Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,764 organisations were operating in the four core domains of cultural industries in Macao in 2021, namely 'Creative design', 'Cultural exhibitions & performances', 'Art collection' and 'Digital media'; the figure represented an increase of 248 year-on-year. Total number of persons engaged rose by 1.4% to 12,067, and Compensation of Employees went up by 1.4% to MOP 2.13 billion. Total Service Receipts grew by 12.3% to MOP 5.67 billion. Gross Value Added that measures the contribution of the industries to the economy decreased by 0.1% to MOP 2.15 billion, accounting for 0.9% of the total Gross Value Added of all economic activities in Macao in 2021, down by 0.2 percentage points from 2020 (1.1%). With new operators entering the various domains, coupled with the acquisition of property, machinery and equipment and update of computer software by some existing ones, Gross Fixed Capital Formation surged by 127.1% to MOP 0.91 billion. As compared with the pre-pandemic levels in 2019, Total Service Receipts and Gross Value Added fell by 28.4% and 27.9% respectively.

There were 1,470 organisations operating in 'Creative design', an increase of 61 year-on-year. Number of persons engaged rose by 2.6% to 4,011, and Compensation of Employees went up by 6.0% to MOP 0.53 billion. Service Receipts and Gross Value Added totalled MOP 2.25 billion and MOP 0.75 billion respectively in 2021, up by 22.1% and 18.6%. Gross Fixed Capital Formation soared by 583.9% year-on-year to MOP 41.92 million. Service Receipts of architectural design (MOP 0.80 billion), advertising (MOP 0.55 billion) and specialised design (MOP 0.45 billion) climbed by 30.6%, 5.5% and 12.0% respectively.

A total of 407 organisations were operating in 'Cultural exhibitions & performances', up by 99 year-on-year; number of persons engaged increased by 10.6% to 2,905. Compensation of Employees, however, dropped by 17.9% to MOP 0.41 billion. Service Receipts expanded by 10.0% to MOP 0.56 billion, of which receipts from creation or production services took up 23.3% and ticket sales constitiuted 3.4%. Gross Value Added went up by 9.5% to MOP 0.17 billion, and Gross Fixed Capital Formation swelled by 99.9% to MOP 0.62 billion. Service Receipts of production of performing arts (MOP 0.29 billion) and performing arts training (MOP 0.17 billion) rose by 1.5% and 28.9% respectively year-on-year.

Organisations operating in 'Art collection' increased by 21 year-on-year to 160. Number of persons engaged dropped by 0.4% to 464 while Compensation of Employees climbed by 4.9% to MOP 30.26 million. Service Receipts and Gross Value Added totalled MOP 63.33 million and MOP 9.89 million respectively, down by 8.0% and 52.0% respectively. Gross Fixed Capital Formation leapt by 116.1% to MOP 8.57 million. Service Receipts of creation, sale and auction of arts reduced by 59.0% to MOP 4.89 million, while Service Receipts of photography services rose by 2.7% to MOP 58.43 million.

There were 727 organisations operating in 'Digital media', up by 67 year-on-year. Number of persons engaged decreased by 4.3% to 4,687 while Compensation of Employees went up by 8.0% to MOP 1.16 billion. Service Receipts increased by 6.3% to MOP 2.80 billion and Gross Value Added dropped by 9.3% to MOP 1.21 billion. Gross Fixed Capital Formation jumped by 197.5% year-on-year to MOP 0.24 billion. Service Receipts of the information industry increased by 11.5% to MOP 1.67 billion, while Service Receipts of  radio & television programme production decreased by 6.9% to MOP 0.52 billion.

Cultural Industries Statistics are compiled in accordance with the framework for cultural industries statistics established based on the Policy Framework for the Development of Cultural Industries of the Macao Special Administrative Region (2014-2019). In 2021, DSEC conducted a number of thematic 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 industry surveys of DSEC to estimate the economic contribution of cultural industries in Macao.