Bread and circuses: Portrait of the offer and attendance of performing arts shows in Quebec
A significant number of performing arts performances are presented each year as part of festivals or events, and these events occupy an important place in Quebec’s cultural landscape. However, this phenomenon remains little studied. The authors propose a portrait of the events by offering one or more performances in the performing arts and a partial measure of their attendance. First, the offer is analyzed based on a survey of events that presented at least one performing arts show in 2019 according to region, event category and performance discipline in order to establish the characteristics of these events and propose an exploratory analysis. The article also aims to draw a portrait of the evolution of the attendance of ticketed performing arts shows held within an event type, based on data from the Enquête sur la fréquentation des spectacles au Québec, a Quebec performing arts attendance survey conducted by the Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec. The article concludes with a reflection on the relevance and the obstacles to the examination of the offer and attendance of performing arts events.