Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

• 
• Like ALVA
  on Facebook
• 
• Follow ALVA
  on Twitter

29 Apr 2019

UK arts and culture is a thriving industry, says report

A new report conducted by the UK’s Centre for Economic and Business Research has found that the country’s arts and culture industry contributes £10.8bn to its economy.

The report, called Contribution of the arts and culture industry to the UK economy, found that it contributes £2.8bn via taxes and also noted that the industry generates a further £23bn a year – and 363,700 jobs – through supply chains and employee spending.

Arts and culture’s total economic contribution has overtaken the agricultural sector’s £10.1bn contribution and is roughly equal to that of major cities such as Liverpool and Sheffield.

"Latest figures show arts and culture is a thriving industry delivering huge benefits for our economy," said Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England.

"Public investment in the arts is fuelling local regeneration across the country, pushing skills and talent to the commercial sector, and driving the world-class reputation of our creative industries."

It is the fourth edition of the report from the Centre for Economic and Business Research. It concludes that productivity in the arts and culture industry between 2009 and 2016 was greater than that of the economy as a whole. Gross value added per worker was £62,000 in arts and culture, compared to £46,800 for the wider UK economy – a 24.5 per cent difference.

The study also notes the "spillover" benefits of arts and culture as an industry to the UK economy.

Having surveyed industry professionals and organisations, it found that 69 per cent of organisations feel that they are “part of a creative cluster” in their local area, 52 per cent are involved in local regeneration and 46 per cent have had buildings regenerated as a result of their actions.

Another of these spillovers was that 82 per cent of surveyed organisations said they provide support for local artists and businesses.

One negative the report highlighted for the industry, however, was that 74 per cent of arts and culture organisations had been affected by public funding cuts.