While employment rebounded across the Canadian economy in February, the live performance sector took another dive. Self-employed artists and technicians, who had managed to hold on thanks to emergency support, are most severely impacted.
The statistics that followed are from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey, a monthly survey of approximately 56,000 households. They provide an account of employment for full-time, part-time and occasional employees, as well as self-employed workers. CAPACOA licenced access to custom employment statistics from Statistics Canada in order to provide a detailed picture of job losses in the arts, culture and heritage sub-sectors during the COVID-19 crisis.
46,400 live performance jobs lost since the beginning of the pandemic
The words “hardest hit” are a euphemism for the performing arts, spectator-sports and related industries [NAICS 711].
Since February 2020, employment in the performing arts, spectator-sports and related industries fell from 135,600 to 89,200 jobs (-46,400). That’s one in three jobs (34.2%).
While employment rebounded 1.7% in February 2021 across all industries, the performing arts, spectator-sports and related industries were still not seeing any sign of stabilization. The sub-sector lost another 12,200 jobs (-12.0%) reaching a new historic low since the beginning of the pandemic.
Nearly all jobs lost were among independent artists, writers and performers [NAICS 7115] (-22.8%). This classification, which also includes technicians, is essentially composed of freelance workers. Self-employed workers are deemed employed, even if they worked a single hour during the Labour Force Survey reporting period. Because of this technical definition, employment levels in this industry group had therefore held relatively steady, at least until November. However, the sharp decline observed in February, confirms anecdotal stories heard in the sector and reported on in the news. Highly skilled workers are leaving the sector.
In terms of total hours worked, the performing arts, spectator-sports and related industries [NAICS 711] saw an 18.4% drop in February 2021. This sharp decline cancelled all gains since June 2020.
One year after the beginning of the pandemic, total hours worked in the performing arts, spectator sports and related industries are still 48.8% away from their pre-COVID level.
Elsewhere in the Canadian economy
Besides performing arts, spectator sports and related industries, the arts, entertainment and recreation sector [NAICS 71] also includes heritage institutions [NAICS 712] and amusement, gambling and recreation industries [NAICS 713]. If these two sub-sectors experienced employment increases in February 2021 (see the table 2.B, below), they are nonetheless also very far from recovery.
Employment in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector in February 2021 was 36,8% lower than in February 2020. This is a much larger loss than any other sector of the Canadian economy.
The following chart compares the arts, entertainment and recreation sector to other sectors of the economy. It is the exact same chart as published by Statistics Canada in The Daily, except that it doesn’t lump together apples and oranges: the information and cultural industries sector [NAICS 51] and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector [NAICS 71] are presented as distinct sectors – as they should.
At -151,300 jobs in February 2021, the arts, entertainment and recreation sector accounts for 25,3% of the employment decline in the whole economy (-598,300) since the beginning of the pandemic.
Next: rebuild the sector
This was the eighth and last monthly analysis of the Labour Force Survey prepared and published by CAPACOA. As of April, Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage will start releasing quarterly employment statistics for arts and culture industries. In coming months, CAPACOA will reallocate its resources to fully support the sector as it undertakes a long and slow rebuilding process. We want to thank readers who have shared words of appreciation for this series of monthly analyses. We invite everyone to keep referring to our COVID Impact Statistics page for ongoing monitoring of the situation.
Tables and notes
Table 1 – Labour force estimates (x 1,000) by selected industry, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality
| Industry (with NAICS classification) | Labour force, Feb. 2021 (x 1,000) | c. previous month (x1,000) | c. previous month (%) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (x 1,000) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total, all industries | 19972.1 | 84.5 | 0.4% | -64.0 | -0.3% |
| 51, 71 Information, culture and recreation 1 | 723.0 | -4.9 | -0.7% | -63.7 | -8.1% |
| 51 Information and cultural industries | 393.8 | -2.5 | -0.6% | 51.4 | 15.0% |
| 511 Publishing industries (except internet) | 69.9 | -16.5 | -19.1% | -11.2 | -13.8% |
| 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries | 111.9 | 12.5 | 12.6% | 27.9 | 33.2% |
| 515 Broadcasting (except internet) | 33.8 | 0.6 | 1.8% | 5.5 | 19.4% |
| 517 Telecommunications | 126.8 | -2.7 | -2.1% | 25.1 | 24.7% |
| 518 Data processing, hosting, and related services 3 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 519 Other information services 2 | 45.0 | 5.1 | 12.8% | 8.4 | 23.0% |
| 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation | 329.2 | -2.4 | -0.7% | -115.1 | -25.9% |
| 711 Performing arts, spectator sports and related industries | 98.5 | -21.1 | -17.6% | -41.4 | -29.6% |
| 7111 Performing arts companies 2 | 21.7 | -1.8 | -7.7% | -20.9 | -49.1% |
| 7112 Spectator sports 2 | 6.7 | -1.4 | -17.3% | -7.9 | -54.1% |
| 7113 Promoters (presenters) of performing arts, sports and similar events 2 | 9.9 | -3.1 | -23.8% | -2.0 | -16.8% |
| 7114 Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers and other public figures 3 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 7115 Independent artists, writers and performers | 56.2 | -14.3 | -20.3% | -9.7 | -14.7% |
| 712 Heritage institutions | 26.6 | 1.6 | 6.4% | -3.7 | -12.2% |
| 713 Amusement, gambling and recreation industries | 204.0 | 17.0 | 9.1% | -70.1 | -25.6% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, by selected industries, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality, February 2021. Calculations and data reliability notes by CAPACOA. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Table 2.A – Employment estimates (x 1,000), by sector, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality
| Industry (with NAICS classification) | Employment, Feb. 2021 (x 1,000) | c. previous month (x1,000) | c. previous month (%) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (x 1,000) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total, all industries | 18251.6 | 309.3 | 1.7% | -598.3 | -3.2% |
| Agriculture | 241.1 | -6.8 | -2.7% | -32.7 | -11.9% |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | 310.4 | -4.5 | -1.4% | 1.6 | 0.5% |
| Utilities | 141.4 | 4.1 | 3.0% | 1.8 | 1.3% |
| Construction | 1329.0 | 0.8 | 0.1% | -56.1 | -4.1% |
| Manufacturing | 1715.2 | 9.5 | 0.6% | 4 | 0.2% |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 2711.7 | 117.8 | 4.5% | -122.2 | -4.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 972.5 | 8.3 | 0.9% | -49.8 | -4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 1269.1 | -7.9 | -0.6% | 33.8 | 2.7% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1606.3 | 6.8 | 0.4% | 80.4 | 5.3% |
| Business, building and other support services | 675.0 | 13.9 | 2.1% | -59.6 | -8.1% |
| Educational services | 1513.2 | 54.0 | 3.7% | 64.9 | 4.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 2493.8 | 8.3 | 0.3% | -25.3 | -1.0% |
| Information, culture and recreation | 632.5 | 7.7 | 1.2% | -108.3 | -14.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 876.4 | 64.6 | 8.0% | -306.9 | -25.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 749.0 | 28.6 | 4.0% | -52.6 | -6.6% |
| Public administration | 1015.0 | 4.1 | 0.4% | 28.6 | 2.9% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0022-01 Labour force characteristics by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality (x 1,000).
Table 2.B – Employment estimates (x 1,000), by arts and culture sub-sector, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality
| Industry (with NAICS classification) | Employment, Feb. 2021 (x 1,000) | c. previous month (x1,000) | c. previous month (%) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (x 1,000) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total, all industries | 18251.6 | 309.3 | 1.7% | -598.3 | -3.2% |
| 51, 71 Information, culture and recreation 1 | 632.5 | 7.7 | 1.2% | -108.3 | -14.6% |
| 51 Information and cultural industries | 373.2 | 1.3 | 0.3% | 43 | 13.0% |
| 511 Publishing industries (except internet) | 69.0 | -16.1 | -18.9% | -10 | -12.7% |
| 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries | 95.7 | 10.5 | 12.3% | 17.1 | 21.8% |
| 515 Broadcasting (except internet) | 32.4 | 2.3 | 7.6% | 4.3 | 15.3% |
| 517 Telecommunications | 125.1 | -0.5 | -0.4% | 26.5 | 26.9% |
| 518 Data processing, hosting, and related services 3 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 519 Other information services | 44.6 | 6.6 | 17.4% | 9.4 | 26.7% |
| 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation | 259.3 | 6.4 | 2.5% | -151.3 | -36.8% |
| 711 Performing arts, spectator sports and related industries | 89.2 | -12.2 | -12.0% | -46.4 | -34.2% |
| 7111 Performing arts companies 2 | 19.7 | 2.8 | 16.6% | -20.1 | -50.5% |
| 7112 Spectator sports 2 | 5.9 | 2.2 | 59.5% | -8.5 | -59.0% |
| 7113 Promoters (presenters) of performing arts, sports and similar events 2 | 9.4 | -2.1 | -18.3% | -1.6 | -14.5% |
| 7114 Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers and other public figures 3 | x | x | x | x | x |
| 7115 Independent artists, writers and performers | 50.2 | -14.8 | -22.8% | -15.4 | -23.5% |
| 712 Heritage institutions 2 | 21.4 | 1.9 | 9.7% | -6 | -21.9% |
| 713 Amusement, gambling and recreation industries | 148.7 | 16.8 | 12.7% | -98.9 | -39.9% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, by selected industries, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality, February 2021. Calculations and data reliability notes by CAPACOA. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Table 3.A – Total actual hours worked estimates (x 1,000), by sector, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality
| Industry (with NAICS classification) | Total actual hours (x 1,000), Feb. 2021 | c. previous month (%) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total employed, all industries | 567252.8 | -2.5% | -7.4% |
| Agriculture | 8658.9 | -5.5% | -10.9% |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | 12176.9 | -3.9% | -3.6% |
| Utilities | 5025.3 | -4.5% | -3.7% |
| Construction | 44197.4 | -4.1% | -9.5% |
| Manufacturing | 60227.5 | -4.5% | -6.2% |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 79957.7 | 1.8% | -7.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 32199.0 | -3.4% | -12.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 41848.7 | -5.4% | -1.2% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 53647.3 | -3.6% | 1.4% |
| Business, building and other support services | 19332.1 | 0.8% | -12.9% |
| Educational services | 43096.2 | -4.0% | 0.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 72566.0 | -4.3% | -4.9% |
| Information, culture and recreation | 18453.8 | -4.3% | -16.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21138.6 | 8.9% | -31.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21610.5 | 7.7% | -16.6% |
| Public administration | 33117.0 | -5.6% | 1.4% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0036-01 Actual hours worked by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality.
Table 3.B – Total actual hours worked estimates (x 1,000), arts and culture sub-sectors, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality
| Industry (with NAICS classification) | Total actual hours (x 1,000), Feb. 2021 | c. previous month (%) | Feb. 2021 c. Feb. 2020 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total, all industries | 567252.8 | -2.5% | -7.4% |
| 51, 71 Information, culture and recreation 1 | 18453.8 | -4.3% | -16.7% |
| 51 Information and cultural industries | 12548.4 | -4.7% | 12.1% |
| 511 Publishing industries (except internet) | 2300.2 | -25.8% | -17.7% |
| 512 Motion picture and sound recording industries | 3488.9 | 9.3% | 31.9% |
| 515 Broadcasting (except internet) 2 | 1064.1 | -3.9% | 15.9% |
| 517 Telecommunications | 4301.8 | -4.9% | 19.7% |
| 518 Data processing, hosting, and related services 3 | x | x | x |
| 519 Other information services 2 | 1159.8 | 26.3% | 41.2% |
| 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation | 5905.4 | -3.4% | -46.1% |
| 711 Performing arts, spectator sports and related industries | 2124.3 | -18.4% | -48.8% |
| 7111 Performing arts companies 3 | x | x | x |
| 7112 Spectator sports 2 | 197.1 | 74.1% | -60.6% |
| 7113 Promoters (presenters) of performing arts, sports and similar events 3 | x | x | x |
| 7114 Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers and other public figures 3 | x | x | x |
| 7115 Independent artists, writers and performers | 1290.7 | -22.0% | -31.7% |
| 712 Heritage institutions 2 | 594 | -5.0% | -37.0% |
| 713 Amusement, gambling and recreation industries | 3187.2 | 10.4% | -45.7% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, by selected industries, Canada, unadjusted for seasonality, February 2021. Calculations and data reliability notes by CAPACOA. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Notes
- This series combines two distinct sectors: information and culture industries [NAICS 51] and arts, entertainment and recreation [NAICS 71]. Statistics Canada’s public Labour Force Survey tables can regrettably not be customized to display disaggregated arts and culture statistics.
- The sample for this series is small. Month-to-month variations in this series should be interpreted with caution.
- The sample for this series is very small. Data is unreliable and unsuited for release.
Additional notes about the Labour Force Survey
- “Labour force” estimates are the number of persons 15 years of age and over who, during the reference week, were employed or unemployed. “Unemployed” means persons who were without work, had looked for work in the past four weeks, and were available for work. Unemployed persons retain the NAICS industry classification of their previous job.
- “Employment” includes full-time, part-time and occasional employees, as well as self-employed workers who worked during the reference week, no matter how many hours. Certain sub-sectors that include a large proportion of self-employed workers, for example, independent artists may therefore not show a significant drop because those freelance workers may still have been considered “working”.
- “Total actual hours worked” is a good indicator of the impacts of COVID-related restrictions on the labour force, because it offers an account of both the number of employed workers and the hours they worked. It is a particularly relevant indicator for sub-sectors that include a lot of freelance and occasional workers (and who may be deemed as “employed” even if they only worked a few hours during the reference period).
- These statistics are not adjusted for seasonality (whereas many Statistics Canada tables are). Many culture industries are subject to significant seasonal variations. In order to have a fair estimation of employment change compared to pre-COVID level, it is therefore preferable to establish comparisons with the same period in 2019 rather than with February 2020.
- The “711 Performing arts, spectator sports and related industries” sub-sector is a larger industry grouping than the “Live Performance” domain used in the Culture Satellite Account, but it is a fair proxy that can be tracked over time. The 711 sub-sector involves activities that aren’t part of the live performance domain such as 7112 Spectator sports, as well as parts of 7113, 7114 and 7115. Definitions for each industry group are available in the North American Industry Classification System 2017. More details on the mapping between NAICS 711 and the live performance domain can be found in the Classification Guide for the Canadian Framework for Culture Statistics 2011.
More information
More statistics from the Labour Force Survey in The Daily
Employment in arts and culture industries, December 2020
Prepared by: Frédéric Julien, Director of Research and Development.
