New Survey Reveals When Aussie Punters Would Feel Comfortable Attending Gigs Again

Live music lovers across the country are itching for the return of tours and festivals, but a new survey reveals that the majority of punters aren’t quite ready to attend events as COVID restrictions begin to ease.

The research conducted by Sydney-based agency Patternmakers in collaboration with Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, Create NSW and other organisations from across the country revealed that 67% of patrons wouldn't attend events until risk factors had been lowered, while only 22% would attend events as soon as Government restrictions were lifted.

Overall, of the 23,000 Australians consulted for The Audience Outlook Monitor survey, 78% planned to attend events just as frequently as they had before the COVID pandemic, while 7% planned on heading out more often.

“Creativity will be vital to our national recovery as we seek to bring life back into our cities and regions,” Australia Council CEO Adrian Collette said.

“This research provides valuable and promising insights into the future of the cultural and creative sector, while highlighting the initial challenges in encouraging audiences to return to live experiences.

“It will be cultural experiences that will have people hitting the road for domestic tourism, and the shared experiences of live performances and public events that will draw us back into our urban and regional centres and their restaurants, bars and cafes. This will play a critical role in boosting consumer confidence overall.”

Another survey will be undertaken between July and September, with more details around The Audience Outlook Monitor available here.

The new figures follow a triple j poll last month that showed the majority of its listeners would still attend music festivals without a COVID-19 vaccine.