In the visual arts field, the biggest problem encountered is linked to the fragility of the domestic art market, which is due to the low appetite of consumers for visual arts, as revealed by the 2015 Cultural Consumption Barometer. The total lack of specific tax and financial measures taking into account the characteristics of this domain perpetuates its vulnerabilities, with a direct impact on the incomes earned both by contemporary visual artists and by the specialised businesses (art galleries, auction houses etc.). The status, the nature and the specificity of the visual arts trades are approaches difficult to apply in the case of some public institutions. On the other hand, the state cannot interfere with the building of an art market. However, a quite significant number of Romanian artists are successfully harnessing their artistic works, thereby contributing to the economic growth of the country.
Table. Economic performance – Visual arts
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| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Turnover evolution by CCS sub-sectors (thousand RON) | 3,932,933 | 4,128,142 | 4,159,974 | 3,841,513 | 3,613,548 |
| Employment evolution by sub-sectors | 17,555 | 18,425 | 18,496 | 17,519 | 16,790 |
| Profit evolution by sub-sectors (thousand RON) | -74,708 | -129,469 | -8,326 | -76,685 | 192,710 |
| Labour productivity evolution (thousand RON turnover/number of employees) | 224 | 224 | 225 | 219 | 215 |
| Number of companies | 4,522 | 5,039 | 5,512 | 6,103 | 6,756 |
Source: Borg Design Database, INCFC analyses
Although the appetite of the general public for contemporary visual arts in general is very low, some forms of visual arts (design or photography) show a high performance trend in the analysed period, along with the related sales transactions. Besides, even though the number of artistic works sold is small, their economic value is, in some cases, much higher than that of other cultural products.
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