Gold Coast
Creative Sector
Analytical insights into the Creative Sector in QLD's City of Gold Coast LGA
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VALUE ADDED
The Creative Sector generated $2,294M in output and $1,074M in value added in 2019/20, 3.6% of the total Gold Coast economy.
This represented 13.1% of Queensland's total Creative Sector value.
In 2019/20, $228.2M (21%) of value was generated by Computer System Design and Related Services.
The second highest contributing industry was Architectural Services.
Value added in the sector grew by 3.1% p.a. over the last decade. This was higher than the Queensland average of 1.4% p.a.
Recent growth (last four years) has averaged 1.0% p.a., lower than the Queensland average (1.4%)
EMPLOYMENT
The Creative Sector supported 12,782 (4.2% of total jobs) and provided employment for 13,526 (3.3% of all employed residents) in 2019/20.
The region represented 14.2% of all Queensland's total Creative Sector jobs.
In 2019/20, an estimated 2,772 (21.7% of local jobs) were in Computer System Design and Related Services.
The industry that employed the most local residents (inside and outside the region) was Computer System Design and Related Services with 3,352 (24.8% of all Creative Sector resident workers).
Local jobs in the sector averaged 3.6% p.a. growth over the decade to 2019/20. Growth in employment of local residents in the sector was lower over the decade, averaging 3.4% p.a.
Recent growth in jobs (3.5% p.a.) has been lower than the decade average.
Jobs growth in the sector in Queensland averaged 2.0% p.a. over the decade and 1.9% p.a. in recent years.
SPECIALISATIONS
In 2018/19, the most over-represented industries* in Gold Coast were Cable and Other Subscription Broadcasting (4.1x the Queensland average share of Creative jobs) and Motion picture and Video Production (3.0x).
The most over-represented occupations were Actors, Dancers and Other Entertainers; and Performing Arts Technicians.
* Over-represented means a higher share of local workers are in this industry/occupation compared to the benchmark average.
Industry Concentrations
N.B. A location quotient is a simple way of seeing which are the main industries in an area, relative to the larger benchmark region. LQ shows the percentage of the local economy characteristic (eg. employment, value add) in a particular industry divided by the percentage of the characteristic in the industry in a benchmark area (region, state, nation) . A number greater than 1 suggest the industry is over-represented locally and could be a specialisation. Tables have been filtered for industries/occupations with >0.5% share of jobs
BUSINESSES
In 2020, the largest number of registered businesses (1,472; 33%), were in Computer System Design Services.
Another 15% (656) were in Advertising Services.
Registered business numbers have increased by 1.5% p.a. (+584 businesses) between June 2012 and 2020, led by Computer System Design and Related Services growth.
Growth in the last two years has been very strong (6.1% p.a.) driven by strong growth in Advertising Services businesses.
WORKFORCE PROFILE
The Gold Coast Creative Sector workforce is less male orientated, more likely to be born overseas and more entrepreneurial than the state average. However, they are also less educated and more likely to be earning a lower income.
40
years
old
57%
43%
Median
Age
Male
Female
(39 years)
(60%)
(40%)
Source: ABS Census, 2016;
Queensland
35%
Born o/s
(31%)
32%
34%
Degree Educated
Owner-Manager
(42%)
(28%)
69%
$52,000
Median
Income
Full-Time
(70%)
($57,833)
In 2016, the main occupations of local workers in the Gold Coast Creative Sector were Graphic and Web Designers and Software Programmers.
This aligns with the two top field of study areas for qualified workers - IT and Graphic Arts and Design Studies.
In 2016, 32% of local workers in the Gold Coast Creative Sector had degree level qualifications. This is higher than the share of local workers in all sectors (23%).
However, qualification attainment is below that for Queensland workers as a whole in the sector (42% degree qualified in 2016).
In 2016, the most common age bracket for local workers in the Gold Coast Creative Sector was 35 to 44 year olds (27%). This age bracket was also the most common for Queensland workers as a whole in the sector.
Gold Coast has a lower share of Creative Sector workers aged between 25 to 34 than Queensland, and a higher share of workers aged 65 and over.
GEOGRAPHY
In 2016, Robina had an estimated 1,178 jobs in the Creative Sector, 10.5% of the Gold Coast total. The largest industry was Cable and Other Subscription Broadcasting. Southport-North was another key location with 920 jobs, most in Computer System Design and Related Services.
This report relies on data sourced from NIEIR (2021) and ABS Census of Population and Housing (2011, 2016).
The sector definition is based on creative industries and occupations used in ABS Cultural and Creative Activity Satellite Accounts. Therefore, not all creative industries, especially highly specialised ones (e.g. surfboard shapers) will be included.