Different trends in each province re: multiple job holding in the arts and culture
Different trends in each province re: multiple job holding in the arts and culture
One consistent fact: employees in the arts and culture are much more likely to have multiple jobs than other workers
Two weeks ago, I examined Canadian data on multiple job holding in the arts and culture, showing that multiple job holding in the arts and culture has steadily increased since the pandemic. Today’s post examines available data for employed workers in the arts and culture in all 10 provinces.
Last year, I analyzed this dataset to show that arts and culture workers in smaller provinces are more likely to hold multiple jobs than those in larger provinces.
This year, I’m not comparing as much between provinces, but I have done a lot of data analysis regarding trends over time.
The data analysis has been complex. There are some significant and (in my opinion) unlikely shifts in the provincial data, which might indicate mediocre data quality in a specific year. In this post, I rely on three-year averages to help smooth out yearly oddities. But some remain!
Please be careful in interpreting these data. Do not put much stock in a very low or high reading in one year. This would probably be due to the small number of respondents in the arts and culture in that year, rather than a widespread change in the multiple job holding rate.
What should you pay attention to? (Good question.)
The provincial data in this article can point to: (a) differences between employed workers in the arts and culture vs. other employed workers in the same province; and (b) broad trends within the arts and culture in each province over time, such as sustained increases or decreases in the rate of multiple job holding. Cautious analysis of the data is required.
The article is very long, because I’ve created a graph of trends over time in each province. My text introduction to each graph is quite short, just long enough to give an idea of the type of cautious analysis that I’m advising.
The post is based on data from the Labour Force Survey, specifically annual averages for workers with an employment position, not those who are self-employed in their main job.
Data limitations
Because of its relatively small sample size, the Labour Force Survey provides summary data only in most provinces. The summary data relate to what Statistics Canada calls occupations in the arts, culture, recreation, and sports, except management.
A large majority of people in these occupations – roughly 75 to 80% – are arts and culture workers.
Within this broad occupational grouping, there are four detailed occupation groups. In Statistics Canada’s language, these are:
Professional occupations in the arts and culture, which include: some artists, such as producers, directors, conductors, and musicians; writers, translators, and other communications professionals; as well as librarians, archivists, conservators, and curators.
Technical occupations in the arts and culture, including: graphic and interior designers; as well as technical workers in libraries, archives, motion pictures, broadcasting, and the performing arts.
Other occupations in the arts, culture, and sports, including: artists such as dancers, actors, comedians, circus performers, photographers, craftspeople, and visual artists; theatre and fashion designers; select museum and art gallery jobs (e.g., registrars, restorers); assistants in film, broadcasting, photography, and performing arts; as well as a few sports occupations (athletes, coaches, and referees).
Support occupations in the arts, culture, and sports, including: program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport, and fitness; as well as puppeteers, buskers, magicians, portrayers of Santa Claus, influencers, and models. The recreation and sports workers in this occupational group greatly outnumber the cultural workers.
I analyzed the first three groupings in my nationwide post, which showed an overall multiple job holding rate of 10.0% in the arts and culture in 2023. The second estimate, relying on the broader grouping of arts, culture, and sports workers, is very similar: 10.3% in 2023. The similarity is not surprising, given the predominance of arts and culture workers in this broader grouping, but it might provide extra confidence in provincial estimates that are based on the broader grouping. (In other words, don’t worry too much about the recreation and sports workers in the broader grouping.)
I have created three-year averages to smooth out some abrupt changes. The most recent data point (labelled 2023) represents the average for 2021-2023. The earliest possible data point (labelled 1989) represents the average for 1987-1989.
In some provinces, data for some early years were not reliable. The graph for each province goes back as far as reliable data are available.