The Creative Industries contribute between 5.8 and 6.3 percent of Serbia’s GDP according to the latest report “Analysis of the Economic Effects of the Creative Industries Sector on the Economy of Serbia” conducted by the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade. In the analyzed period, the number of employees in the sector increased by 37 percent between 2016 and 2023. The total of Creative Industries exports also increased by 81 percent, constituting 2.5 percent of the total exports of Serbia.

According to the data from the above-mentioned report and taking into consideration the CI’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Creative Industries contribution to the economy is on par with the financial sector and the same level as the construction sector. Particularly notable results can be seen in the export of Creative Industry products, compared to 2016. The growth in exports was 81 percent compared to 2019, and the nominal growth in the sector’s overall export was 14 percent. This is a significant success considering the impact of the global pandemic. The participation of the Creative Industries in the total exports of Serbia in 2021 was 2.5% or over $648 million.

“The Creative Industries, which primarily put the intellectual capital of Serbia first, have shown flexibility and resistance to crisis situations on global and local markets. The continued growth of key economic indicators highlights their great importance for the Serbian economy. In addition, the Creative Industries add value to traditional areas of the economy, affecting not only the overall transformation of the economy and the economy itself, but also society as a whole” – says Dr. Igor Kovacevic, a professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade who heads the analysis team.

At the same time, the Creative Industries in Serbia generate an increasing number of jobs – now recorded at 155,138 jobs, which is 7% of the total number of employees in Serbia. In this workforce, 49% are women, 45% are highly educated, and 60% are young people aged 25 to 45. 41,000 more people were employed in the sector than in 2016 and 19,000 more were employed than in 2019.

“The successful and rapid development of the Creative Industries in Serbia is best indicated by the growth in the number of registered companies engaged in one of the 50 activities from the creative industries, innovation and knowledge economy sectors in 2021. The total number of companies was 55,755, an increase of 11% compared to 2019. This number represents 13-15% of the total number of entrepreneurs and companies in Serbia, meaning that on average, one-in-seven entrepreneurs and one-in-six companies are directly involved in the creative industries domain,” says Kovacevic.

The impressive economic indicators represent a huge potential for Serbia, and the government of the Republic of Serbia will continue to provide support to the sector, says Ana Ilić, Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia for Creative Industries and Tourism who leads the Serbia Creates team.

„The Government of the Republic of Serbia aims to provide systemic support and promote our country through achievements in the creative industries, innovation and the knowledge economy. To date, successful projects such as representing Serbia at the Dubai Expo 2020 have made our country an internationally recognized leader in the Creative Industries. There are also numerous capital projects aimed at developing Serbia’s potential, including the reconstruction of the Vinča Belo Brdo archaeological site into a high-level research and tourist centre, and the construction of new buildings for the Faculties of Fine, Applied, and Musical Arts. However, our biggest project is the renovation of the former Lozionica building in Belgrade and its adaptive reuse as the first multi-functional centre for the Creative Industries in Serbia and the region. Lozionica, expected to open in 2025, will be a crown of our efforts in innovation and a meeting place for individuals and organizations in creative industries, enabling them to collaborate and develop further“, said Ilić.

Full report can be found here: LINK

Nacionalna platforma „Srbija stvara/ Serbia creates“ je krovno, međuresorno telo zaduženo za međunarodnu promociju Srbije kroz izvozni potencijal iz oblasti kreativnih industrija, inovacija i ekonomije zasnovane na znanju. Srbija stvara deluje kao nacionalni brend moderne Srbije koji afirmiše savremene vrednosti – kreativnost, inovativnost, znanje i talenat.

Platforma je deo šire inicijative predsednice Vlade Republike Srbije Ane Brnabić, koja je prepoznala značaj i potencijal ekonomija zasnovanih na znanju, kako u kontekstu njihovog velikog doprinosa ekonomskom i društvenom razvoju Srbije, tako i u kontekstu jačanja ugleda i imidža Srbije u svetu.