Key Facts & Research

The Economy

In 2016-17, Australia’s broad cultural and creative economy contributes 6.4% of our annual GDP, and employs 8.1% of Australia’s workforce (pre-pandemic). - A New Approach

Australia’s cultural investment is not keeping pace with our international peers: in 2018, in an analysis of OECD members, Australia ranked 24th out of 34 member countries for combined expenditure on culture, recreation and religion. Nor are we keeping up with our own population growth: per capita public investment in culture dropped 4.9% in the period 2007-2017. - OECD

Australians are significant consumers of culture, investing nearly $50 a week, on average, on cultural expenditure in 2015-16. The Australian public’s private spending of more than $25 billion per annum dwarfs the cultural expenditure by the three levels of government in the same year ($5.8 billion). - A New Approach

Using the ABS definition, Australian cultural and creative industries contributes $91 billion per annum (5.25% of GDP), and employs 9,849,161 people (8.1% of total employment). Including only “arts and culture” (and excluding design and fashion), it contributes $30.4 billion per annum (1.7% of GDP), and employs 236,930 people (2.2% of total employment). - A New Approach

Young People & Education

Mental Health