In 2012, according to the Australia Council, more than half of all Australians read a book of fiction. For passionate readers, that might seem horribly low. Only half? Unthinkable. But consider: the most recent study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that in the twelve months prior to the survey in 2009–10, only 43 per cent of Australian adults had attended a sporting event of any kind. Even for someone like me, who works in the arts and is surrounded by readers, writers and editors, those numbers are surprising. Is it possible that there are more Australians reading fiction than going to the footy, the cricket or the tennis?

Of course there will be many who attend sporting events and read fiction. We often presume, though, that the arts and sport have a somewhat adversarial relationship in Australia. Politicians regularly take to the sporting field (with mixed results) when they want to appear down–to–earth, in touch with ordinary people. But if a politician professes a love of the ballet, they are elitist. If they reference a popular song, they are trivial. It seems as though publically engaging with the arts at any level is politically dangerous. But it shouldn’t be. Time and time again, statistics tell us that Australians are deeply engaged with the arts, particularly reading and literature.