Arts worth more to UK economy than agriculture
Figures released today by Arts Council England show that the arts and culture have grown by £390m in a single year, overtaking agriculture as a contributor to the UK economy.
The report, Contribution of the arts and culture industry to the UK economy, is the most recent in a regular series commissioned by ACE from the Centre for Economic and Business Research and shows that the sector contributes £23bn a year as a multiplier in the community, and £2.8bn in tax.
“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” said ACE’s chair, Sir Nicholas Serota.
At £10.8bn arts and culture’s contribution is now higher than agriculture’s £10bn, and roughly equal to that of the Liverpool and Sheffield.
Since 2009 productivity in the sector has been greater than that of the economy as a whole, the report says. The gross value added power worker in the arts is £62,000 compared with £46,800 in the wider economy.