Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers: ABS business counts
ANZSIC class 9002, in the Arts and Recreation Services division.
- Actively trading businesses in Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers (ANZSIC class 9002) across Australia, June 2025
- 17,462 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025.
- Actively trading non-employing businesses in Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers (ANZSIC class 9002) across Australia, June 2025
- 14,872 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025.
- ABS business entries in Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers (ANZSIC class 9002) across Australia: counted at June 2025 but not June 2024
- 3,198 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25.
- ABS business exits in Creative Artists, Musicians, Writers and Performers (ANZSIC class 9002) across Australia: counted at June 2024 but not June 2025
- 2,777 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25.
About these figures
- These ABS figures count actively trading businesses, not workers, sites or venues, each in its main state or territory.
- Entries and exits compare two 30 June counts. They are not counts of openings and closures.
- The ABS adjusts its counts slightly to protect confidentiality, so a small number or a zero is approximate, not proof that no such business exists.
Summary of the ABS class definition
In this class, the ABS counts businesses of independent (freelance) individuals or groups mainly engaged in the regular creation of original artistic or cultural works who may or may not also produce and perform their works. This class also includes businesses providing independent technical expertise necessary for these productions, and celebrities mainly engaged in endorsing products or making speeches or public appearances for which they receive a fee.
Examples the ABS lists:
- Artists
- Cartooning
- Celebrities/ Media Presenters
- Choreography service
- Comedians
- Composing (including musical composition)
- Costume designing
- Creative arts service
- Dancers (not dance groups)
- Journalistic service
The ABS counts businesses mainly engaged in this related work in other classes:
- operating casting agencies are included in Class 7211 Employment Placement and Recruitment Services
- performing or playing music composed by others are included in Class 9001 Performing Arts Operation
- producing live theatrical or musical presentations or performances based on existing artistic and cultural works are included in Class 9001 Performing Arts Operation
The ABS page for class 9002 gives the full definition and what the class leaves out.
By employment size
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| All businesses | 17,462 businesses |
| Non-employing | 14,872 businesses |
| 1 to 4 employees | 2,272 businesses |
| 5 to 19 employees | 267 businesses |
| 20 to 199 employees | 50 businesses |
| 200 or more employees | 0 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
By turnover
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| Zero to less than $50k | 5,392 businesses |
| $50k to less than $200k | 8,555 businesses |
| $200k to less than $2m | 3,303 businesses |
| $2m to less than $5m | 153 businesses |
| $5m to less than $10m | 28 businesses |
| $10m or more | 31 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 3, June 2025. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
Entries and exits, 2024-25
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| At the start of the year | 17,041 businesses |
| ABS business entries | 3,198 businesses |
| ABS business exits | 2,777 businesses |
| At the end of the year | 17,462 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
By main state or territory
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 6,361 businesses |
| Victoria | 5,343 businesses |
| Queensland | 2,831 businesses |
| Western Australia | 1,368 businesses |
| South Australia | 895 businesses |
| Tasmania | 284 businesses |
| Australian Capital Territory | 246 businesses |
| Northern Territory | 122 businesses |
| Other Territories or Currently Unknown | 12 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Sources
Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2: Businesses by main state by industry class by employment size ranges (8165DC02.xlsx). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 15 October 2026.
Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 3: Businesses by main state by industry class by turnover size ranges (8165DC03.xlsx). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 16 October 2026.
Correspondence, GCCSA 2021 to GCCSA 2026 (CG_GCCSA_2021_GCCSA_2026.csv). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Greater Capital City Statistical Areas digital boundary file, 2026 (GCCSA_2026_AUST_SHP_GDA2020.zip). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0): the detailed classification. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 26 June 2013, checked 16 October 2026.
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