The EU statistics department reported that in 2022,
there were 7.7 million cultural jobs, accounting for 3.8% of the region's total workforce. This shows a positive recovery from the decline in employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, where jobs in the cultural industry decreased by 3%.
According to the Eurostat analysis, the level of recovery from job losses varied among the member states. While Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Ireland observed remarkable increases in employment by 21.5%, 14.5%, and 14% respectively, countries like Bulgaria, Czechia, and Croatia still suffered job losses in their cultural sectors compared to the previous year.
Over the years, the arts, entertainment, and cultural heritage industries have seen a consistent increase, while publishing and media production jobs have decreased across the EU and the US. A report by Eurostat reveals that there has been
a shift in gender balance, with a significant decrease in the gap between men and women working in cultural fields during the past decade.
In 2022, the number of men and women employed in the cultural sector was almost equal, with a difference of only 1.6 percentage points. There were 3.93 million men and 3.80 million women, which accounts for 50.8% and 49.2% respectively.
New data reveals the impact of government policies and the economy on Europe's creative industries, which are a vital component of the region's economy. While further research is needed, variations in public funding and private investments across EU nations may be contributing to divergent recovery trends.
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Photo credit: UW College of Arts & Sciences
