The cultural sector employed 8,9 million people in the European Union in 2025, representing 4,3% of total employment in the bloc, according to the latest figures published by Eurostat. This growth comes as the three main European institutions signed their first-ever joint declaration dedicated to culture last month.
Uneven growth in cultural employment across countries
Between 2024 and 2025, the share of cultural employment in total employment in the European Union increased by 0,5 percentage points, driven by professions such as artist, musician, and actor. In 17 of the 27 member states, cultural employment represented between 4% and 5% of total employment.
The Netherlands has the highest proportion, with 5,7% of its working population employed in the cultural sector, followed by Estonia with 5,3% and Malta with 5,1%. Conversely, Romania has the lowest share at 1,8%, followed by Slovakia with 3,3% and Ireland with 3,4%.
A joint text that places culture at the heart of European policy
On June 18, on the sidelines of the European Council in Brussels, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis signed a groundbreaking joint declaration entitled "Europe for Culture, Culture for Europe." The text emphasizes, in particular, support for artists, the defense of artistic freedom of expression, and the right to fair remuneration.
A section of the text is also devoted to artificial intelligence, with the signatories stating that it should support human creativity rather than replace it, while protecting intellectual property. The European Commission is also expected to present a specific strategy on artificial intelligence for the cultural and creative sectors in 2027.
Community
Comments
Comments are open, but protected against spam. Initial posts and comments containing links undergo manual review.
Be the first to comment on this article.