This week The Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research published two new reports: Analysis of the Cultural and Creative Sector—Revive: Sectoral Analysis (December 2024) and Cultural and Creative Activity in Australia, 2008–09 to 2022–23: Methodology Refresh (December 2024).

These reports provide an in-depth look at the state of the cultural and creative industries in Australia, their economic contributions, and the challenges and opportunities they face. The Methodology Refresh revises the scope of activities included under culture and creativity in Australia, while the Sectoral Analysis shares a number of key findings about the sector that will guide future policy decisions.

Some key findings include:

• The broader cultural and creative sector contributed $63.7 billion to GDP in 2022–23, representing 2.5% of the economy and comparable to industries like Agriculture and Forestry.
• The sector employed approximately 282,000 people in 2021, 2.4% of the total Australian workforce.
• Between 2017–18 and 2021–22 attendance at performing arts events by children dropped from 40% to 31%, and adult attendance at cultural venues fell from 86% to 69%.
• Despite challenges, the number of businesses in the cultural and creative industries grew by 8.9% between 2021 and 2023, reaching approximately 95,700 businesses.
• Surveys show strong public interest in attending performing arts events, with 76% of Australians indicating they would like to attend more events if barriers such as cost and accessibility were addressed. This latent demand suggests that targeted initiatives, such as discounted ticketing programs, could significantly boost participation.

Read TNA’s two-page summary of the reports.