According to the information of the Satellite Account of Culture of Mexico, in 2014 jobs in the cultural sector increased to one million 25 thousand. This productive base also represents 2.8% of the GDP generating 450 billion pesos. This demonstrates the importance of culture to the national economy.
The information was presented by the Secretary of Culture, Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, accompanied by the authorities of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
Raul Figueroa, National Director of the INEGI Satellite Accounts, said that for more than 20 years the institution has specialized in these counts backed by the UN to identify and measure the evolution of the cash flows generated by sectors such as culture based on variables such as employment, GDP and market activities, non-market and other revenue generating facilities and services with free cultural benefit for households.
He explained that some activities of the cultural sector include printing newspapers and magazines, recording CDs and videos, private art schools, public museums and historical sites. The percentage of contribution is divided into 21.3 for cultural production in homes, 20.3 traditional crafts, 16.2 cultural trade, 15.2 media and 7.1 design and creative services, with a share of 3.7 per cent in manufacturing, 19.6 per cent information assets. 33.1 percent of the jobs generated by culture are in the field of traditional crafts.
The Secretary of Culture, Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, presided over the presentation of results, accompanied by Francisco Guillén, CEO of the INEGI National Accounts and Raúl Figueroa, National Director of Satellite Accounts. Rafael Tovar y de Teresa said that these data provide a snapshot of what is the role of culture in the national economy and how its multiplier effect is quite encouraging. The results allow to compare the 2.8% of GDP of Mexico with other countries such as Spain with 2.5%, Czech Republic 2with 1.4% and Finland with 3 percent.
Francisco Guillen, CEO of National Accounts, said satellite accounts offer data that can be compared at national and international level, measuring the production, distribution and consumption of goods, services and market exchanges and permit broadening the production boundaries in physical units and monetary values.
Regarding the corresponding figures of the Secretariat of Culture, Rafael Tovar y de Teresa said that the National Network of 7,400 public libraries has served 121 million people and in coordination with the network of reading rooms 2.2 million activities have been offered to approximately 50 million people.
He also said that the museums of the National Institute of Fine Arts and the National Institute of Anthropology and History have been visited by 119 million people and 90 million people have used art services online mostly consisting of young people between 18 and 35. He also mentioned that 8.400 scholarships have been granted for artistic creation.
Finalmente, Jorge Sánchez, director del Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía, destacó que se superó el año pasado los 12 millones de espectadores en salas, lo cual marca una cifra histórica en toda la existencia del cine nacional, además de que han sido reforzados otros medios como las plataformas digitales, entre ellas Cinema México, que llega a 320 puntos del país en bibliotecas públicas y sitios comunitarios.
Finally, Jorge Sánchez, Director of the Mexican Film Institute, stressed that more that 12 million people attended movie screenings which represents a historical number for Mexican cinema. Mexican Cinema has also been reinforced by other means such digital platforms, including Cinema Mexico, which is accessible in 320 public libraries and community sites.