The following data refer to public culture expenditure in the whole of Belgium in 2018. Each figure is the sum of expenditure on cultural services and on broadcasting and publishing services.[1] Public culture expenditure (for all levels of government together) represents:
- EUR 283.4 per capita
- 0.7% of the GDP
- 1.4% of total public expenditure
These data were taken from Eurostat, the National Bank of Belgium, and Statbel. Compared over the period 2009-2018, the percentage of public expenditure on cultural services in the GDP has remained stable (0.5%), while that of expenditure on broadcasting and publishing services dropped from 0.3% in 2009-2010 to 0.2% in 2011-2018. The share of expenditure on cultural services in the total of public expenditure amounted to 0.9% in 2009-2015, after which it rose to 1% in 2016-2018. The share of expenditure on broadcasting and publishing services has remained stable (0.4%) from 2011 onwards (compared to 0.5% in 2009-2010). For details on culture expenditure by the Flemish government and other levels of government, see 7.1.2.
[1] I.e. COFOG-categories 08.2 (‘cultural services’) and 08.3 (‘broadcasting and publishing services’). Category 08.2 includes, for example, the administration of cultural affairs, the operation or support of libraries, museums, theatres, exhibition halls, monuments, etc., the production or support of cultural events such as concerts, stage and film productions or exhibitions, and subsidies to support artists and cultural organisations. Category 08.3 includes, for example, the regulation and operation of broadcasting and publishing services, support for the gathering of news or the distribution of published works, and support for the construction of broadcasting facilities or equipment for newspaper, magazine or book publishing. See the Eurostat manual on COFOG.
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