Reports show why NZ should back its $13 billion creative sector – and how

Toi Mai has released two exciting new reports today that prove our creative/creative tech sector* is much bigger value and more productive than commonly perceived, and with the right action from government and industry, it has the potential to underpin New Zealand’s future prosperity.

We're sitting on a creative goldmine

“The creative sector really surprised me in terms of just how productive it is, and also how much it is improving over time.”
– Shamubeel Eaqub, economist

The first report by well-known economist Shamubeel Eaqub busts some common myths in New Zealand about this fast-growing sector, which ranges from movie and TV production to gaming and music recording. Skills in the creative sector shows the sector is:

worth almost $13 billion annually (2022): 4% of GDP and growing rapidly
supports almost 100,000 jobs
highly productive – about the same as agriculture
our fourth largest commodity export ($3.6bn in 2023), bigger than fruit, wine and seafood, sitting behind only dairy, meat and forestry.

Produced for Toi Mai, Eaqub’s report also reveals that currently there’s a big disconnect between the skills this sector needs and training; 80% of people working in creative industries or occupations don’t have creative qualifications, while 86% of people with creative qualifications aren’t in creative roles. The issue isn’t the level of funding, but current training isn’t hitting the mark. Get this right and we’d boost productivity and employability in all industries.

Skills in the creative sector (full report)

Skills in the creative sector (summary)

Our challenge to government
and industry to act

“We need to raise the profile of the creative industries as being important to New Zealand's economic future. They need to be elevated, and the Government needs to pay them more attention.”
– Dr Claire Robinson, Toi Mai CEO

As Toi Mai moves towards disestablishment at the end of the year, our companion report Te Pūaotanga – The New Dawn is a wero (challenge) to government, business and industry to take action to realise the creative/creative tech sector’s potential.

We set out some pathways to transform the sector and make sure we don’t squander our competitive advantage. Key actions we are calling for include the following:

Position creative industries as a strategic economic asset and catalyst for tourism, export, sustainability and tech growth – including appointing a Minister for Creative Industries as a senior role in the Executive.
Develop a government-led national skills strategy that looks out 20–30 years. 
Redirect existing investments through smarter deployment of current resources; for example, 25% of international visitors engage with creative tourism (visiting film, event and experience), and a portion of the International Visitor Levy could be allocated to boost these experiences and develop new ones. 
Reform education and industry incentives with funding to reward skills-based outcomes that meet industry needs, rather than ‘qualifications’.

Te Pūaotanga – The New Dawn (full report)

Te Pūaotanga – The New Dawn (summary)

Watch the videos

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub says New Zealand's creative/creative tech sector is highly productive and improving over time.

The sector also has a much bigger impact on the economy and jobs than commonly perceived.

Skills in the creative sector (YouTube)

Dr Claire Robinson, Te Tumu o Toi | Toi Mai Chief Executive, says it's time for the New Zealand Government to be more ambitious for the creative/creative tech sector and really back it, just like it backs the primary sector and construction industry. In return, this high value sector will power economic growth.

Te Pūaotanga - The New Dawn (YouTube)

Visit the Toi Mai website for more information

Level 3, Tower B 49-61 Tory Street, Wellington, New Zealand

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*Creative/creative tech sector includes people working in creative jobs and creative industries, including post-production services, motion picture and video production, gaming, music publishing, motion picture and video distribution, creative artists, musicians, writers, jewellery and silverware manufacturing, other publishing, music and other sound recording activities, internet publishing and broadcasting, book publishing, performing arts venue operation, performing arts operation, motion picture exhibition.

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Reports show why NZ should back its $13 billion creative sector – and how

We're sitting on a creative goldmine

“The creative sector really surprised me in terms of just how productive it is, and also how much it is improving over time.” – Shamubeel Eaqub, economist

Our challenge to government and industry to act

“We need to raise the profile of the creative industries as being important to New Zealand's economic future. They need to be elevated, and the Government needs to pay them more attention.” – Dr Claire Robinson, Toi Mai CEO

Watch the videos

“The creative sector really surprised me in terms of just how productive it is, and also how much it is improving over time.”
– Shamubeel Eaqub, economist

Our challenge to government
and industry to act

“We need to raise the profile of the creative industries as being important to New Zealand's economic future. They need to be elevated, and the Government needs to pay them more attention.”
– Dr Claire Robinson, Toi Mai CEO