40% of cultural workers must combine several jobs to survive.
The CoNCA's annual report on the state of culture and the arts also warns of the lack of diversity and territorial imbalances.
BarcelonaThe Catalan cultural sector is growing in many ways, but it also faces structural problems that make the current model unsustainable, according to the annual report on the state of culture and the arts by CoNCA. There are record figures in the publishing sector, in 2023 Catalan publishing houses invoiced within the Spanish market 1,544 million euros, a figure that represents an increase of 7.1% compared to the previous year and 26.6% compared to 2019. There has also been an increase in the number of 2,201 companies – 136 theater companies, 33 dance companies and 32 circus companies – a figure that represents an increase in absolute values of 51 companies compared to the previous year and 30 compared to 2019. Furthermore, in the performing arts, income from caches continues to grow for the third consecutive year, and in 202 18% more than the previous year and 42% more than 2019.
The data related to music are also good. The number of popular music concerts increased significantly, from 12,365 in 2019 to 15,570 in 2023. Popular music concert attendance has also grown, peaking at 4,139,804 in 2023.
However, the news is not as positive in the audiovisual and visual arts sectors. Audiovisual productions in the original Catalan language declined in 2020 but have shown a recovery, peaking in 2022 and then slightly declining in 2023. The number of titles screened declined in 2020 but increased significantly in 2021 and remained relatively high until 2022. Regarding Catalan production, the data indicates a notable increase in viewers in 2020 that was not sustained in subsequent years. Despite the slight recovery in 2022, there was a further decline in 2023. Art galleries are also not doing well. In 2022, there were 121 art galleries in Catalonia, 13 fewer than the number when the last official statistics were compiled in 2019 and 59 fewer than in 2009. In the last ten years, the art gallery sector has lost 28% of its establishments, falling from 185 in 2019.
A precarious labor sector
Despite the economic growth of the cultural sector, the working conditions of professionals remain precarious. According to the CoNCA survey, 23% of cultural workers earn below the minimum wage and only 35% earn above the average wage. Furthermore, 40% must combine several jobs to ensure their economic sustainability. "The contrast between the success of the structures and the vulnerability of the individuals calls into question the sustainability of the current model," according to the CoNCA report. This precariousness is explained, in part, by subcontracting in public services: "Labor rights are often violated, and practices such as false self-employment or salaries below the legal minimum are reproduced."
Another negative fact, according to CoNCA, is that the draft law on cultural rights "has had a very limited presence" and warns that, without concrete actions, this law could remain a symbolic framework without real effects. The organization also criticizes territorial inequalities in access to culture: "This situation is exacerbated by the lack of strategic planning for cultural events such as the Guimerà Year, which have not achieved the expected impact or generated significant cultural mobilization." Another area in need of improvement is the equipment. Many are opened, but then there is a lack of maintenance: "Many facilities suffer from a lack of resources to maintain a stable program, qualified personnel, and efficient management. Furthermore, they often do not respond to the real needs of local communities or incorporate environmental sustainability criteria," details the CoNCA. Finally, there is still a long way to go to achieve a more diverse culture: "Both in professional equipment and content, diversity is still scarce and often relegated to marginal or alternative spaces," states the CoNCA.
