The Potential of Existing Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Surveys to Support the Commonwealth Games 2014 Legacy Evaluation
The review focusses on data sources not already in use in the evaluation (eg in the baseline report or on the Assessing Legacy website) that could shed insight into the extent to which Scotland’s games legacy ambitions are met over time, especially in the areas of sports participation; volunteering; cultural engagement and civic pride.
5. CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Introduction
5.1 A number of cultural activities are planned to tie in with the Commonwealth Games, including the 2014 Cultural Programme, the Queen's Baton Relay, and Get Scotland Dancing. It is hoped that the Commonwealth Games will stimulate both participants and spectators and that part of the legacy of the Games will be an increase in participation in cultural activities.
5.2 Cultural engagement is linked to a number of perceived benefits: "... it impacts positively on general wellbeing and helps to reinforce resilience in difficult times. It is also known to bring benefits in learning and education"[16].
5.3 One of the headline indicators is to measure success of "increasing cultural engagement in Scotland among adults and young people (attendance and participation)." Report 1 detailed existing data from a number of surveys. Below we summarise additional baseline data from two UK-wide longitudinal surveys: Understanding Society and the Life Opportunities Survey.
5.4 Understanding Society asks respondents if they have undertaken any of 14 different types of activities in the last twelve months (Table 5.1). This is similar to a question asked in the Scottish Household Survey (as detailed in Report 1).
5.5 Overall, almost 4 out of 5 people (78%) had undertaken at least one of the activities in the last year. The most common activity on this list was reading for pleasure, with 69% having done this in the last 12 months. With the exclusion of reading, 47% of people had undertaken at least one of the 13 other activities listed in the last year.
5.6 The second most common activity was craftwork, undertaken by 17%. Activities such as photography, film or video making as an artistic activity (14%), and painting, drawing, print-making or sculpture (13%) were less common. Fewer still had undertaken dance, including ballet (12%), played a musical instrument (12%) and sang to an audience or rehearsed for a performance (5%).
Table 5.1. Activities done in last 12 months. Scotland, 2010
| Any participation | 78% |
|---|---|
| Any participation excluding reading for pleasure | 47% |
| Read for pleasure (not newspapers, magazines or comics) | 69% |
| Textile crafts, wood crafts or any other crafts, such as embroidery, knitting, wood turning, furniture making, pottery or jewellery. | 17% |
| Photography, film or video making as an artistic activity (not family or holiday | 14% |
| Painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture | 13% |
| Dance, including ballet | 12% |
| Played a musical instrument | 12% |
| Used a computer to create original artworks or animation | 9% |
| Written any stories, plays or poetry | 5% |
| Sang to an audience or rehearsed for a performance (not karaoke) | 5% |
| Written music | 3% |
| Been a member of a book club, where people meet up to discuss and share books | 3% |
| Rehearsed or performed in a play/drama, opera/operetta or musical theatre | 2% |
| Taken part in a carnival or street arts event (e.g. as a musician, dancer or costume maker) | 2% |
| Learned or practised circus skills | 1% |
| None of the above | 22% |
| Total | 100% |
| N (unweighted) | 2,682 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.7 Of those who had undertaken at least one activity, three quarters (75%) had done so at least once a week, with a further 14% having participated in at least one activity at least once a month (Table 5.2). Note, however, that as reading for pleasure was much more common than any of the other activities mentioned, the results are driven primarily by how often people read. The data, unfortunately, does not enable the frequency of each activity to be examined - how often people dance, for example, cannot be explored.
Table 5.2. How often have they done these activities in last 12 months. Scotland, 2010
| All | Those who have done at least one activity | |
|---|---|---|
| None of these activities undertaken in past year | 22% | |
| At least once a week | 58% | 75% |
| Less often than once a week but at least once a month | 11% | 14% |
| Less often than once a month but at least 3 or 4 times a year | 7% | 9% |
| Twice in past 12 months | 1% | 2% |
| Once in past 12 months | 1% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
| N (Unweighted) | 2,682 | 2,126 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.8 Understanding Society presents respondents with a list of 14 types of events and asks them which, if any, they have attended in the last year (Table 5.3). (The Scottish Household Survey again asks a similar question.) Overall, 73% of Scottish respondents in Understanding Society had attended one of the events or places listed. Attending a film at a cinema or other venue was the most common type of event attended on the list, with 56% having done this in the past year.
5.9 The proportion of adults who had attended a cultural event or place of culture other than the cinema was 61%.
Table 5.3. Events attended in the last 12 months. Scotland, 2010
| All | |
| Any attendance | 73% |
| Any attendance (excluding cinema) | 61% |
| Film at a cinema or other venue | 56% |
| Play/drama, pantomime or a musical | 35% |
| Exhibition or collection of art, photography or sculpture or a craft exhibition | 29% |
| Rock, pop or jazz performance | 28% |
| Street arts or a public art display or installation (art in everyday surroundings, or an art work such as sculpture that is outdoors or in a public place) | 16% |
| Carnival or culturally specific festival (for example, Mela, Baisakhi, Navrati) | 9% |
| Classical music performance | 8% |
| Event connected with books or writing | 7% |
| Event which included video or electronic art | 7% |
| Opera/operetta | 4% |
| Ballet | 3% |
| Circus (not animals) | 3% |
| Contemporary dance | 3% |
| African people's dance or South Asian and Chinese dance | 2% |
| None of these | 27% |
| Total | 100% |
| N (unweighted) | 2,682 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.10 Attending a cultural event or place of culture tends to be an intermittent activity among most people. Among all adults in Scotland, 2% had attended a cultural event or place of culture at least once a week, 17% had done so less often than once a week but at least once a month, and 31% had done so less often than once a month but at least 3 to 4 times a year (Table 5.4).
5.11 The frequency of attendance at cultural events overall will be most influenced by the most commonly attended cultural activity, namely cinema going. However, the data does not enable the frequency of each activity to be examined separately.
Table 5.4. Frequency of attending these types of events in last 12 months. Scotland, 2010
| All | Those who have attended at least one event | |
|---|---|---|
| Never in the past year | 27% | |
| At least once a week | 2% | 3% |
| Less often than once a week but at least once a month | 17% | 23% |
| Less often than once a month but at least 3 or 4 times a year | 31% | 43% |
| Twice in past 12 months | 14% | 19% |
| Once in past 12 months | 9% | 12% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
| N (Unweighted) | 2,682 | 1,976 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.12 Understanding Society also asks separately about visits to libraries, archives or records offices, museums or galleries, and heritage sites. Overall, 61% had visited a heritage site in the past year, 40% had visited a museum or gallery, 35% had visited a library, and 4% had visited an archive or records office.
5.13 In terms of frequency, 10% visited a heritage site at least once a month (including 1% who visited at least once a week), 18% visited a library at least once a month (including 5% who visited at least once a week) and 7% visited a museum or gallery at least once a month (including 4% who visited at least once a week).
Table 5.5. Frequency of visiting library, archive or records office, or a museum or gallery in the last 12 months. Scotland, 2010
| Visits to heritage sites | Library | Museum or gallery | Archive or records office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Never in past year | 39% | 65% | 60% | 96% |
| Ever in past year | 61% | 35% | 40% | 4% |
| At least once a week | 1% | 5% | 0% | 0% |
| Less often than once a week but at least once a month | 9% | 13% | 3% | 1% |
| Less often than once a month but at least 3 or 4 times a year | 26% | 10% | 14% | 1% |
| Twice in past 12 months | 14% | 4% | 13% | 1% |
| Once in past 12 months | 12% | 2% | 10% | 2% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| N (unweighted) | 2,682 | 2,682 | 2,682 | 2,682 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.14 Understanding Society also asks about the types of heritage sites visited in the last year. Among people in Scotland, the most commonly visited types of heritage site were a city or town with historic character (44%), a monument such as a castle, fort or ruin (38%), a non-religious historic build open to the public (32%) and a historic park or garden open to the public (30%). Sites connected with sports heritage but not visited for the purposes of watching sport (e.g. Firhill Stadium) were visited by 4% of adults in Scotland.
Table 5.6. Types of heritage sites visited in last twelve months. Scotland, 2010
| All | |
| A city or town with historic character | 44% |
| A monument such as a castle, fort or ruin | 38% |
| A historic building open to the public (non-religious) | 32% |
| A historic park or garden open to the public | 30% |
| A historic place of worship attended as a visitor (not to worship) | 20% |
| A place connected with industrial history (e.g. an old factory, dockyard or mine) or historic transport system (e.g. an old ship or railway) | 16% |
| A site of archaeological interest (e.g. roman villa, ancient burial site) | 12% |
| A site connected with sports heritage (e.g. Wimbledon) (not visited for the purpose of watching sport) | 4% |
| None of these | 39% |
| N (unweighted) | 2,682 |
Source: Understanding Society
5.15 The Life Opportunities Survey asks about interest in doing a series of activities, and then separately, about whether people have done these activities as much as they would have liked in the past year. Table 5.7 and 5.8 shows the results to these questions for three of the activities asked about: going to the cinema, theatre or other arts activity; going to a museum or place of historic interest; and going to the library or an archive.
5.16 Overall, just under two-thirds (63%) said they would like to go to the theatre, cinema or other arts activities, around half (48%) had an interest in going to museums or places or historic interest, and just under a third (31%) had an interest in going to a library or archive. Respondents with no impairments were more likely than those with an impairment to be interested in going to the theatre, cinema or other arts activities (66% compared with 58%).
Table 5.7. Interest in activities by whether have any impairment ('In an ideal world, where you were able to do whatever you like, which of the things on this card would you be interested in doing?' Percentage saying yes to three categories shown) Scotland 2009-2011
| Respondents with no impairments | Respondents with an impairment | All | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Going to the theatre, cinema or other arts activity | 66% | 58% | 63% |
| Going to a museum or place of historic interest (country home, castle etc) | 49% | 47% | 48% |
| Going to the library or archive | 29% | 34% | 31% |
| N (unweighted) | 1953 | 854 | 2,807 |
Source: Life Opportunities Survey
5.17 Respondents with an impairment were less likely to say that they had done the activities that they expressed an interest in as much as they would had liked (Table 5.8). Among those with an interest in going to the theatre, cinema or other arts activity, 50% of those with no impairment had done so in the past year compared with 38% of those with an impairment. There was a similar gap with regard to going to museums or places of historic interest, and going to a library or archive.
Table 5.8. Percentage of those with an interest in activity saying that they have done these things as much as they would like by whether have any impairment, Scotland 2009-2011
| Respondents with no impairments | Respondent with an impairment | All | N = | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Going to the theatre, cinema or other arts activity | 50% | 38% | 47% | 1730 |
| Going to a museum or place of historic interest (country home, castle etc) | 47% | 34% | 44% | 1294 |
| Going to the library or archive | 57% | 48% | 54% | 855 |
Source: Life Opportunities Survey
5.18 Table 5.9 shows perceived barriers to undertaking these activities. The sample size in Scotland is too small for a meaningful breakdown by whether people had an impairment or not. The most common barrier given for all three types of activities was 'too busy/not enough time'. The second most commonly mentioned barrier to visiting theatres, cinemas or other arts activity and to visiting museums or places of historic interest was expense.
Table 5.9. Perceived barriers to visiting theatres, cinemas or other arts activity and to visiting libraries or archives. Scotland, 2009-2011
| Theatres, cinemas or other arts activity | Library or archive | Museum or place of historic interest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too busy/not enough time | 44% | 52% | 61% |
| Too expensive | 37% | 3% | 16% |
| Do not need or want to | 7% | 18% | 10% |
| A health condition, illness or impairment | 9% | 10% | 10% |
| No-one to go with | 7% | 4% | 6% |
| Lack of availability | 8% | 3% | 5% |
| Caring responsibilities | 5% | 6% | 3% |
| Difficulty with transport | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| A disability | 3% | 4% | 3% |
| Fear of crowds | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Lack of help or assistance | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Difficulty getting into buildings | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| Fear of crime | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Attitudes of other people | 0% | 1% | 0% |
| Difficulty using facilities | 0% | 1% | 0% |
| Feel that I am not welcome | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Other reasons | 6% | 7% | 4% |
| N (unweighted) | 469 | 221 | 392 |
Source: Life Opportunities Survey
Conclusions
5.19 The questions on cultural engagement in Understanding Society are similar to, but do not exactly replicate, those used in the Scottish Household Survey. For example, in terms of the events attended in the last year, Understanding Society includes a small number of categories that are not included in the SHS. However, the SHS asks about frequency of attendance separately for each type of event rather than combined.
5.20 Understanding Society has an additional question on type of heritage site visited in the last year. If it was expected that the legacy of the Commonwealth Games was to encourage visits to particular types of heritage sites, this question would be a useful
5.21 In the main, the results from these two surveys can be compared, and the level of cultural engagement recorded is similar. In the Scottish Household Survey, the proportion of people attending a cultural event or visiting a place of culture was 74% in 2010. The corresponding figure for Scottish respondents in Understanding Society was 73%.
5.22 The Life Opportunities Survey has fewer relevant questions on cultural engagement than the SHS and Understanding Society. However, it does have a relatively large sample size of people with some sort of impairment (physical disability or health issue) in Scotland, so may be of use for examining changes to cultural engagement among this group.
5.23 In terms of evaluating the legacy of the Commonwealth Games in relation to its impact on cultural engagement, the priority for additional survey questions would be the inclusion of questions in the longitudinal studies in 2014 on engagement with the Commonwealth Games. This would help enable analysis of the potential festival and demonstration effects of the Games.
Contact
Email: Niamh O'Connor
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