Author: MKW Wirtschaftsforschung München in cooperation with Österreichische Kulturdokumentation, Vienna; empirica-delasasse, Cologne; interarts, Barcelona; Economix Research & Consulting, Munich; Wimmex, Munich
Publisher: Study commissioned by European Commission DG Employment and Social Affairs
Year: 2001
Language: English
Culture and statistics can hardly be brought together, all the more so as there is an inflation of definitions but only poor statistical evidence. The present study on behalf of the European Commission, Directorate General Employment and Social Affairs tried to cut the "Gordian knot" by presenting comparable data for all EU countries on the basis of the European Labour Force Survey:
In its widest definition the cultural sector employs approximately 7.2 m people in Europe in the production of cultural products. This represents a share of 4.6 % of total EU employment.
The cultural sector belongs to the most rapidly growing branches in the EU: During the second half of the nineties the number of jobs grew by 2.1 % annually which is double the rate of total employment. The expansion of the number of professional cultural workers was particularly strong.
The future of employment will be determined by information technologies. Negative impacts have to be expected for the traditional distribution channels (printing, retail trade) while the producers of arts and culture and the multimedia industries are facing high growth potentials.