Aussie Live Sector Hits A$1.3B

Australia’s live sector boomed in 2010, with revenue growing 22.6 percent to A$1.3 billion (US$1.42 billion), according to Live Performance Australia’s Ticket Attendance & Revenue Survey 2010.

Attendance grew 13.5 percent to 17.2 million paid and unpaid tickets, Live Performance Australia released Aug. 1.

LPA CEO Evelyn Richardson cited contemporary music as the standout performer. Its revenue rose 43.1 percent to $659.1 million, making up just less than 50 percent of the market.

Attendance for contemporary music rose by 50.1 percent to more than 7 million tickets, making up 40.8 percent of the market.

The rise is also explained by the fact that more smaller live music venues were included in the survey, as was online agency Moshtix.

Richardson said musical theatre (up 6.3 percent revenue to 18.3 percent share) and circus & physical theatre (up 15.1 percent in revenue and 34.1 percent attendance) “in particular benefited from strong international touring activity largely due to Australia’s buoyant economy.”

Festivals (single category) grossed $100.9 million ($110.2 million), up 82.6 percent, and sold more than 1 million tickets, a rise of 6 percent.

Data from Supafest and Winterbeatz were included for the first time.