How many cultural businesses were active in Switzerland in 2024?

In 2024, 69,441 companies were registered in the cultural sector in Switzerland, an increase of 1.8% compared to the previous year. This figure represents a new record since 2011, the year in which the statistical survey began, with an overall growth of 27% compared to 2011 and 7.2% compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Which cultural sectors saw the most growth?

The increase between 2023 and 2024 was particularly evident in cultural heritage with a 3.8% increase in companies and in the performing arts with 3.3%. Even more marked growth was recorded in the audiovisual and multimedia creative sectors with 6.5% and in advertising with 6.3%. In contrast, the book and print sector recorded a net decline of 3.1%.

How has employment in the cultural sector evolved since 2011?

Despite the increase in the number of companies, in 2024 the number of jobs in the cultural sector fell to 241,025 jobs, registering a decrease of 0.9% compared to the previous year. Since 2011, there has been a slow decline in the share of the cultural sector in the total economy, from 4.7% in 2011 to 4.2% in 2024, with the average size of companies falling from 4.1 to 3.5 jobs.

Record number of cultural enterprises in Switzerland in 2024 (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 13 September 2026

Cultural enterprises in Switzerland according to FSO data

In 2024, Switzerland registered 69,441 active cultural enterprises, an increase of 27% compared to 2011, although employment has decreased.

Context

In brief

Record number of cultural enterprises in Switzerland in 2024
27% growth compared to 2011
Drop in employment in the cultural sector
Decrease in the average size of enterprises

Key facts

What: FSO cultural economy statistics
When: September 11, 2026
Where: Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Who: Federal Statistical Office (FSO)
Amount: 69,441 active enterprises

In 2024, with nearly 70,000 active cultural enterprises in Switzerland, a new record was reached: a 27% increase compared to 2011. By comparison, over the same period, the number of enterprises in the economy as a whole increased by 16%. In 2024, however, the number of jobs in the cultural sector decreased, as did the size of cultural enterprises. These are some of the latest findings from the cultural economy statistics compiled by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

In 2024, there were 69,441 active enterprises in the cultural sector. This represents a 1.8% increase compared to the previous year and a new record since 2011, the first year the statistics were produced. Compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Switzerland had 7.2% more cultural enterprises and a quarter more than in 2011. Since 2011, the number of enterprises has increased by 15.6% in the general economy, meaning cultural enterprises are becoming increasingly numerous: while they accounted for 9.8% of total enterprises in 2011, the percentage rose to 10.5% in 2019 and 10.7% in 2024.

…

Operational details

Despite the increase in the number of businesses, the number of jobs in the cultural sector decreased in 2024: with 241,025 jobs, a decline compared to the previous year (-0.9%) was recorded for the first time since 2020. Compared to the economy as a whole, where the number of jobs showed a more pronounced increase, a slow contraction of the cultural sector's share has been observed since 2011: in 2011, the cultural sector still accounted for 4.7% of total employment, by 2019 the percentage had dropped to 4.4%, and in 2024, despite the growing number of cultural enterprises, to 4.2%.

Cultural enterprises, which are growing in number, are therefore becoming increasingly smaller. While in 2011 a cultural enterprise had an average of 4.1 jobs, by 2024 the number had dropped to 3.5. Over the same period, full-time equivalents (FTEs) per cultural enterprise decreased from 2.9 to 2.3. During this period, both values remained substantially stable in the overall economy.

Comparative Analysis of Business Structure

The structural transformation highlighted by the data from the Federal Statistical Office shows how the entrepreneurial fabric of culture is evolving towards a pulverization into more agile entities but with lesser overall employment strength. The contraction of full-time equivalents (FTEs) from 2.9 to 2.3 per enterprise between 2011 and 2024 reflects a labor fragmentation dynamic that contrasts with the stability recorded by the Swiss economy as a whole.

…

Key points

Reading the statistical data published by the Federal Statistical Office offers food for thought for cultural operators, professionals and cantonal and federal institutions. In order to accurately monitor its economic and social security position in a changing market context, it is advisable to analyse its income and social contributions through dedicated tools.

How to verify your professional position

For those who work in the cultural sector or in any other branch of the Swiss economy, salary management requires attention to deductions and contractual specificities. The use of official calculation tools allows you to accurately estimate your net salary and plan your financial situation.

If you want to accurately calculate your net salary based on your occupation and canton of residence, you can use our official tool available online. To start your audit now and better plan your finances, try the calcolatore stipendio.

Source: admin.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cultural businesses were active in Switzerland in 2024?: In 2024, 69,441 companies were registered in the cultural sector in Switzerland, an increase of 1.8% compared to the previous year. This figure represents a new record since 2011, the year in which the statistical survey began, with an overall growth of 27% compared to 2011 and 7.2% compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Which cultural sectors saw the most growth?: The increase between 2023 and 2024 was particularly evident in cultural heritage with a 3.8% increase in companies and in the performing arts with 3.3%. Even more marked growth was recorded in the audiovisual and multimedia creative sectors with 6.5% and in advertising with 6.3%. In contrast, the book and print sector recorded a net decline of 3.1%.
How has employment in the cultural sector evolved since 2011?: Despite the increase in the number of companies, in 2024 the number of jobs in the cultural sector fell to 241,025 jobs, registering a decrease of 0.9% compared to the previous year. Since 2011, there has been a slow decline in the share of the cultural sector in the total economy, from 4.7% in 2011 to 4.2% in 2024, with the average size of companies falling from 4.1 to 3.5 jobs.