Economic and social impact of cultural and creative sectors

Cultural and creative sectors are a significant source of jobs and income, and also generate important spillovers to the wider economy. However, the absence of internationally comparable statistics that reveal their full economic and social impacts also means that the sectors remain largely undervalued in the policy debate. As governments across the G20 reconsider growth models in the wake of COVID-19, cultural and creative sectors can be a driver in a resilient recovery. There is an opportunity for culture to play an even greater role in driving economic, social and indeed environmental outcomes. For this potential to be realised, efforts are needed not only to ensure the sector survives the COVID-19 crisis but also that these opportunities are exploited and the longer-term challenges facing the sector are addressed, from high rates of precarious employment to the structural fragility of many businesses in the sector