One of the tasks for implementing the State Cultural Policy of the CR 2009–2014 was to create the Culture Account of the CR. This task was assigned to NIPOS, a state contributory organisation of the MC. The objective of creating the Culture Account is to map all the financial flows into culture from various sources and just as effectively map the financial flows out of culture. The account should also show the level and effectiveness of management in individual areas, the extent of labour and investment resources used, the level of wages, and finally, with the aid of financial indicators, display the weight of culture in the economy.
In September 2011 the results of the first, pilot Culture Account of the CR for 2009, prepared jointly by the MC, NIPOS, and the Czech Statistical Office, were presented. Since then the results have been published each year. The latest results were released in 2022 for the year 2020. Given that the methodology and scope of data observed since the Culture Account was initiated changes each year, it is at present difficult to compare the Culture Account results in a time series.
In conformity with available international documents (EUROSTAT, UNESCO, OECD) the account distinguishes the following branches of culture labelled ‘O. 11 – O. 19’ (categorised according to CZ – NACE):
- cultural heritage – O. 11 (91.01, 02, 03; 47.78, 79)
- performing (stage) arts – O. 12 (90.01, 02, 04)
- visual (fine) arts and crafts – O. 13 (74.10, 20; 90.03, part of section C)
- periodical and non-periodical press – O. 14 (58.11,13; 63.91; 74.30; 47.61, 62)
- audio-visual and interactive media – O. 15 (58.21; 59.11, 12, 13, 14, 20; 60.10, 20; 47.63; 77.22)
- architecture – O. 16 (71.11)
- advertising – O. 17 (73.11)
- arts education – O. 18 (85.52)
- management and support of culture – O. 19 (a part of 84.11, a part of 12; 94.99.2)
In 2020, the total sum of resources that flowed into the culture sector reached CZK 261.5 billion. After six years of annual increases in culture spending (3.8% per year on average between 2014 and 2019), it decreased by 4.8% in 2020 (CZK 13.1 billion). This decline can be attributed mainly to a significant year-on-year reduction in household spending on culture (by CZK 5.3 billion) and lower income of business, mainly private, entities from cultural activities (by CZK 14.7 billion). This decline in cultural funding was significantly affected by the closure, inability to hold cultural events, etc. during the lockdown in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020, 46.7 billion CZK of public budget resources went to culture, which is 3.7 billion CZK (8.6%) more than the year before. This sum comprises consolidated expenditures relating to operations and investment provided by the state, regional administrative authorities, and state extra-budgetary funds (the Fund for Culture and the Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography) based on budget performance.
Out of the total sum of expenditures, more than 37.7 billion CZK was designated for operational purposes and 9.0 billion CZK for investment. In terms of the volume of public resources, the most resources – both for operations and investment – spent on culture were from regional budgets (35.72%) and municipal budgets (33.8%), mainly in the areas of cultural heritage, the performing arts, and arts education.
The total sum of resources devoted to culture in 2020 amounted to 2.5% of public budget resources.
Indirect state assistance for culture cannot be quantified, in part because some of this support may derive from the expenditures of households and businesses (donations to cultural institutions, which are tax deductible).
Indicator no.1: Public culture expenditure per capita in 2020
As of 31 December 2020, the CR had a population of 10 701 777. The uniform exchange rate of the Czech National Bank for 2020 was 26.50 CZK for 1 EUR. Public budget expenditures on culture at every level of public administration in 2020 were equal to 4368 CZK or 164.83 EUR per capita.
Indicator no. 2: Public expenditures on culture as a percentage of GDP in 2020
Public expenditures on culture as a percentage of GDP[1] was 0.82% in 2020.
Indicator no. 3: Public expenditures on culture as a percentage of total public expenditures in 2020
The share of expenditures on culture out of total public budget expenditures in 2020 was 2.5%.
[1] GDP in 2020 CZK 5 709.1 billion
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