Creative Industries in Serbia
This is one of the youngest yet fastest-growing sectors of Serbia’s economy, with a GDP contribution of 7,4%. Around 50% of people employed are university graduates, aged 20-45 years.
“The development of creative industries, along with the adoption of green energy and industry, is a necessary step in the transformation of our society and economic environment. Countries that have not succeeded in riding the waves of the third industrial revolution, now have a new chance in the fourth. We are using that opportunity!”
Ana Brnabic
Prime Minister of Republic of Serbia
In the past few years, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has brought systemic measures to map, connect and develop the country’s knowledge-based economy and creative industries. The goal of these measures was improving the economic climate for creative industries, an already successful sector that was contributing about 7.4% to the country’s GDP without any official support.
Over the past six years, the sector has grown by more than 60%, with a cumulative export rate growth of 51%, amounting to 346.8 billion dinars. In the same time frame, the gross value added (GVA) for creative industries has increased from 178 billion dinars to 236 billion dinars. In spite of the slowing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, preliminary results show a growth of 3.6% – a result that surpasses pre-COVID growth trends. Learn more »
Talents and Creativity
More than half of those employed in the creative sector are university graduates aged between 20 and 45. The sector employs 127.000 people, of which women account for 40-45%. In the past six years, the size of the sector has increased by 62%, amounting to a total of more than 73,000 registered companies. Most of them belong to the sector’s fastest growing branches – computer programming, video games, and audio-visual content production.
In focus
Video game industry
The annual turnover in the video game industry amounts to 120 million euros, with a yearly growth rate of around 20%. In the last two years, three of our most successful gaming companies were acquired by foreign investors, thus bringing the global giants Epic games, Playrix, and Take-Two Interactive Software to the Serbian market. With women accounting for one third of the gaming industry workforce, Serbia ranks in the top three European countries in that respect.
Creativity and Knowledge – Why?
Creativity and knowledge cannot be outsourced – they are the most valuable resources of the 21st century economy.
The development of the creative sector requires sustainability, decentralization, and open access for every individual with an idea.
Investing in creativity is investing in people and their talents.
Creative industries provide added value to traditional economic fields and improve the quality of goods and services by making them globally competitive and accessible.
Significant foreign investment in Serbia demonstrates that our product is already globally recognized.
Knowledge and creativity are what Serbia is globally known for. They are the pillars that the image of modern Serbia rests upon, as a country driven by excellence, innovation, and authenticity.
