Malta/ 4.2 Specific policy issues and recent debates  

4.2.9 Employment policies for the cultural sector

In 2009, at EU-27 level, 3.6 million people were employed in the five main cultural sectors of economic activity (NACE 58, 59, 60, 90, 91)[1] representing 1.7% of total employment. In Malta employment in the same selected cultural sectors is estimated at around 2 929 people in 2007 (CEWG) and / or 2 800 people in 2009 (Eurostat)^[2]. The percentage of total employment is given as 1.7% by Eurostat (for 2009) and estimated at 1.88% by the Creative Economy Working Group (for 2007).

For these main cultural sectors Eurostat reports the EU average (2009) of non-employees (self-employed and family workers) among all persons employed at around 24%. In about half of the EU countries, the percentage of non-employees in the cultural sectors was 20% or less, while in Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland and Austria this proportion exceeded 30%. In Malta, the equivalent based on the selected main areas would be around 19.12% (560 non-employees as opposed to 2 369 employees).

The figures below give a more comprehensive outlook of the cultural and creative industries, as defined by the Creative Economy Working Group.

Table 1:    Employment indicators for Malta, 2007

Source:    Structural Business Statistics / NSO / ETC.

Definitions: Y : Output or income: the output of the economy or market cost of goods and services. GVA: Gross Value Added (GVA); a measure of the value generated in the production of goods and rendering of services. It is new value generated by the economic activity.

Table 2:    CCI employment as a share of total employment, 2007

Source:    Structrual Business Statistics.

Table 3:    Percentage of employees and non-employees (self-employed) among all persons employed in cultural industries, 2007

Source:    Structrual Business Statistics (National Statistics Office, 2011).
*              Non-Employees would encompass self-employed and family workers.

The percentage of non-employees in cultural sectors in Malta (2007) is around 20.9%. There is an indication of higher rates of self-employment in the areas of visual arts, performing arts and music. Also, more than 25% in the Design sector are non-employees. In many of the other areas, there is a low rate of self-employment, indicating a strong presence of companies and institutions as employers.

The first employment initiative for the cultural sector was introduced in the 2007 Budget. Persons who are employed in the public sector and who are working in a semi-professional manner in the creative spheres will now be able to request leave without pay for a definite period of time in order that they may develop or work on artistic projects. This measure will enable a number of semi-professional artists to explore the potential of a career in the creative sector without risking losing their post in the public sector.

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