2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics Sets New Global Standard for Measuring Culture
The creative and cultural industries are vital economic engines. Yet the question remains: how do we measure something as vibrant and intangible as culture?
In response to the urgent need for stronger tools to capture culture’s role in sustainable development, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), in collaboration with the UNESCO Culture Sector and with the support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, has developed the 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS), officially launched at MONDIACULT 2025 in Barcelona Spain.
Building on the 2009 edition, this updated framework establishes a comprehensive conceptual and methodological approach that redefines how culture is understood and measured today.
Developed through a global consultative process, the 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS) drew on the expertise of a wide range of contributors, including UNESCO Member States, national statistical offices, cultural ministries, researchers, statisticians, and international organizations from all regions of the world.
The 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS) reflects the priorities of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – MONDIACULT 2022, which emphasized the need for stronger tools to understand and measure the role of culture in sustainable development. By aligning with MONDIACULT 2022 priorities, the 2025 UNESCO FCS equips policymakers, researchers, and cultural stakeholders with standardized concepts, definitions and classifications to effectively categorize and measure the culture and creative ecosystems social and economic aspects.
"With robust statistics, we can foster innovation, distribute resources wisely, and build societies that value and nurture their cultural foundations," said Mr. Svein Oesttveit, Director of the UIS at the 2025 UNESCO FCS Global Launch in Barcelona.
The global launch of the 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS) took place during MONDIACULT 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, on 29 September 2025. The side event featured a keynote presentation, a moderated panel with representatives from countries, international organizations, and academia, as well as a Q&A session with the audience.
The 2025 UNESCO FCS:
Provides a statistical methodology to assist ministries of culture, national statistical offices, academia, and the private sector in producing cultural statistics to support the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based policy, research, and advocacy for culture measurement.
Enables the measurement of a wide range of cultural expressions irrespective of the economic and social mode of their production.
Facilitates the production of harmonized and comparable data for both national and international purposes using international classifications.
The 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics is comprised of two documents:
Part I: Conceptual Document — Defines the scope of culture for measurement purposes through the cultural and creative ecosystem (CCE), establishes the cultural and transversal domains, and introduces the updated value-generation model to reflect recent changes in cultural production and practices. Download it here.
Part II: Classification Guide — Provides practical guidance for implementation using the most recent international classifications. It offers a matrix linking cultural domains with the value-generation model and identifies relevant data sources and methods. To remain aligned with global standards, this guide will be updated more frequently, in line with international classification revision cycles.Download it here.
Looking Ahead
The UIS will work to implement the 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS) by developing a capacity-building strategy to support its adoption globally and nationally.
The launch of the 2025 UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics marks a significant step forward in understanding and valuing the cultural and creative ecosystem worldwide. The UIS encourages all Member States, cultural institutions, and statistical authorities to adopt and implement the framework, fostering collaboration, producing reliable and comparable data, and strengthening evidence-based cultural policies.
