Abstract: The 2023 Otis College Report on the Creative Economy is part of an ongoing research project, first commissioned in 2007, to better understand the size, growth, structure, and character of the creative economy in California, with an emphasis on Los Angeles County. The Report’s approach focuses primarily on five creative sectors. By analyzing creative industry activity, including employment and wages, the Report provides a robust look at the economic impact of the creative economy in California and regions across the state. This year’s Report also examines the broader economic climate in California and focuses on how technology and “gaming” are driving change and innovation across the creative industries and throughout the entire economy. The next few years will present a sea change for the creative economy as new tools for developing and distributing creative content continue to proliferate at an accelerated rate. The economic data contained in the Report indicate the COVID-19 pandemic is in the rearview mirror of some sectors, while others are facing serious challenges. It remains critical that stakeholders across California’s creative sectors engage in evidence-based discussions about how the state can foster, support, and implement inclusive development strategies to secure the future of our creative economy.
