This self-paced e-learning course introduces participants to the key dimensions of decent work in the culture and creative sector (CCS). It highlights how decent work principles can be applied to support fair, inclusive, and sustainable growth in the creative economy.

Through five interconnected modules, the course explores how policies, skills systems, social dialogue, social protection, and sectoral strategies can be leveraged to improve working conditions and livelihoods for artists and authors (such as writers, painters, and musicians) and performers, as well as cultural professionals. Case studies and examples illustrate how countries and stakeholders are advancing the Decent Work Agenda within the CCS.

The course is designed for:

• Government officials involved in culture and creative sector, as well as those dealing with labour, employment and economic development policies;
• Employers’ and workers’ organizations active in the sector;
• Cultural institutions, creative entrepreneurs, and artists’ association or guilds;
• Development partners, researchers, and academics working on creative economy and labour issues.

It is also suitable for anyone interested in understanding the intersection between culture, employment, and decent work.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the scope, patterns, and drivers of informality in the CCS and explain the importance of formalization in the sector;
• Identify key skills gaps and strategies to promote entrepreneurship and professionalization in the culture and creative sector;
• Understand the principles and actors of social dialogue and how to strengthen social dialogue, including collective bargaining, in the sector;
• Describe the importance of social protection for culture creative workers and identify measures to extend coverage;
• Analyze policy frameworks shaping the CCS at national, regional, and international levels and design strategies to enhance sustainability.

The course consists of five self-contained modules:

1. Transition to Formality – explores informality in the CCS, its drivers, and pathways towards formalization;
2. Skills and Entrepreneurship – examines skills development, entrepreneurship, and innovation in culture and creative work;
3. Social Dialogue – focuses on social dialogue, collective bargaining, representation, and enabling frameworks;
4. Social Protection – analyses gaps and good practices to extend social protection to culture and creative workers;
5. Sectoral Policies – reviews policy frameworks and strategies for sustainable culture and creative sector development.

The course is self-guided and can be completed at your own pace.

Each module takes approximately 45 minutes, including short readings, interactive exercises, and knowledge checks.

Upon completion of all five modules, participants will receive a certificate of completion.

The course provides an overview of policy issues, as well as practical insights and real-world examples to help policymakers, social partners, and practitioners build a stronger, fairer, and a more resilient cultural and creative sector.

This course has been designed in collaboration with the ILO Sectoral Policies Department, and as a follow up to the Conclusions of the Technical meeting on the future of work in the arts and entertainment sector, which took place in September 2023. The Conclusions called for the Office to “build the capacity of constituents to engage in effective social dialogue to ensure full and productive employment, decent work for all, and just transitions in the sector; implement inclusive, gender-responsive social protection policies; and effectively participate in the design and implementation of skills development programmes, TVET systems, and lifelong learning schemes, including in cooperation with the International Training Centre of the ILO, Turin”.

For any information on the topics and technical issues related to the culture and creative sector at the ILO, please contact Ms. Margherita Licata, Technical Specialist, Private services sector , email: licata@ilo.org

Contact the ITC-ILO:  mmw@itcilo.org any question you may have. 

Course manager: Ms. Margarita Lalayan, m.lalayan@itcilo.org at Sustainable Enterprises and Economies (SEE) programme.

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