The world’s Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) are a powerhouse hidden in plain sight –one of the fastest-growing sectors worldwide. Yet too many of their workers are being left behind, as 40% earn less than their national minimum wage, educational curricula lag behind rapidly evolving industry demands, and informality, precarity, and gender disparities remain deeply entrenched in the sector.

This report assesses skills development across the CCIs - ranging from music and fashion to film and heritage crafts - across all regions. It identifies systemic obstacles hindering the sector, including fragmented policies, teacher shortages, outdated qualifications, and significant data gaps. It also highlights effective strategies, such as innovative pedagogies, micro-credentials, intergenerational learning, and public-private partnerships that are already transforming creative economies in countries from Colombia to the Republic of Korea.