Reporters and Journalists. Of those people whose main job was that of Author, the percentage who were aged under 25 was low.
  
  
• Young people spent slightly less time reading than persons aged 25 years and over.
  
  
• A greater percentage of 15 to 24 year olds than older persons were likely to have read a book or magazine during the previous week. The reverse was the case for newspapers and other types of literature.
  
  
• Average weekly expenditure on literature (books, magazines, newspapers etc) by young households was about 40% lower than the amount usually spent by households whose reference person was aged 25 years or more.

Music:

• Young people had a very high degree of involvement in popular music. Music as a live performer was the culture/leisure activity with the highest percentage of youth participation.
  
  
• About 20% of people working in a main job as an Instrumental musician or popular singer were aged between 15 and 24 years.
  
  
• Younger households spent about 70% more on home music listening commodities per week than the average for all households and over five times the amount on musical instruments and accessories.
  
  
• Attendance at popular music concerts by young people was at a rate which was over twice that of people aged 25 years or more.
  
  
• Going to a popular music concert was one of the preferred types of cultural activity in which youth participated whilst on holiday.

Performing Arts:

• Young people were involved at a higher rate than older persons in performing arts, both as performers and non-performers.
  
  
• Most dancers were under 25 years of age, whilst the proportion of young persons working as actors and variety artists, etc. stage managers and performing arts support workers was higher than the average representation of young people with cultural occupations.

Visual Arts:

• The cultural occupation in which most young people worked was that of graphic designer. A higher than average proportion of fashion designers were aged less than 25 years. In other areas of design and illustrating, the proportion of young people was much lower than the percentage of young people with a cultural job.
  
  
• The proportion of 15 to 24 year old painters, sculptors and craftworkers, with the exception of apprentice craftworkers, was very low.

Film and Video:

• Occupations associated with film and video in which there was a higher than average representation of young people included motion picture camera operator, light technician and sound technician.
  
  
• Under 25's figured prominently in this sector as consumers.
  
  
• Average weekly expenditure on cinema admission was 40% higher in households where the reference person was under 25 years than in other households. Young households also spent more per week on video tape hire.
  
  
• Almost all young people had been to the cinema at least once during the 12 month reference period, with a significant number of those who went attending more than 12 times during the year.
  
  
• They were also more likely to go to the cinema whilst on holiday than older tourists.
  
  
• The percentage of young people who regularly watched movies on television was a third higher than the rate for persons 25 years of age and over.

Education:

• Over a quarter of dance teachers and about one-fifth of music teachers were aged between 15 and 24 years. However, young people only accounted for 3% of private art teachers.

CONTENTS
Preface.
Summary.

1. Population of 15 to 24 year olds.
2. Cultural occupations.
3. Work in selected culture/leisure activities.
4. Household expenditure.
5. Time spent on culture/leisure activities.
6. Attendance at culture venues.
7. Other cultural participation surveys.
8. Culture on holiday.

Appendix.
General information.

This report examines a number of national Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) household surveys plus the 1991 Census of Population and Housing and compares the cultural activities undertaken by youth, either as part of their work or part of their leisure, with those pursued by older Australians. Some results from the Domestic Tourism Monitor, a survey conducted by the Bureau of Tourism Research, have also been included.