The Culture Satellite Account (CSA) is a statistical tool used by governments and international organizations to measure and evaluate the economic impact of the cultural sector on an economy. It is considered “satellite” because it complements traditional national accounts (such as GDP), providing a detailed and specific view of culture, which is not always fully captured in conventional economic accounts.
The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Chile (MINCAP), based on the need for empirical evidence to enable decision-making for the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of public policies in the field of culture in the country, analyzed the situation of existing economic statistics of the cultural sector, identifying information gaps in terms of sectoral coverage, lack of temporal continuity in the generation of data and methodological inconsistencies of this information. Additionally, the absence of metadata (qualitative information on quantitative information) hindered the development of consistent series related to the economy of culture.
The country therefore requires a statistical information system that highlights the potential of culture as an element that directly and indirectly drives the development and well-being of Chile.
At the international level, various efforts have been made – and continue to be made – to quantify culture from an economic perspective. The United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), UNESCO, the Andrés Bello Convention, and the Inter-American Development Bank have made substantial contributions to establishing the links between the economy and culture.
The option adopted by MINCAP was to develop a Satellite Accounts for Culture (CSC) system, aware of the limitations of the basic statistical apparatus, but also of the strength of its “anchoring” in the System of National Accounts compiled by the Central Bank of Chile, a process in which it requested technical support from ECLAC, which materialized through a Framework Agreement between both institutions.
This meeting, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Chile and ECLAC, presents the results of this pilot work to measure the Satellite Account of Culture (CSC) of Chile, taking into account international experience in this field, as well as addressing current and future challenges to ensure that this effort is sustainable and continuous in the country.
Add Comment