Culture and creativity account for 3.1% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 6.2% of all employment. Exports of cultural goods and services doubled in value from 2005 to reach US$389.1 billion in 2019. Besides being one of the youngest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world, new and ongoing challenges also make the creative economy one of the most vulnerable sectors that is often overlooked by public and private investment.

The cultural and creative sectors were among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with over 10 million jobs lost in 2020 alone. Public investment in culture has been declining over the last decade and creative professions remain overall unstable and under-regulated.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that no country alone can forge the protection and promotion of diversity within its territory and beyond. Culture’s value as a global public good must be cherished and preserved for the benefit of present and future generations.

This report provides a global overview of the state of the cultural and creative sectors, through insightful new data that shed light on emerging trends at a global level, and puts forward policy recommendations to foster creative ecosystems that contribute to a sustainable world by 2030 and beyond.