New figures show cultural and creative activity contributed $70.3 billion to Australia's economy in 2024–25.
This was 2.5% of Australia's economy and an increase of $2.7 billion from 2023–24. The contribution was comparable with that of the accommodation and food services industry.
The figures were released by the Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research (BCARR). The research examines 10 years of cultural and creative activity, from 2015–16 to 2024–25.
It reveals over that period, the average annual growth of cultural and creative activity was similar to that of manufacturing.
Growth varied across different areas. Digital games development recorded the strongest growth, followed by arts education, internet publishing and broadcasting.
BCARR will update the figures each year.
Find out more
Read the latest Cultural and Creative Activity annual publication and explore the accompanying data.