Department for Culture Media and Sport
voluntary and amateur arts
The voluntary arts sector operates at local level in communities, and has an important role in developing vibrant and inclusive neighbourhoods. It:
- makes up almost one fifth of all arts participation in England
- has an income of £543m a year
- generates 564,000 arts group management roles
- provides local opportunities to participate in the arts to people who would not do so otherwise
- is particularly well placed to engage new audiences and participants in the arts
- has a complex and inter-dependent relationship with the professional sector
Our Creative Talent
In 2008, together with Arts Council England, we commissioned landmark new research into the voluntary arts sector. 'Our Creative Talent' looked in detail, for the first time, at its:
- size
- make-up
- impact
- potential for growth
The research focused on formally organised voluntary and amateur arts groups. There are nearly 50,000 groups across the country, with 5.9 million members and 3.5 million voluntary helpers.
Read all the research findings in Our Creative Talent: The Voluntary and Amateur Arts in England final report.
Find out about voluntary and community groups funding.
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