The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its first experimental measures of the economic contribution of cultural and creative activity in Australia.
Cultural and creative activity is estimated to have contributed $86.0 billion (6.9%) to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product in 2008-09.
“This new ABS release shows cultural and creative activity is a significant component of the Australian economy, in addition to playing an important role in the wellbeing and quality of life of the community” said ABS Director of Culture, Recreation and Migrant Statistics, Andrew Middleton.
Volunteer services to arts and heritage organisations are estimated to have been worth a further $756 million in 2008-09.
The number of persons whose main employment was in a cultural or creative industry or occupation averaged 972,200 in 2008-09.
There were 164,730 entities actively trading as a business or non-profit institution within the cultural and creative industries at the end of June 2009.
The ABS’ estimates were prepared following strong interest in the economic role of these activities, such as highlighted by Australia’s National Cultural Policy Creative Australia.
Estimates for cultural and creative activities have previously been published in other countries such as Canada, Finland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The publication is available for download here.
Australian National Accounts: Cultural and Creative Activity Satellite Accounts, Experimental, 2008-09
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS),
10 February 2014, Australia
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