A new study seeks to pinpoint which of us like what, and why we like what we do.

A third of all Australians have no connection with the visual arts whatsoever according to a new survey by Western Sydney University. And although we possess highly disparate cultural interests, an individual’s age, class, ethnicity and level of education are, perhaps unsurprisingly, key in shaping cultural preferences.

Funded by the Australian Research Council, the survey was taken to a nationally representative sample of over 1,200 Australians. It was further augmented by boost samples for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Italian, Lebanese, Chinese, and Indian Australians. The survey sought out a range of opinions on Australian and international art and artists, alongside questions measuring ‘tastes’ for art and art galleries. As a control, similar questions were posed with respect to television programmes and media personalities, music and literature, sporting activities, and heritage pursuits.

Lead investigator Professor Tony Bennett says the results help clarify which demographics are most interested in the visual arts. “This survey provides an unprecedented level of detail about who visits different kinds of galleries, and how these patterns relate to favourite art genres and artists,” he explains. By mapping the...