Focus on international trade in culture
Summer unlocked: Article #1
Throughout the summer, in what I’m calling “Summer unlocked”, I’ll be opening up some of my previous articles for all readers, whether paid or not.
Today, I start with four articles on international trade in culture, which were available to paid subscribers in January (clickable links are further below):
International trade in arts, culture, and heritage in 2023
Which provinces export the most arts and culture products? Which have a trade surplus?
Trends in Canada’s international trade in the arts, culture, and heritage between 2010 and 2023
Canada’s trade with the USA in the arts, culture, and heritage
Key findings
What did I find in these articles?
Canada has a deficit in international trade in culture: Canada exports $27 billion in arts, culture, and heritage goods and services but imports nearly $36 billion, for a deficit close to $9 billion.
Despite the overall trade deficit, five cultural areas registered a trade surplus:
Film and video: $3.9 billion
Crafts: $1.1 billion
Interactive media: $0.9 billion
Architecture: $27 million
Advertising: $15 million
The USA is Canada’s main cultural trading partner, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all cultural exports (67%) and imports (62%). Canada has had a cultural trade deficit with the United States in every year since 2010. The trade deficit was $4 billion in 2023.
Based on an imperfect but reasonable approximation of “the arts”, arts products represent 59% of the total value of Canadian cultural exports.
In 2023, there was an international trade surplus in the arts of $1.7 billion. However, in most years since 2010, Canada had an international trade deficit in the arts.
There has been a cultural trade deficit in every year since 2010, and the deficit tended to increase during that period.
Even on a per capita basis, two large provinces dominate exports: Ontario ($1,023 per resident) and British Columbia ($895). All other provinces are below the national average ($675).
Only British Columbia had an international trade surplus in 2023, with $250 million more in cultural exports than imports.
Over the 14 data periods from 2010 to 2023, B.C. had 7 cultural trade surpluses and 7 deficits. B.C.’s trade deficits from 2010 to 2016 changed to consistent trade surpluses as of 2017. Only two other provinces had cultural trade surpluses at any time between 2010 and 2023: Manitoba had 4 surpluses between 2010 and 2013, and Ontario had surpluses in 2016 and 2021. The 7 other provinces had trade deficits in all 14 data periods from 2010 to 2023.
Here are the links to the articles. There are many more details in each. Happy reading!
Article previews and links
International trade in arts, culture, and heritage in 2023
Welcome to 2026! Today’s post delves into recently released data on revenues and expenses for the export and import of cultural goods and services in 2023. I examine trade by type of cultural good or service, including an imperfect but reasonable approximation of “the arts”. The data relate to cultural products, not cultural industries.
Which provinces export the most arts and culture products? Which have a trade surplus?
Today’s article delves into provincial data on international trade of cultural goods and services in 2023, following last week’s article examining national data on the same topic. Next week, I’ll look into national and provincial trends in cultural trade since 2010.
Trends in Canada’s international trade in the arts, culture, and heritage between 2010 and 2023
Today’s article examines the following questions:
Canada's trade with the USA in the arts, culture, and heritage
Canada has had a cultural trade deficit with the United States in every year since 2010. Today’s article digs into statistics on Canada’s trade in the arts, culture, and heritage with our closest neighbour, including an analysis of trade levels in 2023 as well as changes since 2010.