The culture sector labour force: has the 1990s boom turned to bust? - ARCHIVED

This article examines some of the many factors that influence the well-being of Canada's culture sector and its workforce: the country's general economic conditions; government programs and policies; and consumer demand, of both domestic and imported culture goods and services.

The forces of economic, social, political and technological change are radically transforming the world of culture and its labour force. The 1980s saw a rapid expansion of the culture workforce to meet increased demand for culture goods and services. This period of growth paused with the 1990/91 recession: jobs, earnings and revenues all fell off. With the end of the recession, the labour market rebounded and culture workers rode this high employment wave throughout the remainder of the decade.

Countries have become more conscious of the role that culture plays in their development, their identity and the sustenance of their value systems. In many countries culture sectors are now targets of international economic development policies. Global trade and the continued high demand in Canada for imported culture goods and services make the culture economy in this country (and, in turn, employment in the culture sector) variable and highly competitive.