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11.6.1.1 At the heart of the Sport England Strategy 2008-11 is a commitment to getting more people taking part in sport by 2012-13 – known as the '1 million target'. A sports participation indicator measures the number of
adults (aged 16 and over) participating in at least 30 minutes of sport at moderate intensity at least three times a week. Results from the Active People Survey 2009/10 show a rate of 16.5% that has remained significantly unchanged since 2007/08 and compares to the England average of 16.4%. There are variations between County Sports Partnerships and local authority areas. Gloucestershire Sport County Partnership saw an increase from 17.2% to 19.3%.

11.6.1.2 Participation rates vary across the South West region (see Map), with higher than average rates in, for example, Cheltenham (25.7%), but lower rates, for example in Somerset of 13.2%.

Figure 11.6.1.1 Participation in Sport: Percentage of adults participating in at least 3 sessions
of sport a week (defined as at least 30 mins of moderate activity).

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Participation in Sport: Percentage of adults participating in at least 3 sessions (Fig 11.6.1.1)
Participation in Sport: Percentage of adults participating in at least 3 sessions (Fig 11.6.1.1). Source: Active People 4 / Contains OS Data
11.6.1.3 Of results for 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport and recreation activity (previously known as National Indicator 8 and a different measure to KPI 1), participation rates recorded in Active People Survey 4 (APS4) show little or no change. A rate of 23.2% for the South West is the highest of all English regions and compares to the England average of 21.8%. There are local variations such as Gloucestershire at 27% through to Plymouth at 20.1%. These figures indicate over 75% of the adult population do not participate regularly in sport or recreation activity.

11.6.1.4 One of Sport England's key strategic targets is to reduce the drop off in participation in nine key sports. The nine sports that will be tackling 16-18 year old drop off in their 2009-13 Whole Sport Plans are: badminton, basketball, football, gymnastics, hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union, and tennis. In the period between 2007/8 (Active People Survey 2) and 2009/10 (Active People Survey 4), once a week participation amongst 18 year olds, across the 9 drop off sports, and across England, increased from 189,100 18 year olds (28.23%) to 204,700 18 year olds (29.81%), an increase of 15,600.

11.6.1.5 Other Active People sports findings (Key Performance Indicators for volunteering, club membership, tuition, organised competition and satisfaction) show relatively small or no change between APS2 and APS4. The rate of volunteering in sports activities (KPI 2) for England decreased from 4.9% to 4.5%, but the South West average increased to 5.3% and is the highest rate for all regions. Again, satisfaction with sports facilities is highest in the South West, with an increase from 69.6% to 71.9% (compared to the England average of 69%).

11.6.1.6 Participation in volunteering beyond sport (informal and formal) is reported in the Citizenship Survey and published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). Rates in the South West are above average for both informal and formal types of volunteering (once a month, and once in the past 12 months). Comparison between 2008/09 and 2009/10, shows Informal volunteering once a month in the South West has fallen from 36% to 32% of respondents (compared to the England average of 35% and 29% respectively). However, formal volunteering rates, though lower, have increased from 29% to 31% (with a decrease to the England average from 26% to 25%). The main barrier to participation in volunteering is cited as ‘work commitments’ – that may correlate with workplace pressures that are imposed by economic constraints. The region’s higher than average volunteering rates may in part be due to a demographically older population, of whom older and retired people are more likely to have spare time to engage in volunteering.
11.6.2.1 Measurement of visits to a public library relates to National Indicator 9 (NI9), and was added to Active People Survey 2 (APS2) in April 2008. Overall the South West adult population use of libraries, like all other English regions, has decreased from 47.8% in 2008 to 44% in 2010 (compared to England decrease from 48.5% to 45% in the same period). According to APS4 findings, attendance rates vary across local authority areas, from 46.6% in Torbay, 42.7% in Bath and North East Somerset and 39.7% in South Gloucestershire.

11.6.2.2 In 2007, the region’s 895 libraries were reported to be the most used in the UK (Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, 2008). Analysis of Taking Part Survey findings show attendance rates in the South West (at least one physical visit in the past 12 months) have steadily declined from 47.9% in 2005/06 to 38.8% in 2009/10. Nationally, rates in urban areas have also fallen from 48.5% to 40.1%, and in rural areas from 47.1% to 36.5%. Adults living in ‘hard pressed’ neighbourhoods had lower rates than all other neighbourhood types. National data reveals higher attendance rates for women, higher socio-economic groups and people not in employment.
11.6.3.1 Visits to museums and galleries at least once in the past 12 months, corresponds to National Indicator 10 (NI10). According to Active People Survey findings, rates fell between 2008 (APS2) and 2010 (APS4) in the South West from 52.9% to 51.4%, but with varying levels across local authorities - for example unchanged rates in Bristol (61.4%) and Bath and North East Somerset (59.6%), an increase to 59.1% in Exeter, and a 4.3% decrease to 46.5% in Taunton Deane.

11.6.3.2 These negative trends contrast with Taking Part survey data (DCMS, 2010) that show visits to eighteen of DCMS’ direct sponsored museums has remained unchanged at 41.1%. With a slight but steady increase since 2005/06 (39.8%), free admissions to publicly owned museums may partly account for this trend – as will well publicised exhibitions.

11.6.3.3 Local authority owned museums and galleries (the majority of those in England) are on the whole under pressure from falling admissions and local authority cutbacks. Economic recession and reallocation of National
Lottery funds to the London Olympics 2012, are compounding an already difficult situation.
11.6.4.1 Examination of Active People Survey 4 (APS4) results for engagement in the arts show no change between 2008 and 2010, with a rate of 47.6% of adult respondents engaged in arts activities. This compares to slight decreases in most other regions and a decrease of the England average from 45.2% to 43.8%. Rates in local authorities vary with decreases for 2010 reported in Dorset (46.1%), Poole (43.6%) and Taunton Deane (40.8%) but increased rates in Exeter (52.4%) and West Somerset (51%).

11.6.4.2 Taking Part Survey findings for the South West show higher participation than Active People Survey findings, and a fall in engagement between 2005/06 and 2009/10, from 82.1% to 75.9%. Segmentation analysis of Taking Part findings, undertaken by Arts Council England and Oxford University (Bunting et al, April 2008) found 84% of all adult respondents belong to the 'little if anything’ or ‘now and then’ categories of attendees. Nationally, the most significant factors that affect positive attendance are higher levels of education and social status. This analysis will apply to the South West, but there will be the added effects of rural isolation and access to facilities.

11.6.4.3 Nationally, Taking Part results, reported in Social Trends 38 (Corp, 2010), show the most common leisure activities in 2005/06 were watching television (82%) and spending time with family and friends (75%). Combine this
finding with increased use of the Internet, it is unsurprising that rates in other cultural and sport activities have not significantly changed. In 2007, more than 84% of households with internet access had a broadband connection (equivalent to 51% of households in the UK), and 81% of households had a digital television.

11.6.4.4 A qualitative approach to engagement in the arts, and ‘public value’, was explored in Arts Council  England’s ‘arts debate’ conducted during 2006. Findings, reported in a series of papers (Bunting, 2006a; 2006b; 2007, 2009), show there is widespread support for the principle of public funding of the arts, but only if linked to certain key outcomes. Following this inquiry, Arts Council England implemented a 3-year public value programme (2008-11) that includes further research and development projects. Following public spending cutbacks announced in June and October 2010, Arts Council England is undertaking major review of its funding strategies and priorities.

11.6.4.5 Recent Arts Council England analysis (Gray, 2008) of the impact of recession on arts organisations, based on data from Regularly Funded Organisations (RFOs), show that in March 2009, respondents had seen a reduction in revenue from sponsorship and local authorities compared to December 2008. Around a quarter of respondents had already made staff redundant or taken measures to freeze staff pay. This trend continues, with the outcome of reviews of RFO funding by Arts Council England and local authorities to be announced in early 2011.

11.6.4.6 Arts & Business market trends research (2009a), based on a sample of 250 arts organisations across the UK, suggests that while levels of business and individual giving have fallen, revenue from sales has increased. In the South West, respondents reported a 79% decrease in business investments, but gift shop sales increased by 71.4% and cafe and restaurant sales by 66.7%. Interestingly, Arts & Business research with City University London (Galo, August 2009; Arts & Business, 2009b) found individual giving is the single largest source of private investment for the arts, and seem relatively unaffected by economic crisis. However, anecdotal evidence from cultural festivals in the South West, such as Wildscreen Natural History Film Festival, Encounters Film Festival, and Bath International Music Festival, suggest public and private sponsorship has dramatically fallen.

Figure 11.6.4.1 Arts Performance Index (API) ranging from +50 to -50, 2009

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Arts Performance Index (API) ranging from +50 to -50, 2009 (Fig 11.6.4.1)
Arts Performance Index (API) ranging from +50 to -50, 2009 (Fig 11.6.4.1). Source: Arts and Business, Market Trends Report, Summer/Autumn 2009
11.6.5.1 Admissions to cinema are monitored by the UK Film Council, whose annual statistical yearbooks show a steady increase in the South West (from 3.3 million in 2006, 3.9 million in 2008 and 4.3 million in 2009). Based on a region’s number of screens and population (ONS 2008 mid term estimates), the 2010 yearbook calculates a level of ‘cinema deprivation’ across England. For the South West, with 316 screens and a population of just over 5 million, the calculation is 6.1 screens per 100,000 of the population (compared to an England average of 5). There are, unsurprisingly, different levels of access to cinemas across the region, particularly for those living in rural isolated areas. Cinema provision varies across local authority areas in England (see Map). Districts which can be considered 'cinema deprived' are those where over 80% of households are more than 10 kilometres from the nearest commercial cinema - there are no such districts in the South West.

Figure 11.6.5.1 Cinema Deprivation

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Cinema Deprivation (Fig 11.6.5.1)
Cinema Deprivation (Fig 11.6.5.1). Source: UK Film Council Statistical Yearbook 2010 / Contains OS Data.
11.6.5.2 The South West has the second highest household spend on ‘recreation and culture’ of all nine English regions, with an average weekly spend of £63.60, compared to the UK average of £58.30 (ONS, November 2010). Although total family weekly spend has declined over the last year across all the UK (with a 2009 average of £474.10 in the South West), ‘recreation and culture’ is still a major expenditure category. In the South West, spend
on ‘recreation and culture’ is higher than on ‘food and non alcoholic drinks’ (£49.80). National interrogation of 2009 family spending (ONS, 2010) shows ‘prosperous young families’ and a ‘village life’ group within the ‘countryside
supergroup are the highest spenders on ‘recreation and culture’. Of the UK’s average weekly family spend on this category: approximately a third (32 per cent) of spending on recreation and culture (£18.70 per week) was spent on recreational and cultural services; sports admissions, leisure class fees andequipment hire accounted for £5.00 per week; cinema, theatre and museums etc £2.30 per week; TV, video, satellite rental, cable subscriptions, TV licenses and internet £5.90 per week; and gambling payments £4.10 per week.