Unesco, how the cultural sector has changed over the last 20 years

Twenty years after the adoption of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO has published "Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity". It is, to all intents and purposes, an ex-post evaluation report of the cultural policies of the countries that have ratified the Convention, which aims to measure how far its principles have been translated into concrete actions over time. The analysis, which also offers a further level of insight into Unesco's ability to guide the policies of its member states, is divided into ten thematic chapters, ranging from cultural governance to digital ecosystems, from the role of civil society to the contribution of culture to sustainable development, and gender equality issues.

Over the last twenty years, the cultural and creative sector has undergone a profound evolution, consolidating itself as a political infrastructure and moving from a mainly conservative role to a strategic lever for innovation, social cohesion and territorial development. Yet, despite this transformation, the Unesco report opens with an economic fact, immediately drawing attention to a still unresolved question: should culture be considered a public good or a market-oriented sector?
A tension that remains at the heart of cultural policies, even twenty years later. Against this backdrop, the global trade in cultural goods reached USD 254.28 billion in 2023, doubling since 2005. Significant growth, but far from uniform: in developed countries, the average annual increase stood at 1.8%, while in developing economies it reached much higher rates, close to 8.5% per year. In this scenario, China (19%) and India (6%) are confirmed as the main market poles, flanked by new emerging players such as Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, increasingly dynamic in global cultural exchanges. According to the report, the most important sector in international trade remains that of visual arts and handicrafts: imports from developing countries will rise from USD 53 billion in 2004 to USD 167 billion in 2023. Despite market contractions and geopolitical tensions, the US remains the largest global art market with $4.3 billion of works sold at auction, followed by China with $1.9 billion and the UK with $1.4 billion. The report also highlights the liveliness of the African art market, witnessed by the debut of four African countries at the Venice Biennale 2024: Benin, Nigeria, Tanzania and Egypt.

The adoption of measures to support the export of fine arts is also on the rise: between 2021 and 2024, 72% of the Convention countries reported policies to support the sale of visual arts, up from 48% in the previous period of analysis. Among the most significant initiatives are Italy, with the reduction of the VAT to 5% for intra-Community purchases of works of art; Turkey, which offers tax incentives and subsidies to galleries, museums and for participation in international fairs; and Argentina, where the legal notification for the import/export of works has been completely digitised, simplifying processes and facilitating international trade.

In terms of public policies, the report shows that in recent decades there has been a growing focus on job creation in the cultural sector: since 2005, 85% of the countries analysed have adopted specific measures, up from 68% in the previous period. The most widespread initiatives, present in 29% of countries, concern the integration of cultural employment into national strategies and improving access to funding. However, structural problems persist, including precarious employment, self-employment or intermittent work, often with limited access to pensions, leave and social welfare services. These are compounded by the so-called 'Visa Wall', a persistent obstacle to the mobility of cultural and creative professionals, which particularly affects artists: only 96% of developed countries facilitate outbound mobility, while just 38% facilitate the entry of professionals from developing countries.

On thegranting side, the global situation shows signs of stagnation, with average public expenditure remaining below 0.6% of GDP, far from the 2% ceiling desired at European level. A significant exception is Botswana, which in 2024 recorded an increase of almost 59% in its budget allocation to culture and the arts.
The report shows that most of the countries that have ratified the Convention have strengthened their policy infrastructure for culture, adopting decentralisation strategies and regulatory frameworks to foster cooperation between ministries. The main partners involved are the education sector (28.1%, up from 19%) and the economy, trade and finance sector (25%), as demonstrated by the case of the law on Cultural and Creative Industries, transferred to the Ministry of Made in Italy. However, despite the fact that 77% of countries include creativity and innovation in their national sustainable development plans, only 3% of cooperation measures involve agencies dedicated to innovation, underlining the existence of wide margins for strengthening the link between culture and technological innovation.