This report examines the evolution of creative and cultural policy to better understand the creative economy.
This report examines the evolution of creative and cultural policy to better understand the creative economy. The Sport and Recreation has become an integral part of Creative and Cultural Industries, as such the report assesses the evolution of the sport and recreation policy. The analysis further investigates the contribution of the creative sector to GDP, employment and socio-demographics. From a GDP contribution perspective, the analysis demonstrates that CCI&S has significantly contributed to GDP, with the largest domains being the Audio-visual and Interactive Media, Design and Creative Services, as well as Sport and Recreation. While domains such as Cultural and Natural Heritage and Performance and Celebration recorded smaller contributions. The 2008/2009 global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and rapid digitization, have posed challenges to growth in the sector, while at times created opportunities for growth. Data on cultural occupations indicates a steady growth, with the Visual Arts and Crafts domain dominating employment. Accordingly, women are actively becoming an integral part of the sector. Moreover, the participation of the Black African, Coloured and India/Asia population groups is increasing, alongside improved youth employment. Furthermore, occupations by education levels reveal that there is a positive correlation between high education level and improved employment prospects. While, spatial distribution indicates that creative activities are clustered in Gauteng, KwaZulu- Natal and Western Cape, resulting in a concentration of cultural occupations, whereas in rural provinces such as Eastern Cape and Limpopo, a declining pattern is observed.
The analysis of cultural goods trade shows that the Visual Arts and Crafts and Books and Press domains drove cultural goods exports, with fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and digital transitions. Despite, disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and digital transformation China, the UK and US remained South Africa’s dominant cultural goods import partners. In addition, SACU countries, Namibia and Botswana remain key drivers of growth of South Africa’s cultural trade, while the Middle Eastern, North African and Latin American countries are insignificant trading partners. Overall, the analysis highlights the resilience of CCI&S, its growth potential and contribution to South Africa’s economy. It presents enhancing digitization and using AI tools to support local cultural production and strengthen regional trade partnerships to further grow the creative sector.
