Participation in arts, culture and recreation includes both direct engagement in artistic or athletic endeavours, and appreciation of the visual and performance art and sports activities of others, whether amateur or professional. Research indicates correlations between participation, and individual and societal health.
Arts, culture and recreation do not account for a significant proportion of jobs, and employment income in the sector is notoriously low. But its full economic impact goes well beyond direct employment and income. A strong cultural scene helps attract, retain and fuel a creative workforce. It also stimulates other elements of the economy, in particular the hospitality sector.
Municipal, provincial and federal governments invest in arts and culture through grants to artists and arts organizations, as well as through operational and capital funding. They may also subsidize access to the arts. Governments fund the arts for a range of reasons related to both the economic spin-offs from such investments, and the broader societal benefits. Government investment can be crucial to enabling artists and arts organizations to leverage income from other sources.
Ushiriki katika sanaa, utamaduni na burudani ni pamoja na ushiriki wa moja kwa moja katika juhudi za kisanii au za michezo, na kuthamini sanaa ya kuona na utendaji na shughuli za michezo za wengine, iwe amateur au mtaalamu. Utafiti unaonyesha uhusiano kati ya ushiriki, na afya ya mtu binafsi na ya jamii. Sanaa, utamaduni na burudani hazifanyi sehemu kubwa ya kazi, na mapato ya ajira katika sekta hiyo ni ya chini sana. Lakini athari zake kamili za kiuchumi zinaendelea zaidi ya ajira ya moja kwa moja na mapato. Mandhari yenye nguvu ya kitamaduni husaidia kuvutia, kudumisha na kuchochea nguvu za kazi za ubunifu. Pia huchochea mambo mengine ya uchumi, hasa sekta ya ukarimu. Serikali za manispaa, mkoa na shirikisho huwekeza katika sanaa na utamaduni kupitia ruzuku kwa wasanii na mashirika ya sanaa, na pia kupitia ufadhili wa uendeshaji na mtaji. Wanaweza pia kusaidia watu kupata fursa ya kujifunza sanaa. Serikali hufadhili sanaa kwa sababu mbalimbali zinazohusiana na faida za kiuchumi kutoka kwa uwekezaji kama huo, na faida za jumla za jamii. Uwekezaji wa serikali unaweza kuwa muhimu kuwezesha wasanii na mashirika ya sanaa kupata mapato kutoka vyanzo vingine.