The Flemish Department of Economy, Science and Innovation has published its latest monitoring report  on the direct economic impact of the creative and cultural sectors (CCS). The report contains the most up-to-date figures on employment, turnover and added value of the CCS in Flanders, based on data of 2018.

Pascal Cools

What the real impact of the corona crisis on the cultural and creative sectors will be, may only be calculated in 2022 (when all annual accounts have been officially reported). However, it is already clear: the cultural and creative sectors are the most severely affected sectors in Flanders. In the meantime, many initiatives have been set up to help the cultural and creative sectors survive. With good reason, as the most recent study by the Flemish government shows. The study offers the most up-to-date total figures (up to 2018) on employment, turnover and value added of the cultural and creative sectors in Flanders and shows their undeniable significance for the Flemish economy.

Evolution of the gross value added of CCS in Flanders

Evolution of the gross value added of CCS in Flanders

In total, the CCS provides work for 187.196 full time equivalents. Of these, 60.660 are self-employed. That is 12.34% of all self-employed people in Flanders. All together, they provide a rounded €14.2 billion in total gross value added. This gross value added sums up to 5.89% of the total gross value added in Flanders.

The figures are still an under-estimation. The data only relates to the Flemish region. Flemish creative companies and organisations located in Brussels for instance are not included in the report. Furthermore the report only shows the direct  economic impact. It does not take into account the indirect impact in i.e. tourism or other sectors. 

“The importance of this creative sector cannot be overstated. With this industry proving to be one of the worst losing parties in the pandemic, this alone is already enough of a reason to why we need to make sure that the sector can drag itself through that corona crisis: the products and works of the creative sector belong to the essence of becoming human and being human.” 

Pascal Cools,

Managing Director Flanders DC