Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,246 organisations were operating in the four core domains of cultural industries in Macao in 2018, namely 'Creative design', 'Cultural exhibitions & performances', 'Art collection' and 'Digital media', representing an increase of 155 year-on-year. Total number of persons engaged rose by 8.5% to 12,719, and Compensation of Employees went up by 5.8% to MOP 1.94 billion. Total Service Receipts of the cultural industries grew by 1.9% year-on-year to MOP 7.18 billion. Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy increased by 9.7% to MOP 2.60 billion, accounting for 0.6% of the total Gross Value Added of all economic activities of Macao in 2018. Gross Fixed Capital Formation of the cultural industries amounted to MOP 0.29 billion, down by 35.6%.

There were 1,265 organisations operating in 'Creative design', an increase of 113 year-on-year. Number of persons engaged rose by 11.5% to 3,871, and Compensation of Employees grew by 3.3% to MOP 0.50 billion. Service Receipts and Gross Value Added totalled MOP 2.10 billion and MOP 0.73 billion respectively in 2018, up by 1.8% and 10.0% year-on-year. Within this domain, the advertising industry generated the highest Service Receipts, at MOP 0.90 billion (+4.1%). Service Receipts of conference & exhibition organising services (MOP 0.39 billion) rose by 4.9% while those of architectural design (MOP 0.43 billion) dropped by 6.3%.

A total of 255 organisations were operating in 'Cultural exhibitions & performances', up by 35 year-on-year, and number of persons engaged rose by 9.8% to 2,694. Compensation of Employees amounted to MOP 0.35 billion, up by 11.7%. Service Receipts (MOP 1.42 billion) decreased by 1.4% year-on-year, with ticket sales accounting for 46.7% of the total. Gross Value Added (MOP 0.40 billion) of this domain increased by 35.7% attributable to reduced operating expenses. Both the number of organisations operating in production of performing arts and their productions recorded growth, with number of operating organisations (172) increasing by 13 year-on-year and number of persons engaged (1,986) rising by 6.4%. Service Receipts of these organisations took up 84.2% of the domain's total, at MOP 1.19 billion. Gross Value Added surged by 65.2% to MOP 0.28 billion.

Organisations operating in 'Art collection' increased by 14 year-on-year to 121, with number of persons engaged rising by 18.3% to 505. Compensation of Employees dropped by 5.5% to MOP 37.40 million due mainly to a decrease in employees’ commissions. Service Receipts (MOP 0.10 billion) and Gross Value Added (MOP 24.20 million) fell by 1.1% and 26.0% respectively. Gross Fixed Capital Formation slid further by 38.6% to MOP 3.30 million. Number of organisations engaging in creation and sale/auction of arts increased by 6 year-on-year to 19, with 82 persons engaged. Service Receipts (MOP 23.10 million), Gross Value Added (MOP 4.50 million) and Gross Fixed Capital Formation (MOP 0.10 million) of these organisations dropped by 28.9%, 71.8% and 94.8% respectively year-on-year. Meanwhile, organisations engaging in photography services went up by 8 year-on-year to 102, and number of persons engaged grew by 11.0% to 423. Service Receipts (MOP 81.20 million) and Gross Value Added (MOP 19.70 million) of these organisations rose by 11.4% and 17.9% respectively, whereas Gross Fixed Capital Formation decreased by 1.2% to MOP 3.20 million.

There are 605 organisations operating in 'Digital media', down by 7 year-on-year. Number of persons engaged rose by 5.3% to 5,649 and Compensation of Employees went up by 5.6% to MOP 1.06 billion. Service Receipts (MOP 3.56 billion) and Gross Value Added (MOP 1.44 billion) of this domain grew up by 3.4% and 4.8% respectively. Meanwhile, Gross Fixed Capital Formation jumped by 106.8% year-on-year to MOP 0.13 billion. Number of organisations engaging in the information industry dropped by 8 year-on-year to 356, while number of persons engaged increased by 6.8% to 2,339. Service Receipts (MOP 2.07 billion) of these organisation edged by 0.9%. Meanwhile, Gross Value Added inched down by 0.1% to MOP 0.66 billion owing to increased operating expenses.

Compilation of Cultural Industries Statistics is carried out by the Industries Statistics and Assessment Indicators Group under the Committee of Cultural Industries of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), in accordance with the framework for cultural industries statistics established based on the Policy Framework for the Development of Cultural Industries of the Macao SAR. In 2018, the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) conducted a number of specialised surveys in the four domains of cultural industries, namely 'Creative design', 'Cultural exhibitions & performances', 'Art collection' and 'Digital media'. Survey results were combined with data collected from relevant industries surveys of DSEC to estimate the economic contribution of cultural industries in Macao.