New analysis shows Australia's cultural and creative activity contributed $115.8 billion to the economy in 2018–19.
New analysis released by the Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research (BCARR) shows cultural and creative activity contributed $115.8 billion to Australia's economy in 2018–19.
The analysis provides an update to the economic contribution of the sectors and shows it is an important driver of the economy, with activity growing by 27.4 per cent over the 10-year period.
The industries with the greatest contribution to activity in 2018–19 were design ($45.3 billion), fashion ($14.7 billion), and broadcasting, electronic or digital media and film ($9.2 billion).
While cultural and creative activity grew in absolute terms, the increase was slower than the pace of the Australian economy overall. As a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), cultural and creative activity declined by 1.0 percentage point, from 7.0 per cent in 2009–10 to 6.0 per cent in 2018–19. Its declining share of GDP in recent years in part reflects the continued strength in the mining sector, which falls almost entirely outside of cultural and creative activity.
This release represents long-term analysis on economic activity for the cultural and creative sectors which covers a period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next release of these updates will begin to cover the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on the response to COVID-19, please visit arts.gov.au/covid-19-update.
Find out more
- At a glance: Cultural and Creative Activity estimates, 2009–10 to 2018–19
- Visual summary: Cultural and Creative Activity in Australia, 2009–10 to 2018–19
- FAQ: Cultural and Creative Activity in Australia, 2009–10 to 2018–19