The Macao New Chinese Youth Association (MNCYA) hosted a press conference yesterday about the findings of its survey titled “Macao Performing Arts Industry Survey” which shows, among other things, that around 50.2 percent of local youths did not attend a single performance in 12 months.
The study was conducted in May, surveying 789 local residents aged 18 to 44. The press conference was held at the Macao Daily News Building.
According to the findings, among those who attended at least one performance, 74.3 percent attended large-scale concerts, while the proportions for other types of performances such as stage plays and music festivals are significantly lower. The primary factor influencing ticket purchase decisions is “interest in the performer” (51.1 percent), with only 13.8 percent of the respondents prioritising the ticket price as their main consideration, the findings show.
The findings also reveal that social media is the primary channel for young people to obtain information about performances (58.2 percent), followed by recommendations from friends and family (23.3 percent).
In terms of spending capacity, nearly one-fifth (19.8 percent) reported spending an average of 1,000 to 1,499 patacas per ticket. Performances effectively drive secondary consumption, with only 30.5 percent saying they made no additional purchases beyond buying their tickets. Transportation and eating-out are the most common forms of performance-related extra spending.
The findings also reveal that 58.4 percent of local youths believe that it is relatively difficult to purchase tickets directly from the organisers for popular performances in Macau.
Half of the respondents said that they attended performances outside Macau in the past 12 months, with Hong Kong (27.4 percent) and the Chinese mainland (20.0 percent) the primary destinations. However, nearly half (49.4 percent) still prefer to watch performances in Macau.
Regarding the government’s development goal of positioning Macau as a “City of Performing Arts,” 64.2 percent expressed their “support” for the initiative, according to the findings.
4 policy recommendations
Base on the findings, the association representatives presented during the press conference four policy recommendations: strengthening the positioning of Macau as a “performance-friendly city”; optimising both software and hardware facilities at outdoor performance areas; unlocking public spaces to nurture young talent; and implementing a “large-scale performance certification system” for boosting community economic development
MNCYA President Leong Chon Kit told reporters on the sidelines of the press conference that his association is urging the government to optimise venue leasing procedures and, among other possible, measures, to eliminate market operational barriers; transform outdoor performance areas into high-frequency cultural hotspots by hosting events during non-peak periods; and, as a long-term plan, to develop and set up more small to medium-sized performance venues.
Macao New Chinese Youth Association (MNCYA) President Leong Chon Kit speaks to reporters at the Macao Daily News Building about the survey’s findings yesterday. – Photo: Armindo Neves
