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Israelis spent NIS 50 billion on culture and sports in 2017

Central Bureau of Statistics report shows we spent our hard earned shekels on concerts, sports games, internet use, TV and gambling; most of the money came out of our own pockets, with government investment in culture only at 1.7%.

Israelis spent NIS 59.1 billion—or 4.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDB)—on culture, entertainment and sports in 2017, according to a report released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Thursday.

 

 

By comparison, spending in 2005 was around NIS 30 billion, and in the early 1990’s around NIS 10 billion.

 

 (Photo: Index Open)
(Photo: Index Open)
 

 

According to the CBS report, nearly 86% of the national expenses in these fields (about NIS 51 billion) came out of the general public's pocket, while government funding in this field stood at only 1.7%. The rest came from local authorities and non-profit organizations (NGO).

 

National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports in 2017, according to the financing sector
National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports in 2017, according to the financing sector

 

 

The national expenses on culture, entertainment and sports includes the services of orchestras and theaters, sports and games infrastructure, radio and television, cinemas, community centers, national lotteries, internet use and others.

 

According to the data, expenses in 2017 on culture, entertainment and sports amounted to a total of NIS 6,473 per capita, an increase of nearly one percent from the previous year. Music and stage performances, live concerts, nightclubs and cultural events lead the expenses chart with 22%. Second are expenses for sports institutions and swimming pools, with 18.3%.

 

Distribution of expenses for activities in 2017
Distribution of expenses for activities in 2017

 

 

Cultural-social activities in neighborhoods around the country, mostly in community centers, make up 14.8% of the gross national product (GNP). At the bottom of the list are film and photography expenses, with only 3%, and plastic art expenses with less than 1% of the GNP.

 

The share of households in national expanses on the abovementioned fields has grown from 83.7% in 2016, but was lower than their share in 2015, which stood on 87.5%. Regional councils come second, and funded almost 10% of expenses. NGOs have funded 2.6% of all national expenses on sports, culture and entertainment. The government stands last and has paid for only 1.7% of cultural expenses.

 

National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports for 1991-2017, *2015 prices
National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports for 1991-2017, *2015 prices

 

With regards to offering services to civilians, the business sector provided and operated around 70% of all sports, culture and entertainment events and institutions. NGOs provided 21.5%, regional councils are again with 10%, and the government’s part in operating these fields is small, and stands on 1.5%.

 

In total, government, NGOs and regional councils’ expenses on venues and equipment for sports, culture and entertainment came to NIS 2.2 billion in 2017. This makes up less than 1% of investments in fixed assets, except for housing, ships and airplanes.

 

Of the NIS 2.2 billion, 86.2% of investments were on venues, and the rest was on equipment, machinery and vehicles. About 75% of investments were made by regional councils, rather than by the government of NGOs.

 

In light of this data, a source in the Israeli culture scene told Ynet that “support in culture is slim in Israel, even though it has risen in recent years, it’s barely catching up. Nominaly speaking, the figures are very small. Only for a handful of those who work in these fields there is an actual opportunity to make a living, and that’s sad.”

 

He added that “with no culture and local creations, we will slowly be doomed. The state needs to understand that and at least double the current budget.”

 

National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports in 2017, according to the operating sector
National expenses for culture, entertainment and sports in 2017, according to the operating sector

 

The Culture and Sports Ministry responded to the source by saying that “in the recent term, since Minister Miri Regev came into office, she has worked relentlessly in order to increase the culture and sports share in the state’s budget, and it has grown significantly in comparison to what it was before 2014.”

 

“The culture budget has crossed the NIS 1 billion mark for the first time, and has effectively grown by more than 30% in comparison to 2014,” the statement from the ministry said.

 

“The sports budget is expected to become a part of the state budget, without any dependence on sports gambling revenue, as of next year. It has also grown to NIS 1 billion in 2018, a significant rise from previous years’ budget. The ministry will continue to work in order to increase its budgets,” the statement concluded.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.23.18, 21:28
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