Auckland’s creative industries grow despite recession

Auckland’s creative industries are growing despite the 2008/2009 recession, according to a new report Auckland’s Creative Industries – The numbers 2009.

The Auckland City Council report indicates perhaps surprisingly that the entertainment arena (TV, video, movies, concerts) has been impacted less severely than other sectors, such as retail, as consumers keep some disposable income aside for ongoing “stress release” at a time of economic uncertainty.

The creative industries cover a number of sub-sectors, which have mostly grown steadily over the past eight years.

Employment in the Auckland city creative industries is concentrated in design (38 per cent), publishing (23 per cent) and screen production - TV, film and video (23 per cent). The remaining 15 per cent includes radio, digital media, performing arts, visual arts and music. In the past two years (from 2006-2008), Auckland city employment growth in the creative industries was almost six times the national average (2.9 per cent per year compared with 0.5 per cent) and faster than overall employment growth in Auckland city (2.9 per cent compared with 2.1 per cent).

However, the main growth has occurred in digital media and design. Between 2000 and 2008, employment in digital media grew almost 9 per cent per year, and just over 6 per cent per year in design.

City Development chairperson Aaron Bhatnagar says Auckland City Council focused its support on the creative industries as these have produced strong economic growth in terms of revenue, employment, exports, city and national branding, and while attracting and retaining a skilled workforce.

“In 2007 the council published a ten-year action plan outlining steps to help build the creative industries called Blueprint: Growing Auckland’s Creative Industries. We realised there was so much potential in these businesses and we wanted to support that,” says Councillor Bhatnagar. 

Auckland city has the largest concentration of creative industries employment and businesses in the country, equating to 5 per cent of the city’s total employment and 2.3 per cent of total nationwide employment. The creative industries’ stand-alone contribution to Auckland city’s GDP is estimated at more than $1.8 billion for 2008, or 6.6 per cent of the city’s total GDP. The industries also stimulate economic activity in other sectors.

The Numbers 2009 can be viewed online at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/

The Blueprint report can be viewed at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/blueprint/