UNESCO concerned about decline in investment in culture

UNESCO recently published a report evaluating the extent to which the 2005 goals regarding cultural diversity have been met. This turns out to be disappointing: the loss of jobs and turnover in the cultural sector has been dramatic since the beginning of the corona crisis in 2020. Worldwide, 10 million cultural jobs were lost that year, out of a total of 30 million in 2005. This makes culture sector one of the hardest hit sectors by the pandemic.

Job and revenue losses in the cultural sector have been dramatic since the beginning of the corona crisis in 2020

However, the decline is not only due to the corona crisis: the amounts governments and individuals spend on the arts are increasingly disproportionate to the contribution the cultural sector makes to the global economy. Indeed, in 'the West' the contribution of governments to the sector has fallen sharply, while elsewhere it has increased. The sector employs 6.2 percent of the workforce worldwide, with Africa and Latin America being the positive outliers at 8.2 and 6.9 percent respectively. Eastern Europe is at the bottom with 5.8 percent, just below the employment rate of North America and Western Europe.

Despite a 48 percent share of women in the sector, there is still much to be gained in terms of diversity. The proportion of women in leadership positions leaves much to be desired.

Decreased investment in culture keeps pace with decline in freedom of information and press

UNESCO is calling on governments to provide artists and cultural professionals with the same employment protection as the rest of the workforce. This includes calling for the introduction of a minimum wage, better pension and health insurance for freelancers. "Even in countries with a social security scheme for freelancers or the self-employed (...) it appears that a large proportion of those involved are not eligible for compensation."

On culture as a global public good, the report says: "The COVID-19 pandemic shows us that no single country can alone achieve the protection and promotion of diversity on its territory and beyond. The value of culture as a global public good must be nurtured and preserved for the benefit of current and future generations."

Here you can find the entire publication