New data from Live Performance Australia (LPA) shows NSW is the nation’s live entertainment capital.

LPA’s 2024 Live Performance Attendance and Revenue Report reveals NSW represented the largest market share of revenue (36.2 per cent) and attendance (32.4 per cent) among all states and territories.

NSW recorded the highest growth in revenue (+16.3 per cent to $1.2 billion) and second-highest growth in attendance (+10.9 per cent to 10.2 million) between 2023 and 2024. These results are the highest ever recorded in NSW.

Contemporary music contributed the highest share of revenue (57.1 per cent) and attendance (48.6 per cent) among all the live performance categories in NSW.

Overall revenue was driven by:

  • Significant revenue increases in special events (179.7 per cent), contemporary music (34.2 per cent), children’s/family (27.9 per cent) and festivals (contemporary music) (21 per cent).
  • Special events recorded significant growth in revenue due to an increase in attendance of 200.1 per cent. Top events included Carols in the Domain, Christmas Spectacular and RocKwiz Live.
  • Contemporary music revenue increased by 34.2 per cent primarily due to an increase in attendance of 26.1 per cent and an increase in the average ticket price. Top events included performances by Taylor Swift, Coldplay, The Weeknd, Travis Scott and P!nk.
  • Children’s/family revenue increased by 27.9 per cent primarily due to an increase in attendance of 16 per cent and an increase in the average ticket price. Top events included Disney on Ice: Road Trip Adventures, Marvel Universe Live!, Paw Patrol Live! and The Wiggles.
  • Festivals (contemporary music) revenue increased by 21 per cent primarily due to an increase in attendance of 25.5 per cent. Major festivals included Knockout Outdoor 2024: Games of Destiny, Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024 and Broken Hill Mundi Bash.
  • Performances in Regional NSW contributed $88.6 million (+7.3 per cent) to revenue and 1.1 million (10.6 per cent) to attendance.

The results reinforce a key objective of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which identified securing a nation-leading calendar of major sporting, entertainment and cultural events as crucial to achieving the NSW Government's goal of $91 billion in visitor expenditure by 2035.

Across Australia, the report shows total revenue was $3.4 billion, a 6.9 per cent increase on the previous year. Ticketed attendance was 31.4 million which was a 4.6 per cent increase over 2023.

These were the highest recorded attendance and revenue since the report commenced in 2004.

View the full report here.