Breakdown of Results
IN THIS SECTION: Exploring how young people access creative activities
Young people
We asked young people about the creative and cultural activities they currently do, and how they access these.
Key findings
Activities they do
The most popular activities were experiencing music, watching films and reading books.
The least popular activities were digital arts and dance, closely followed by festivals and theatre.
How often they do these activities
Reading and listening to music were the two main activities that young people told us they do daily.
Watching films and reading were the most popular activities to do weekly.
Much fewer activities were done on a monthly basis.
Theatre, festivals and visiting museums and galleries were most frequently done annually.
Dance and digital arts received the highest number of responses from young people who said that they never do these things.
Where they access these activities
Most activities were done either at home or at school.
Lots of young people told us that they travelled to Halifax, Leeds, Bradford and Manchester to do cultural activities, as well as several other areas.
The most popular venues were museums, dance and theatre schools, cinemas and mosques.
Who decides which activities they do
The primary decision maker for most young people was themselves with 52.7% of the responses selecting this option.
Family was more important than both school, friends and in helping young people to decide which activities they do.
Which of these creative or cultural activities have you done?
How often do you do this activity?
Where do you go to do these activities?
Who decides what cultural or creative activity you take part in?
What does this tell us?
Young people do the activities that they can do across different locations more regularly than other options. Despite a lot of young people telling us that they were interested in sports and physical activities, dance was the least popular activity and needs further encouragement for young people to participate. Digital arts also received low interest numbers, which may be due to a lack of clarity about what this includes. Many young people enjoy travelling to take part in cultural activities, but there needs to be an emphasis on what young people can also do locally.
Who decides what cultural or creative activities you take part in?
Adults
We asked adults how young people accessed the cultural activities that they and others provide, and who decides which activities they take part in.
Key findings
Where young people access creative and cultural activities
While some adults who answered the survey facilitated activities for young people, many also signposted them to other services.
Activities took place across a range of cultural venues and community spaces, as well as in school and at home.
Who decides which activities young people do
Adults were aware of many more decision makers that influence which cultural and creative activities young people take part in.
Concerns over funders and structure within organisations were the key factors in deciding which activities took place at cultural organisations.
Many expressed a focus on activities being led by young people, but also told us that they feel they should be doing more co-production with young people.
Who decides which cultural and creative activities young people take part in?
What does this tell us?
Adults are committed to ensuring that young people are able to co-produce the creative and cultural opportunities they take part in, but aren’t always facilitated to do so.