One in ten jobs in the Brussels-Capital Region is linked to cultural and creative industries (CCI), according to a report published on Thursday by hub.brussels, the Brussels Agency for Entrepreneurship.
This sector also accounts for 13% of businesses and 10% of self-employed workers in the region.
With over 30,500 businesses, CCIs have experienced a 5.6% growth between 2020 and 2023. The sector provides nearly 70,000 jobs, marking a 21% rise since 2013.
If this trend continues, an annual job increase of 5% to 8% could be observed in the coming years, predicts hub.brussels.
The sector’s revenue exceeds €13 billion, rising since 2019, and contributes 3.6% to the regional GDP.
Workers and sympathisers of the cultural sector gather at Place de la Monnaie square in Brussels for to protest Belgium's new government cuts, during a national strike on Monday 31 March 2025. Credit: Belga / James Arthur Gekiere
The top revenue sectors are advertising and marketing (€3.7 billion), followed by audiovisual (€2.6 billion) and books and press (€1.7 billion).
Over the past decade, almost all sub-sectors have seen an increase in the number of businesses, particularly culture and the arts (+77%), software and video games (+65%), and photography (+57%).
However, the books and press segment has declined by 3%. In terms of total businesses, advertising and marketing (5,500), architecture (4,900), and books and press (4,200) lead the sub-sectors.
Media organisations, including RTBF, VRT, and RTL, are among the largest employers.
Isabelle Grippa, CEO of hub.brussels, emphasises that CCIs "greatly contribute to Brussels’ economy and image," despite most sector businesses being small.
In 2023, the net added value of the CCI sector in the Brussels-Capital Region was €3.7 billion, with a 12% increase between 2019 and 2023.
