Figures published by Eurostat show that 5.1% of the workforce, equivalent to 13,000 people, were active in the cultural sector, just behind Estonia (5.3%) and ahead of Sweden (5%).

The proportion remained relatively stable compared to 2011, when 5.2% of the workforce (12,000 people) were employed in the culture sector, making Luxembourg the joint biggest employer in the EU along with Finland.

2.4% added value

Indeed the cultural sector and creative industries are not only major employers: they generate 2.4% of added value to the non-financial sector in Luxembourg, equivalent to €618.4m, according to think tank Idea Foundation.

What is more, the areas are responsible for 1.4% of GDP and account for 6.5% of businesses, equivalent to around 2,000 companies. In their 2017 report, the Idea Foundation pointed out that beyond economics, the cultural sector was a crucial tool for social cohesion.