Creators face major revenue losses by 2028, UNESCO warns

Creators are projected to face significant global revenue losses by 2028, according to a new UNESCO report.

UNESCO recently announced the release of “Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity,” a report that addresses the rapidly evolving cultural landscape in the creative sector. It highlights the threats to artistic freedom posed by digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and shifting global trade dynamics.

By 2028, the report forecasts that music creators could lose up to 24% of their revenue and audiovisual creators could lose 21% due to the increasing popularity of AI and other digital initiatives.

“UNESCO’s Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity, a decade‑long global benchmark, calls for renewed and strengthened support for artists and cultural professionals as AI and digital transformations reshape the creative industries, offering a blueprint of over 8,100 policy measures,” UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany said.

Majority of cultural plans remain just… plans

Based on the data from over 120 countries, UNESCO emphasized the need for stricter regulations to protect creators from inequalities. The report notes that although 85% of reporting countries include cultural and creative industries in their national development plans, only 56% have set specific cultural objectives, highlighting the gap between commitments and actions.

Meanwhile, only 20% of countries account for global trade in cultural services for developing nations, while direct public funding for culture remains low under 0.6% of GDP globally. The organization suggests that these issues stem from a persistent “visa wall,” or barriers that restrict international mobility for artists. While 96% of artists in developed countries support outward mobility, UNESCO revealed that only 38% facilitate inward mobility.

Tech divides creative economies

Although emerging technologies like AI have widened access to creative tools for audiences, they have also increased “economic precarity,” UNESCO said.

Threats to artistic freedom and gender gap

UNESCO’s report also raises concerns about artistic freedom and the safety of creators. Only 61% of countries have independent bodies monitoring artistic freedom, and just 37% have initiatives to protect artists and cultural professionals from political instability, conflict, or displacement.

Moreover, progress toward gender equality and inclusion in the cultural sector remains uneven. Women’s leadership in national cultural institutions has increased from 31% in 2017 to 46% in 2024 globally, but disparities persist. While women hold 64% of leadership roles in developed countries, they hold only 30% in developing nations. Some policies still frame women as consumers of the arts rather than supporting them as creators and innovators in the sector.

UNESCO’s recommendation

Overall, UNESCO warns that creators worldwide are facing growing economic, digital, and social pressures due to the rise of AI, market concentration, and skill gaps. The organization calls for stronger regulations and policies to protect artistic freedom and promote inclusivity, especially for women, emphasizing that the creator’s role is essential to sustainable development and must be safeguarded through global collaboration and targeted support.

You can read the full report here.

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