Regional Victorians are culture vultures, attending artistic and cultural events in their droves despite fewer opportunities than those living in Melbourne.

Figures from the National Arts Participation Survey show Victorians are ardent arts-attenders with 57 per cent attending live music, 49 per cent taking in the visual arts, and 45 per cent catching a theatre show – figures well above other states in Australia. 

The regional Victorian figures are only slightly lower, with the study revealing 71 per cent of regional Victorians attended an arts event last year.

Ballarat’s strong arts calendar with White Night, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, the Archibald Prize exhibition, summer music series and dozens of smaller gigs, events and festivals have helped drive strong participation numbers in the region.