Creative and Cultural Industries Strategy
Creative Potential: Advancing the Yukon’s Creative and Cultural Industries is a 10-year strategy to support the growth and development of the creative and cultural industries in the Yukon.
About the strategy
We released Creative Potential: Advancing the Yukon’s Creative and Cultural Industries on November 30, 2021. This strategy is the first of its kind for the Yukon. It lays out a long-term vision with 22 actions identified under 4 strategic objectives. The primary aim of the strategy is to develop the creative and cultural sector and increase its contributions to the Yukon’s economy and society.
Yukon’s creative and cultural industries
Creative and cultural industries definition: The production or reproduction, promotion, distribution and commercialization of goods, services and activities of content derived from cultural, artistic or heritage origins.
Includes industries in:
- written and published works;
- sound recordings;
- audio-visual and interactive media;
- visual and applied arts;
- live performances and heritage;
- libraries; and
- the labour force and institutions required to support them.
The outcomes under the strategy’s 4 strategic objectives include:
- viable and sustainable opportunities;
- greater access, sales and discoverability in local, national and international markets;
- innovative product development;
- supportive infrastructure;
- greater voice and representation for the sector;
- relevant, accessible and affordable skill-based and business training;
- tangible recognition of the sector’s contribution to economy and society; and
- accelerated development of youth talent in the sector.
Read the strategy
Strategy phase 1
- address the impact of the pandemic; and
- contribute to the Yukon’s broader economic recovery, and health and wellbeing.
- build digital capacity;
- reach new markets; and
- contribute to employment and income.
Phase 1 actions:
- Modernize and streamline existing funding supports.
- Explore options to update branding and promotion of the Yukon’s creative and cultural industries.
- Develop marketing and export strategies targeted to each industry.
- Establish a dedicated sector-specific funding program.
- Create a micro-grant program.
- Create a new career advancement funding program.
- Develop the Yukon cultural centres and museums policy.
- Build industry understanding of complex issues such as rights, royalties and copyright.
- Continue labour market supports to enable access to sector-specific training.
- Establish baseline data to regularly measure, monitor and report on the economic and social impacts of the sector.
What’s happening?
2023
On March 21, 2023, we received a completed report for “A Scan of the Funding Ecosystem for the Creative and Cultural Industries in Yukon”. The report analyzes the funding programs available to the creative and cultural industries (CCI) through the Government of Yukon. We selected recommendations from the report to implement and chosen subsequent actions for phase 1.
See what recommendations we have planned in our action plan.
2022-2023
Since 2022, we have accomplished a number of phase 1 actions. See the progress report for more information.
2019
Development of the strategy: Public engagement sessions, public meetings and surveys.
- Phase 1: discussion forum questions and responses
- May 3, 2023, event summary and notes
- Research report highlights
- What We Heard: Creative and Cultural Industries Strategy
- Appendix A: handout from phase 2 public engagement sessions
- Appendix B: full schedule of phase 2 public engagement sessions
The creative and cultural industries in the Yukon
2021 Statistics Canada Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators
Provincial/Territorial Culture Totals for 2021:
- Canada
- Culture GDP: $54,762,198,000
- Culture Jobs: 634,431
- Yukon
- Culture GDP: $67,776,000
- Culture Jobs: 782
See the full Statistics Canada infographic online.
2021 Culture gross domestic product and jobs, detailed figures for Yukon
Table description of the infographic: 2021 Culture GDP and jobs, detailed figures for Yukon
| Domain | Industry | Culture GDP | Culture jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage and libraries | Archives | 68,000 | 0 |
| Libraries | 82,000 | 0 | |
| Culture heritage | 735,000 | 15 | |
| Natural heritage | 413,000 | 9 | |
| Subtotals | 1,298,000 | 24 | |
| Written and published works | Books | 112,000 | 1 |
| Periodicals | 1,006,000 | 9 | |
| Newspapers | 1,811,000 | 22 | |
| Other published works | 880,000 | 8 | |
| Collected information | 0 | 0 | |
| Multi | 2,733,000 | 43 | |
| Subtotals | 6,543,000 | 84 | |
| Sound recording | Music publishing | 40,000 | 0 |
| Sound recording | 59,000 | 8 | |
| Subtotals | 99,000 | 8 | |
| Audio-visual and interactive media | Film and video | 2,025,000 | 44 |
| Broadcasting | 5,574,000 | 43 | |
| Interactive media | 119,000 | 2 | |
| Subtotals | 7,718,000 | 89 | |
| Visual and applied arts | Original visual art | 814,000 | 23 |
| Art reproductions | 70,000 | 1 | |
| Photography | 1,256,000 | 14 | |
| Crafts | 391,000 | 10 | |
| Advertising | 1,112,000 | 21 | |
| Architecture | 2,440,000 | 24 | |
| Design | 743,000 | 15 | |
| Subtotals | 6,827,000 | 108 | |
| Live performance | Performing arts | 3,108,000 | 83 |
| Festivals and celebrations | 394,000 | 12 | |
| Subtotal | 3,502,000 | 95 | |
| Education and training | 1,647,000 | 37 | |
| Governance, funding and professional support | 39,717,000 | 329 | |
| Multi | 425,000 | 7 | |
See national figures for culture GDP and job numbers.
Detailed figures are provided by Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage through the Culture Satellite Account.
2013-2021 Trade of Culture Products, detailed figures for Yukon
Table description of the infographic: 2013-2021 Trade of Culture Products, detailed figures for Yukon
Image of a map of Canada with an arrow pointing in towards the map (representing culture imports) and an arrow pointing outwards from the map (representing culture exports).
Culture imports In 2021, imports of culture products totalled $25.9 million.
Total culture imports per year
| Year | Total culture imports (culture products) |
|---|---|
| 2013 | $23.9 million |
| 2015 | $22.4 million |
| 2017 | $22.7 million |
| 2019 | $22.5 million |
| 2021 | $25.9 million |
Top 5 subdomains – Culture imports
| Subdomain | Culture imports in 2021 |
|---|---|
| Crafts | $5.3 million |
| Multi | $4.0 million |
| Design | $3.2 million |
| Advertising | $2.9 million |
| Education and training | $2.6 million |
Culture exports In 2021, exports of Canadian culture products totalled $3.6 million.
Total culture exports per year
| Year | Total culture exports (culture products) |
|---|---|
| 2013 | $6.2 million |
| 2015 | $5.9 million |
| 2017 | $5.7 million |
| 2019 | $4.3 million |
| 2021 | $3.6 million |
Top 5 subdomains – Culture exports
| Subdomain | Culture exports in 2021 |
|---|---|
| Advertising | $1.6 million |
| Crafts | $0.6 million |
| Newspapers | $0.4 million |
| Performing Arts | $0.2 million |
| Architecture | $0.2 million |
See National figures on International Trade of Culture Products for 2013-2021.
Detailed figures are provided by Statistics Canada and Canadian Heritage through the Culture Satellite Account.
Who's listening?
The Department of Tourism and Culture and the Department of Economic Development.
Contact the team by email ccis.engage@yukon.ca or by phone 867-332-7260.