Brian Rudman: Cultured Auckland's lesson to deaf politicians

Aucklanders have either created the most cultured community since the days of Renaissance Florence, or we're the world's greatest romancers when the pollsters start phoning us.

Can it really be true that 57 per cent of us have actually participated in an arts event - as in singing in a choir, swinging a poi, painting a still-life or writing a poem - some time in the past 12 months?

Survey company Colmar Brunton guarantees it's accurate to a margin of error of 2.64 per cent, and Auckland City and Creative New Zealand, who commissioned the work, think it's wonderful, so who am I too scoff.

Instead, I'll just express surprise that, in the case of the visual arts for example, 36 per cent of us have "been actively involved in, for example, painting, photography, sculpture, web-based/digital art, ceramic making or film making" in the previous 12 months. Indeed, nearly half of these people claim to have done it between nine and 12 times in that period.

As for the performing arts, a startling 25 per cent claimed active participation, ranging from North Shoreites, the laziest at 20 per cent, through to Manukau City residents, the liveliest at 31 per cent.

And before you suggest this must include playing CDs or reading a book or watching a movie, such indolent behaviour was ruled out. But knitting was in. We were assured of that at the launch of the report, Aucklanders and the Arts, following a query from a stern chap in a turtle-necked jumper, distressed that "ceramics" were mentioned but "fibre arts" were not.

As well as singing and dancing and painting in impressive numbers, 16 per cent admitted to writing poetry and prose or attending "readings" - 6 per cent confessing to doing it nine to 12 times a year.

But even if we put aside the participation figures, the overall message of the report is music to the ears of anyone fighting for greater government - both national and local - support for the arts.

Even if people are exaggerating their degree of participation, it can only be because they believe it's good to be identified with cultural activity. What's more, 81 per cent of us support public funding for the arts and 76 per cent say "my local council should give money to support the arts".

Why? Well 82 per cent say the arts "help define who we are as New Zealanders", 76 per cent say the arts "contribute positively to our economy" and 65 per cent believe "my community would be poorer without the arts".

The rugby, racing and beer era is well and truly buried.

As pressure mounts on the Auckland Regional Council and the outlying territorial councils to shoulder some of the funding load carried by Auckland City ratepayers, the report is yet further proof how out of touch the politicians from the outer burgs are with their residents.

Support for the view that it is "important for Auckland to be known as a place that supports great arts activities and events" ranged from 81 per cent in North Shore to 90 per cent in Manukau City. That the arts are important to the identity of Auckland was backed by 83 per cent of us, ranging from 79 per cent of North Shoreites to 89 per cent of Auckland City respondents.

The report reveals that 64 per cent of Aucklanders visited a performing arts show compared with 59 per cent of other New Zealanders and that our 57 per cent participation rate is considerably higher than the 47 per cent of those living outside the region.

We also value the cultural diversity of Auckland, 40 per cent singling out Pasifika as the event that made them feel proud to be an Aucklander, and a third perceiving cultural diversity as not only our biggest artistic strength but also what differentiates our art from elsewhere.

The big message then, is that the overwhelming majority of Aucklanders value the arts and agree public funding should be used to support the sector. It's hardly a new message, but it needs repeating until the politicians get the message. Come in Rodney and North Shore and Waitakere and Papakura and the rest. What more evidence do you need?