AAA White Paper The political economy of informal events, 2030 | Page 54

1. ADULT PARTICIPATION
Events are popular. In 2017/8, 68.6 per cent of English adults (16
years old or more) said they’d attended an arts event in the previous
12 months. Just as striking are the relatively high proportions of
English adults who say they went to events held around the centenary
of the First World War: in 2017/8, 16.3 per cent said they’d attended a
local or national event to commemorate W W1.
Chart 16
Source: DCMS, Taking part
2017/18: annual child report
tables, 2018
2. PARTICIPATION BY CHILDREN
Events are popular, but data that examines participation in them is
hard to come by. However, data on the participation of children in
general sport is plentiful and telling. Chart 16 shows that while 5-10
year old children are hardly doing less sport than they did a decade
ago, 11-15 year olds are doing palpably less. It implies that fewer
children are engaging in general sports events than they used to.
The data is even more vivid in relation to competitive sports, in
which events are much more central than in general sport. Chart
17 shows that over much less than a decade, the involvement in
competitive sports events of boys and girls, and especially of those
just 5-10 years old, has endured some important declines.
Why are lower rates of child participation in sport events
important for the adult world of informal events? Yes, such events
can form a significant rite of passage for children – one that young
organisers of and attendees at events will need in the years to 2030.
But there’s more at stake here.
Boys and girls doing school sports, 2008/9-2017/8, per cent
Those doing any sport in the previous four weeks
2008/9
2017/8
Boys 5-10

86.9
87.1
Girls 5-10

82.0
79.2
Boys 11-15

97.0
91.5
Girls 11-15

94.9
90.3
Those doing any sport in the previous week
2008/9
2017/8
Boys & Girls 5-10

74.1
73.9
Boys & Girls 11-15

88.6
81.9
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