RDA BGLAP Region
Creative Sector
Analytical insights into the Creative Sector in the SA region covering Barossa, Gawler Light, and Adelaide Plains.
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VALUE ADDED
The Creative Sector generated $79M in output and $41M in value added in 2020/21, 0.8% of the total RDA BGLAP Region economy.
This represented 1.3% of South Australia's total Creative Sector value.
In 2020/21, $6.1M (15%) of value was generated by Clothing Retailing.
The second highest contributing industry was Arts Education.
Value added in the sector grew by 0.0% p.a. over the last decade. This was lower than the South Australia average of 1.4% p.a.
Recent growth (last four years) has averaged -6.8% p.a., lower than the South Australia average (1.9%)
EMPLOYMENT
The Creative Sector supported 688 (2.2% of total jobs) and provided employment for 1,132 (2.8% of all employed residents) in 2020/21.
The region represented 1.8% of all South Australia's total Creative Sector jobs.
In 2020/21, an estimated 141 (20% of local jobs) were in Creative Arts Education.
The industry that employed the most local residents (inside and outside the region) was Clothing, Footwear and Accessory retailing with 302 (27% of all Creative Sector resident workers).
Local jobs in the sector averaged -0.7% p.a. decline over the decade to 2020/21. Change in employment of local residents in the sector was slightly better over the decade, averaging -0.1% p.a.
Recent declines in jobs (-2.7% p.a.) has been higher than the decade average.
Jobs growth in the sector in South Australia averaged -0.6% p.a. over the decade and -0.8% p.a. in recent years.
SPECIALISATIONS
In 2021, the most over-represented industries* in the BGLAP Creative Sector were Textile Manufacturing (5.7x the South Australia average share of Creative Sector jobs), Leather Product Manufacturing and Libraries and Archives.
The most over-represented occupations were Electronics and Telecommunications Trades Workers and Horticultural Trades Workers.
* 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 2021, the largest number of registered businesses (31; 19%), were in Other Specialised Design Services.
Another 10% (17) were in Clothing Retailing.
Registered business numbers have increased by only 0.6% p.a. (+7 businesses) between June 2011 and 2021, supported by Advertising Services growth (+10).
Growth in the last four years has been stronger (5.8% p.a.) driven by strong growth in Other Specialised Design Services (+9)
WORKFORCE PROFILE
The BGLAP Region Creative Sector workforce in 2021 was more female orientated, less 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.
45
years
old
36%
64%
Median
Age
Male
Female
(40 years)
(40%)
(60%)
Source: ABS Census, 2021;
South Australia
10%
Born o/s
(21%)
24%
44%
Degree Educated
Owner-Manager
(33%)
(29%)
43%
$37,006
Median
Income
Full-Time
(50%)
($44,878)
In 2021, the main occupations of local workers in the Creative Sector were Sales Assistants and Arts Professionals.
The two top field of study areas for qualified workers were Business and Management and Architecture and Urban Environment.
In 2021, 24% of local workers in the Creative Sector had degree level qualifications. This is higher than the share of local workers in all sectors (21%).
Qualification attainment was below that for South Australia workers as a whole in the sector (33% degree qualified in 2021).
In 2021, the most common age bracket for local workers in the Creative Sector was 35 to 44 year olds (20%).
The region had a lower share of Creative Sector workers aged between 15 to 34 than South Australia, and a much higher share of workers aged 55 and over.
GEOGRAPHY
In 2021, the area around Gawler was nominated in the Census as the working destination for approx. 140 workers in the Creative Sector, 28% of the BGLAP region's total. The largest industries were retail, publishing and libraries. Tanunda was another key location with an estimated 72 (14%) jobs, the largest industry being architectural services.
This report relies on data sourced from NIEIR (2021) and ABS Census of Population and Housing (2011, 2016, 2021).
The sector definition is based on creative industries and occupations used in the report Economic value of creative businesses in South Australia. Therefore, not all creative industries, especially highly specialised ones, will be included.