How Important is Culture?
‘How Important is Culture? New Zealanders’ Views in 2008,’ was commissioned to provide information about New Zealanders’ perceptions on the importance of culture and cultural activities. This report follows on from research commissioned in 1994 and 1997. Key measures from the two previous surveys have been repeated in the 2008 survey and some new questions added.
- Download full report as pdf (1.6mb)
Introduction
In 1994 and 1997, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs commissioned research into the attitudes of New Zealanders to gain an understanding of the relevance of culture and cultural activities.
In 2008 the Ministry for Culture and Heritage commissioned Synovate Ltd to undertake further research to establish how attitudes may have shifted in the intervening period.
The key objective of this research is to provide up-to-date information on the New Zealand public’s perceptions of the importance of culture and cultural activities.
With this objective in mind, key measures from the two previous surveys conducted in 1994 and 1997 have been repeated in this survey. The methodology, sample sizes and sample structure have been retained to allow for direct comparability with previous surveys where possible.
In 2008 new questions were added relating to the perceived importance of the role of culture and cultural activities as factors in national identity. Additional questions about attitudes to culture and cultural activities in local communities were also included. Some of the graphs which follow simply present information from the new questions for 2008, while others, where possible, also show data from the 1994 and 1997 surveys.
Methodology
Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,000 New Zealand residents
aged 18 and over. These were conducted in 2008.
Quota management of the sample
was undertaken to ensure the survey
sample was representative of
New Zealand residents. Gender, age,
geographic and Māori ethnic quotas
have been applied.
The survey was conducted as a stand-alone questionnaire with interviewers probing the open-ended questions to obtain quality detailed responses. The average interview duration was 18 minutes.
The margin of error for this sample size is +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence interval assuming a score of 50% on any one attribute. This means that there can be 95% confidence that the survey measure is within 3.1% of the measure that would have been gained had the entire population of New Zealand residents over 18 years of age been surveyed.
To allow respondents to respond to a clearly defined issue, a definition of culture and cultural activities was provided at the beginning of the questionnaire:
One way of thinking about it is that culture and cultural activities are about our way of life and are a combination of;
- Our past and present languages, traditions and beliefs, as reflected in museums, historic places and libraries, on marae, television, radio, the internet, and in films.
- Activities such as dance, classical and modern music, the visual arts, theatre, reading books and magazines, and other forms of crafts and hobbies.
- And finally when we talk about national identity we are referring to who we are as a country.
Overview
Culture and cultural activities are an important and valued part of life.
New Zealanders are proud of their culture and want to share the best of it with
the rest of the world. They generally accept that culture delivers real benefits,
brings communities closer together and improves quality of life.
- Most New Zealanders have a strong sense of national identity with culture, landscape and diversity defining New Zealand for the majority, with sport also making a recognized contribution.
- New Zealanders have a stronger sense of who they are as a nation, than as local communities.
- New Zealanders appreciate the contributions of Māori culture to national identity and also the contributions of other cultures.
- New Zealanders also see plenty of opportunities to access culture and cultural activities.
- Youth are less interested in culture generally.
- New Zealanders see government and
local councils as key supporters of
culture in New Zealand for funding and support. - There is more coverage of culture in the media than before but New Zealanders would prefer even more.
Download full report as pdf (1.6mb)