6. Economic Overview of the Cultural Sector

This chapter presents an economic overview of the cultural sector, using the most recent economic and financial data available. This information is important for understanding the cultural labour market, as the economic and financial health of the sector directly affects the current and future supply and demand for labour, as well as the availability of cultural goods and services. In addition, the units of measurement reported are those that government, business, and other financially affiliated entities rely on to make investment decisions based on comparable metrics.

The chapter begins with a discussion of the economic indicators that have the largest influence on the economic performance of the cultural sector: the sector’s real value-added output (that is, gross domestic product, or GDP), Canadian household spending on cultural goods and services, Canadian exports of cultural goods and services, and government support of the cultural sector. Real gross domestic product (GDP) is a standard measure of industry output and is equal to the total value that the industry creates. As such, it is a measure of the industry’s contribution to economic growth. Specifically, value-added or net output is the difference between total revenues generated and the sum of expenses on parts, materials, and services used in the production process.

The chapter then continues with a discussion of the financial performance of the six core domains that make up the cultural sector, according to the definition and scope of the sector outlined in Chapter 2. It centres on the recent financial performance of each domain. The section also identifies some of the opportunities and challenges that establishments in these domains are expected to face over the near term.

For a list of the types of establishments and industries included in each cultural domain, please see Appendix A.

6.1 Real Value-Added Output (or GDP) of the Cultural Sector

Overall, real value-added output of Canada’s cultural sector expanded 5 per cent between 2013 and 2017 (that is, an annual rate of 1 per cent). Given that the cultural sector consists of many heterogeneous industries, the growth of each domain differs. Among the core cultural domains, the sound recording domain delivered the strongest growth over the five-year period, clocking in a 6.6 per cent annual growth rate. This was followed by heritage and libraries and by live performance domains, expanding at annual rates of 4.3 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively. On the flip side, GDP in the written and published works domain was 13.3 per cent lower in 2017 than in 2013 (for an annual drop of 2.8 per cent), underscoring the significant challenges resulting from shifts in consumption patterns and the downfall of physical publications.

Table 6.1: Cultural Sector Real Value-Added Output (GDP), Industry Perspective, 2013–2017

($ millions)

Domains

Subdomains

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Heritage and libraries

Total

492

514

561

602

608

 

Archives

7

7

8

9

9

 

Libraries

27

30

36

40

40

 

Cultural heritage

296

314

345

372

371

 

Natural heritage

162

163

172

182

188

Live performance

Total

1,915

2,009

2,128

2,206

2,241

 

Performing arts

1,790

1,878

1,988

2,060

2,094

 

Festivals and celebrations

125

130

140

145

147

Visual and applied arts

Total

6,773

7,282

7,552

7,671

7,903

 

Original visual art

180

187

194

202

208

 

Art reproductions

38

39

38

39

42

 

Photography

529

580

610

622

641

 

Crafts

251

242

257

262

247

 

Advertising

1,617

1,749

1,876

1,856

1,871

 

Architecture

1,365

1,472

1,444

1,443

1,496

 

Design

2,792

3,013

3,132

3,246

3,398

Written and published works

Total

8,679

8,300

7,972

7,709

7,521

 

Books

852

810

745

689

642

 

Periodicals

1,093

1,029

959

905

855

 

Newspapers

2,342

2,139

1,958

1,776

1,602

 

Other published works

116

109

102

96

92

 

Collected Information

226

210

197

186

177

 

Multi-subdomain

4,050

4,003

4,011

4,056

4,154

Audio-visual and interactive media

Total

12,400

13,350

12,361

12,485

12,723

 

Film and video

3,545

4,387

3,258

3,397

3,503

 

Broadcasting

6,455

6,310

6,442

6,362

6,308

 

Interactive media

2,400

2,652

2,661

2,727

2,911

Sound recording

Total

396

441

471

506

543

 

Sound recording

68

76

82

87

90

 

Music publishing

328

365

388

419

453

Education and training

3,378

3,494

3,602

3,696

3,826

Governance, funding, and

professional support

7,517

7,825

7,866

7,910

8,191

Multidomain*

 

638

658

697

716

723

Total cultural products

42,189

43,872

43,209

43,501

44,279

All other products**

 

12,269

13,174

13,556

13,979

14,570

Total cultural industries

54,458

57,045

56,765

57,480

 58,849

Statistics Canada, Culture Satellite Account.

*Multidomain refers to the cases where one industry produces goods and services that cannot be readily allocated to a single domain, e.g., book, periodical, and music stores (NAICS 4512).

** All other products includes all non-cultural products that are produced in the cultural industries.

6.2 Household Consumption on Cultural Goods and Services

Canadian household spending on cultural goods and services decreased by 3.4 per cent between 2016 and 2017. In the same year, total current household spending (less taxes, savings, and gifts/contributions) grew by 2.5 per cent. The same trend persisted over a longer time span: Canadians spent over 10 per cent less on cultural goods and services in 2017 than they did in 2013. In comparison, total current household spending rose 8.8 per cent over those five years.

Spending among the core cultural domains followed a similar trend, except for visual and applied arts, which saw a 5.2 per cent increase over five years. The largest drop was seen in the sound recording domain: Canadian households spent well less than half of what they spent five years before on sound recording products and services in 2017 (down 59 per cent compared with 2013). This coincides with the rise in recent years of online streaming services, whose “freemium” business model (offering basic services for free, while additional features such as removing advertisement are provided via paid subscriptions) offers Canadians a more cost-effective way of listening to music.

Table 6.2: Canadian Consumer Spending, 2013–2017
($ millions)

Domains

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Heritage and libraries

1,194

636

969

1,148

972

Live performance

1,763

1,627

1,858

2,238

1,451

Visual and applied arts

2,220

2,034

1,858

1,865

2,336

Written and published works

5,024

3,998

4,610

4,419

4,483

Audio-visual and interactive media

10,728

10,520

10,396

10,229

10,142

Sound recording

1,207

828

780

674

493

Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Household Spending, compiled by The Conference Board of Canada.

6.3 Exports of Cultural Products

Exports of Canadian cultural products registered solid growth between 2012 and 2016, expanding at 6.8 per cent annually. All of the domains saw strong expansion in product exports, with visual and applied arts and heritage and libraries growing at an annual pace of more than 9 per cent over the five-year period.

Table 6.3.1: Exports of cultural products, 2002–2016 
($ millions)

Domains

Subdomains

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Heritage and libraries

Total

 114

 140

 134

 159

 178

 

Archives

 1

 1

 2

 2

 2

 

Libraries

 2

 4

 5

 9

 10

 

Cultural heritage

 91

 107

 99

 113

 125

 

Natural heritage

 20

 28

 29

 34

 41

Live performance

Total

 652

 833

 716

 861

 978

 

Performing arts

 625

 805

 686

 825

 937

 

Festivals and celebrations

 26

 29

 31

 36

 42

Visual and applied arts

Total

 4,574

 6,392

 5,955

 7,039

 7,182

 

Original visual art

 54

 67

 69

 86

 95

 

Art reproductions

 -

 -

 -

 -

 -

 

Photography

 7

 4

 4

 5

 6

 

Crafts

 2,871

 4,386

 3,948

 4,967

 5,054

 

Advertising

 367

 383

 357

 502

 506

 

Architecture

 590

 682

 662

 626

 623

 

Design

 685

 870

 917

 852

 899

Written and published works

Total

 1,297

 1,342

 1,538

 1,778

 1,701

 

Books

 336

 320

 399

 431

 437

 

Periodicals

 134

 125

 151

 164

 153

 

Newspapers

 119

 89

 122

 158

 151

 

Other published works

 70

 70

 71

 84

 59

 

Collected Information

 86

 70

 67

 78

 54

 

Multi-subdomain

 553

 668

 729

 864

 847

Audio-visual and interactive media

Total

 2,651

 2,905

 2,983

 3,336

 3,287

 

Film and video

 1,868

 1,877

 1,945

 2,344

 2,087

 

Broadcasting

 141

 94

 101

 104

 108

 

Interactive media

 642

 934

 937

 888

 1,092

Sound recording

Total

 387

 409

 389

 492

 469

 

Sound recording

 129

 143

 132

 149

 125

 

Music publishing

 257

 267

 257

 343

 343

Education and training

 

 313

 332

 402

 443

 458

Governance, funding, and professional support

 

 

 1,121

 1,164

 1,174

 1,210

 1,250

Multidomain*

 

 419

 466

 410

 478

 504

Total cultural sector

 

 11,527

 13,983

 13,702

 15,797

 16,007

Source: Statistics Canada, Provincial and Territorial Gross Domestic Product by Income and by Expenditure Accounts.

6.4 Government Support of the Cultural Sector

Direct financial support of the cultural sector from federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments increased steadily between the fiscal years of 2005–06 and 2009–10, at an annual growth rate of 4.1 per cent. In the fiscal year ending in 2010, spending by all three levels of government totalled over $9.6 billion. This included operational and capital spending, as well as grants, contributions, and transfers, but excluded tax credits.

It should be noted that tax credits are a key component of government support, in particular for businesses falling under the subdomain of film and TV. These credits are available from the federal and all provincial and territorial governments, but the degree of support varies from year to year, depending on the number of cultural establishments and programs that qualify for the credits.

The federal government provided a total of $4.1 billion to the cultural sector in 2009–10 fiscal year. More than one-half of federal support (55 per cent) went to broadcasting (primarily to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), while 35 per cent was allocated to heritage (e.g., museums, parks, and historic sites) and national libraries.

That same fiscal year, provincial and territorial government support of culture totalled $2.9 billion, while municipal governments also provided $2.9 billion. Provincial and territorial governments allocated the biggest share of their cultural spending to libraries (32 per cent), followed by the heritage sector (22 per cent). At the municipal level, the vast majority of spending in the cultural sector was for libraries.

To provide a perspective on the degree to which the operation of Canada’s cultural sector relies on various levels of government funding, data on government expenditures were used to calculate the proportion of cultural business revenues attributed to government funding. While this level of government spending data from Statistics Canada is dated (2009–2010 was the most recent release), it still helps to present a picture of the role that various levels of government play in the operation of the sector. In aggregate, government funding contributed an estimated 16.8 per cent of the total revenues of the cultural sector in Canada. (See Table 5.4.1.)

The most recent Government Expenditures on Culture report, which was used to gather the data in this section, does not reflect government support of recently expanded segments of the cultural sector, including interactive digital media. In addition, as the heritage and libraries domain under Culture Satellite Account framework includes only private institutions, the Conference Board created a separate category for public heritage and libraries, in order to report government support of public institutions. Given that the revenues of public heritage, archive, and library institutions are not available in the Culture Satellite Account, their overall reliance on government support is not available.

Table 6.4.1: Dependency of Canada’s Cultural Sector on Government Support, 2009–10
($ millions)

Domains

Federal government

Provincial government

Municipal government

Total government

Overall reliance (as a % of total revenues)

Heritage and libraries*

 3

 5

 12

 19

2.2%

Live performance

 264

 244

 154

 662

20.8%

Visual and applied arts

 57

 118

 154

 328

2.9%

Written and published works

 203

 137

 258

 597

3.1%

Audio-visual and interactive media

 2,345

 457

 310

 3,111

13.5%

Sound recording

 30

 12

 14

 56

5.3%

Public heritage and libraries**

 1,226

 1,885

 2,036

 5,147

n.a.

Multidomain

 16

 31

 13

 60

6.4%

Total cultural sector

 4,142

 2,889

 2,950

 9,981

16.8%

Source: Statistics Canada, Culture Satellite Account; Survey of Provincial/Territorial Government Expenditures on Culture; Survey of Federal Government Expenditures on Culture.

* In conformity with the Culture Satellite Account, the heritage and libraries domain includes only private institutions.

** The public heritage and libraries domain includes government operated libraries, culture/natural heritage, and public archives.