About the profilesInfometrics sector profiles provide data on GDP and a range of employment, business and productivity characteristics for the arts and creative sector.These economic profiles enhance our understanding of the contribution that the different parts of the cultural system provide to New Zealand. Manatū Taonga aims to continue to develop data, evidence, and insights across the cultural system.Having economic data, such as GDP, employment, and business information, is not only important for demonstrating the economic context of these sectors but is also an essential puzzle piece for our understanding of the wide value of these sectors.The latest annual data on this page (excluding forecasts) is for the year to March 2025.Data is available for six sector profiles:Arts and Creative (Total)Arts and Creative – MāoriArtsHeritageMedia and BroadcastingSport and RecreationGDP contributionDespite sensitivity to broader economic shocks, the GDP contribution of the cultural system has grown faster on average than the total economy over the past five years.The contribution of the arts and creative sector to GDP was $18.5 billion in the year to March 2025. This was a decline of -1.1 percent from 2024, compared to -0.8 percent for the total economy. By subsector, GDP growth for the heritage sector was relatively flat (-0.1 percent) and arts (-1.1 percent) was in line with the total economy, while the media sector experienced a sharper decline (-3.0 percent; see commentary below).The sport and recreation sector’s GDP contribution has been more stable, with 0.4 percent growth to $7.6 billion.Table 1: Cultural system contribution to New Zealand’s GDP, year to March 2025SectorGDP contribution% change from prior year% of total economy (GDP)Five-year per annum average growth(2020-2025)Arts and creative$18.5 billion-1.1%4.3%3.6%Selected arts & creative subsectors*Arts$3.1 billion-1.1%0.7%3.1%Heritage$5.0 billion-0.1%1.2%3.9%Media$5.0 billion-3.0%1.2%2.0%Sport and recreation$7.6 billion0.4%1.8%4.0%Total economy$431.6 billion-0.8%100%1.7%Notes. GDP is measured in constant 2025 prices. Annual data represents the year to March. All figures have been rounded. *All sector profiles are distinct. Totals for the arts, heritage and media profiles do not equal 100 percent of the arts and creative profile.Labour productivityOver the last two decades, productivity has grown in the arts and creative sector at a greater rate than the total economy, though levels are uneven within the sector. In the year to March 2025, labour productivity (GDP/FTE) for the arts and creative sector as a whole sits just under the total economy, with the highest productivity occurring within the media sector. The arts sector and sport and recreation sector have significantly lower rates of productivity compared to other parts of the cultural system. This is due to a range of factors, and you can read more in the Economy evidence brief.Economy Te Ōhanga evidence briefTable 2: Cultural system productivity (GDP/FTE)SectorGDP/FTE – Year to March 2025Five-year per annum average growth(2020-2025)Arts and creative$171,9181.3%Selected arts & creative subsectors*Arts$136,0850.9%Heritage$160,2121.9%Media and broadcasting$222,7422.2%Sport and recreation$119,7890.7%TOTAL ECONOMY$174,0450.1%Notes. GDP/FTE is represented in constant 2025 prices. *All sector profiles are distinct. Totals for the arts, heritage and media profiles do not equal 100 percent of the arts and creative profile.Employment and businessesEmployment in the arts and creative sector decreased -1.8 percent in the year to March 2025, with recovery forecast from 2027, while business growth has persisted across all sectors.There were 122,013 filled jobs and 38,413 businesses in the arts and creative sector, in the year to March 2025. Employment declined by -1.8 percent (2186 filled jobs) from the prior year (compared to -1.1 percent for the total economy), while businesses grew 1.3 percent (compared to 0.5 percent for the total economy). For both the sector and the wider economy, this is the first time employment has declined overall since 2010.Further job losses are anticipated in the arts and creative sector in the year ending March 2026 (-1 percent or around 1200 filled jobs). Within this, around approximately 800 jobs are forecast to have been lost from the media sector. The economic outlook is forecast to pick up from 2027, with employment rebounding to provide just under 8,200 net new jobs in the arts and creative sector to 2031.In the sport and recreation sector, there were 75,186 filled jobs and 18,516 businesses in the year ending March 2025. Both employment (1.3 percent) and business (3.0 percent) growth was greater than the total economy (0.5 percent). Employment is forecast to remain stable, growing by just over 8400 new jobs to 2031.In terms of size, the vast majority of businesses in the arts and creative sector (92.1 percent) and sport and recreation sector (86.8 percent) have 0-5 employees. This is similar to the total economy (88.1 percent).Table 3: Employment and businesses in the cultural system, year to March 2025.Sector profilePrimary employment(filled jobs)% change from prior yearBusinesses% change from prior yearArts and creative122,013-1.8%38,4131.3%Selected arts and creative sub-sectors*Arts27,633-0.4%10,5901.3%Heritage34,724-1.0%8,0980.8%Media and broadcasting24,959-5.3%7,6483.3%Sport and recreation75,1861.3%18,5163.0%TOTAL ECONOMY2,772,368-1.1%654,6690.5%Note. *Sector profiles are distinct. Totals for the arts, heritage and media profiles do not equal 100 percent of the arts and creative profile.Media sector challengesThe media sector is experiencing ongoing challenges impacting employment and contribution to GDP. Data in the year to March 2025 highlights ongoing challenges facing the media sector, in particular the notable decline in employment (-5.3 percent) and GDP contribution (-3.0 percent) in the year to March 2025. This period included several well-publicised restructures and reductions in the media sector, including the closure of Newshub and programme cuts at TVNZ. These declines are greater than other parts of the cultural system as well as the total economy and continue a trend over time (see Figure 1).As noted in the Economy evidence brief, these challenges stem from ongoing market, technological and audience shifts that are impacting career pathways and sustainability. These issues are not limited to New Zealand and are being experienced within the media and screen sectors globally.Figure 1: Growth in employment – Media and broadcasting sector vs. total economy, 2001-2025. Image Image description: Graph showing annual growth in employment (% change) 2001-2025 for media and broadcasting sector and the total economy. Comparatively, the media and broadcasting sector has experienced greater employment declines in recent years than the total economy. Employment characteristicsWorkers in the arts and creative sector are more likely to be self-employed, highly skilled and based in Auckland. Data in the year to March 2025 measures a range of characteristics for employment including age, gender, qualifications, ethnicity, self-employment and regional distribution. Of these, notable differences between the cultural system and total economy are observed in selected areas.Self-employment in the arts and creative sector has been slightly declining over the past five years, from a peak of 31.7 percent in 2021 to 28.4 percent in the year to March 2025. The current self-employment rate in this sector is still almost twice as high as the total economy, with high rates concentrated in the arts (35.4 percent) and media sectors (37.3 percent). The arts and creative sector employs a significantly higher proportion of highly skilled workers2 than the total economy – 69.3 percent compared to 41.5 percent total economy. Within the arts sector specifically, this is even higher (75.8 percent). Within sport and recreation, there is a more even distribution of workers across skills levels, with higher proportions of semi-skilled (25.8 percent) and skilled workers (15.3 percent) than the total economy (13.7 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively). Employment in the arts and creative sector continues to be concentrated in Auckland (42.8 percent), Wellington (14.4 percent) and Canterbury (11.7 percent). This is consistent across the sector, though there is less concentration in Auckland for the Heritage sector (32.3 percent).Table 4: Demographic characteristics of workers in the cultural system, year to March 2025.Sector profileSelf-employment rateProportion of highly skilled workersEmployment in urban centresAucklandWellingtonCanterburyArts and creative28.4%69.3%42.8%14.4%11.7%Selected arts and creative sub-sectors*Arts35.4%75.8%42.1%15.0%11.1%Heritage16.9%67.2%32.3%15.7%13.6%Media and broadcasting37.3%63.8%48.2%18.3%8.6%Sport and recreation15.0%32.1%33.2%11.8%13.5%TOTAL ECONOMY15.2%41.5%35.2%11.6%13.2%Note. *Sector profiles are distinct. Totals for the arts, heritage and media profiles do not equal 100 percent of the arts and creative profile.