The economic value of cultural and creative activity
The Bureau of Communications and Arts Research (BCAR) has released new analysis showing cultural and creative activity contributed $111.7 billion to Australia’s economy in 2016-17.
Source: The economic value of cultural and creative activity | Department of Communications and the Arts
- Performing arts operations which provide or produce live theatrical or musical presentations or performances.[i]
- Creative artists, musicians, writers and performers who are independent (freelance) individuals or groups mainly engaged in the regular creation of original artistic or cultural works who may or may not also produce and perform their works. This includes providing independent technical expertise necessary for these productions, and celebrities mainly engaged in endorsing products or making speeches or public appearances for which they receive a fee.25
- Performing arts venue operations of venues for the presentation and rehearsal of performing arts.[ii]
Many business entities that engage in performing arts operations rely on government funding in addition to other sources of revenue.[iii]This enables them to produce a diversity of works and to provide some services to users free of charge. However, other business entities, such as contemporary music producers, achieve higher profit margins by providing services to large audiences.27
GVA of cultural and creative activity in performing arts has experienced growth of $403 million or 30.0 per cent from 2008-09 to 2016-17. However, as a share of GDP, it has fallen slightly over the period (Table 12 and Figure 20).
[i]Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification 2006,
cat. No. 1292.0, February 2006, p. 354.
[ii]Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification 2006,
cat. No. 1292.0, February 2006, p. 355.
[iii]IBISWorld industry report (2017), R9001 Music and theatre production in Australia, April 2017, p. 5.
