New ACNC data paints a picture of the arts sector, AMPAG, 15 Dec 2015
A report released recently by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission shows that the number of charities describing their main activity as ‘culture and arts’ fell in 2014 compared to 2013—from 1644 to 1512.
Culture and arts charities now make up 4 per cent of the total number of charities (37 770 in 2014, compared to 49 114 in 2013).
In 2014 culture and arts charities were found to have 3985 full-time staff, 2859 part-time staff and 8490 casuals, making up a total of 15,334.
Just over half (759 or 51.5 per cent) of all culture and arts charities had no paid employees, the remainder having one or more. This is a rise in both numbers and proportion on 2013 (842 or 50.8 per cent).
The vast majority had one or more volunteers (as opposed to no volunteers) working for them—1,331 or 92.4 per cent.
Charities in the broader culture and recreation sector were more likely to be small ones (71.7 per cent).
In the charities and arts sub-group 184 were large (206 in 2013), 297 were medium (333 in 2013) and 1031 were small (1105 in 2013).
The average age of all charities is 33 years old, but culture and arts are a more youthful 25.5 years old on average.
The study also found that culture and arts charities were well run, with 27 per cent delivering a surplus, 61 per cent being balanced, and just 13 per cent experiencing a deficit.
