State of the Arts
WAIKATO SURVEY JUNE-JULY 2022
This report presents the findings from an online survey of people in the creative sector in Waikato,
conducted over June-July 2022. This is the third in the current series of surveys intended to track the
state of the creative sector in Aotearoa. There were 67 respondents from Waikato and the results
from those respondents are discussed below.
INFOGRAPHIC
From the Waikato State of the Arts Survey June-July 2022
key themes and findings
From the Waikato State of the Arts Survey June-July 2022
- Creative freelancers dominated the Waikato sample: More respondents reported being a creative freelancer (42%) than any other role in the creative sector. This was followed unpaid creative individuals (31%), and leaders of a creative not-for-profit (19%).
- Visual arts were strongly represented in Waikato respondents: Waikato respondents were active in many creative areas. Visual arts was the most prominent area reported (54%), followed by craft and object art (34%) and performing arts (27%).
- Waikato respondents remain slightly pessimistic about their financial outlook: Respondents rated their outlook on whether their creative work would support their financial position in the next 12 months (from 1 meaning very pessimistic to 6 meaning very optimistic). Compared to the February-March 2022 survey, optimism increased from 38% to 43% and pessimism fell from 61% to 55%; this still indicates a shift towards an optimistic view, but with most remaining generally pessimistic. However, there was no statistical significance for this trend between the quarterly surveys.
- More respondents expected to increase their current staff or contractor numbers compared to the previous survey: The number of respondents who expect to take on new staff or contractors had increased (from 19% to 31%) and those who expect staff or contractor numbers to stay the same decreased (from 69% to 55%). Those expecting to reduce their current staff numbers had increased (from 0% to 3%). However, there was no statistical significance for this trend between the quarterly surveys.
- Waikato respondents view on achieving their creative goals remained even more optimistic:
Respondents rated their outlook on whether they would achieve their own or their organisations’ creative goals in the next 12 months (from 1 meaning very pessimistic to 6 meaning very optimistic). Compared to the February-March 2022 survey, optimism increased (from 61% to 76%), and pessimism decreased (from 35% to 23%). Between the February and June survey, this increase in optimism was statistically significant (p<0.05). - Waikato respondents’ perception of audience appetite for their creative work seems to have slightly increased: Most respondents indicated that audience appetite for their creative work was more than usual (42%), followed by those who thought it was about the same (37%). Some thought it was less than usual (14%) and some were not sure (11%). When comparing the February and June quarterly surveys, the reduction in those reporting audience appetite to be less than usual was statistically significant (p<0.05).