Economy and Employment: Transformative impacts of arts, culture and creativity
February 2020
How arts, culture and creativity impact economic outcomes
Factsheet 2 drawn from ANA’s Insight Report, ‘Transformative: Impacts of culture and creativity’
Cultural and creative activity contributed approximately $111 billion to the Australian
economy in 2016–17, and employed more than 800,000 people. This is an industry area that is internationally recognised as resistant to automation and as a jobs-rich area of the economy. The cultural and creative economy has significant growth potential to 2030 and beyond.
Australia’s creative and cultural industries are key to Australia’s continued economic growth and global competitiveness. Some of Australia’s key strengths can be further enhanced and capitalised upon through strategic investment in our creative and cultural industries.
Although our cultural and creative industries are much broader than our subsidised arts and culture sectors, it’s important to note that there is a significant relationship between subsidised arts and cultural activities and their effects on the commercial cultural and creative industries. Effective public and private investment unleashes the arts, cultural and creative industries as major procurers and presenters of creative products and services, helps form clusters of creative businesses, and creates a lively and thriving environment that encourages people to move to, remain in or visit an area (amongst other advantages).
