For the past couple of years I’ve been tracking NZ larps through an online spreadsheet. The numbers in it for most events are not exact (please contact me to request edit rights if you have better ones)
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ … sp=sharing
The last events of the year are running today and tomorrow, so I’ve done some annual stats. The headlines:
[ul]
[li] Overall, larp attendance in regions for which we have good data for both years (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch) increased by 25%. [/li]
[li] In Auckland, headline attendance increased by 25%. The growth was all in campaigns, thanks to a series of well-attended Crucible events. One-off theatreforms declined precipitously, from 175 spaces to 40.[/li]
[li] In Wellington its a similar story. The 10% overall growth was fuelled by campaigns, while one-off theatreform shrank from 164 to 119 spaces. [/li]
[li] In Christchurch there was significant growth from a low base, with an increase in larping at BoD, several standalone events, and a new convention. [/li]
[li] While there was an apparent increase in Dunedin, I think its mostly a result of poor data for 2013 rather than a serious increase. In 2013, Dunedin hosted an ongoing WoD campaign and 4 small larps at OURS’ regular cons. It did the same in 2014.[/li]
[li] While I’m not confident about the quality of data for Hamilton in 2013, I am confident that there has been a significant increase in larp (though perhaps not as great as the numbers suggest). The foundation of a new NZLARPS branch there has been accompanied by a flurry of new larp activity, with several one-offs and a new convention.[/li]
[li] The growth since 2006-2007, when we ran 720 spaces over a 12 month period (that we knew of), has been dramatic.[/li][/ul]
I intend to keep tracking this to build up a longer-term data series.