Proposals concerning cultural occupations within ISCO
By OECD and UNESCO Institute for Statistics
1. Definition of cultural occupations
For the purpose of this proposal, the following definitions of cultural occupations were primarily
based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO)1
and Canadian definitions. Whereas the Australian definitions encompass leisure activities, the
proposed definitions focus solely on “core” cultural occupations related to creativity and art.
Culture occupations include occupations involved in creative and artistic production, heritage
collection and preservation.
These occupations involve tasks and duties undertaken:
-
to generate, develop, preserve or reflect cultural or spiritual meaning;
to create, produce, disseminate cultural goods and services, which generally contain
intellectual property rights;
for the purpose of artistic expression (e.g., visual, music, written, dance or dramatic arts).
2. Identification of cultural occupations within ISCO 08
The proposal is based on the draft ISCO 08 classification (November 30 2006), and incorporates
suggestions from a variety of sources including: Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Department
of Canadian Heritage and Statistics Canada, Estonia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Statistics New
Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, University of Padua,
the European Commission’s Leadership Group (LEG) on culture employment, World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO), the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the OECD
Secretariat. It has also been influenced by the Revised Indian National Classification of
Occupations (NCO) – 2004, the Quebec culture and communications activity classification
system and the Mauritius classification by occupations.
As a result of this consultation and input received, a fairly comprehensive list of occupations was
produced and many additional codes were proposed. After several discussions with the ILO, the
proposal was drastically reduced to facilitate integration within ISCO.
1
ANZSCO: Alternative View: Culture and Leisure Occupations
1
The cultural categories easily identifiable within ISCO correspond to obvious artistic occupations
primarily covered by the groups 26 Legal, social and cultural professions and 344 Artistic and
cultural associate professionals. Additional cultural occupations, however, are spread across
many other ISCO categories. In particular, this is the case for the occupations involved in the
creativity and design work associated with architects, designers etc. and the new professions in
multimedia.
This proposal is split into two parts. The first (described in section 3) reviews current cultural
professions and proposes additional codes to better identify cultural occupations in diverse
categories. The second part (described in section 4) is a recommended thematic view of cultural
occupations that presents a more comprehensive view of culture occupations in ISCO with a view
to encouraging a more coherent approach to the analysis of culture occupations within different
countries.
3. Proposal for new codes for cultural occupations within ISCO 08
The possibility of having a separate category for all cultural occupations was considered but was
abandoned given the many different types of occupations and the broad range of skill levels
required. However, it may be possible to improve their visibility by grouping together cultural
categories as much as possible. This proposal has been based on the following elements:
-
review “arts, entertainment, design and sports occupations”;
group together as much as possible or emphasize cultural occupations;
separate as much as possible culture from sports occupations;
review the handicraft section.
3.1. Separate categories for cultural occupations
In order to better identify cultural activities, it is proposed to isolate as much as possible cultural
occupations from other occupations within the ISCO framework.

New unit group: 1346 Culture, service managers
It is proposed to add the term “culture” to code 134 (which is now limited to Education,
health and welfare service managers). It is also suggested to create a new unit within this
group: 1346 Culture, service managers. These professions are part of production and
specialised services managers within a culture organization and refer to head of
departments for a structure large enough to have a hierarchical structure. Managers of
cross-cutting services such as financial managers or human resources mangers are
excluded from this unit group and are included in 12 Administrative and commercial
managers.
This category includes department heads in such industries as:
Libraries, museums, galleries and archives,
2
Newspapers, magazine and book publishers
Performing arts and festival,
Broadcasting production and distribution.
The category excludes managers of sports and cultural venues halls and arenas; these
managers are included in 1431 Sports, culture, recreation and centre managers.

New unit group 2355 Other extra-curricula arts teachers
The UIS is reticent to use the term extra-systemic and would propose the term extracurricula since it concerns occupations that are outside the regular curriculum.
The current ISCO draft singles out only Extra-curricula language teachers and Extracurricula music teachers. However, many other types of arts teachers exist in areas such
as Fine Arts, Dance and Drama teachers. The unit group 2355 Other extra-curricula
arts teachers is proposed to group these extra-curricular teachers of these art forms.

New minor group 265 Writers
It is suggested to remove writers from the minor group 264 Creative or performing artists
and create a new category 265 Writers, which would include cover 2651 Journalists and
2652 Authors and other writers. This proposal has the benefit of freeing up some 4-digit
codes in minor group 264 for other occupations (see following).

Split the unit group 2645 Film, stage and related actors and directors into two
new categories: 2645 Film, stage and related directors and 2646 Film, stage and
related actors and storytellers.
This recommendation is intended to better reflect the different education levels and skills
required by directors and actors. The proposed unit group 2645 would include: art
directors (film/TV/stage), programme directors (TV and radio), directors of photography,
film editors, technical directors and theatre directors.
The proposed unit group 2646 would include: actors involved in theatre, TV, radio, film
and dubbing as well as storytellers, which is considered an important occupation in many
developing countries.

New unit group: 3335 Culture & sports services agents
The proposed unit group would include agents and promoters promoting artists as well as
literary, theatrical and musical performances. Ideally, the culture-related agents should be
separated from sports agents but concern was raised about the total number of individuals
involved in each of the culture and sports segments; to overcome this concern, this
proposal combines the two occupations within the same unit group.

New unit group: 3444 Performing arts and broadcasting associated
professionals
3
This unit group would fall within the minor group 344 Artistic and cultural associate
professionals. It would include production designers and assistants (film/TV/theatre), set
designers, stage managers and prompters.

New unit group: 4141 Library clerks
It is recommended to separate library clerks from filling clerks in light of the very
different skills required for these professions. This new unit group would include library
assistants as defined by ANZSCO in 5997.
3.2. Handicraft workers
Handicraft workers have a dedicated section 733 Handicraft workers in wood, textile,
leather and related. However, handicraft workers can also be found in other groups
such as potters or ceramics engravers, etc. In addition, handicraft workers also work with
other materials (mainly traditional); for these reasons, it is proposed that the following
new unit groups be created to better reflect the diversity of materials used in handicraft
work

New unit group 7333 Carpet makers
This new unit group is proposed by WIPO. It may require further investigation about the
number of occupations represented and the geographic zones where the representation is
significant.

New unit group 7339 Handicraft workers in materials not elsewhere specified
This unit group covers handicraft workers using other materials (mainly traditional), such
as weavers and basketry. As an example, the table below shows the handicraft categories
from the Mauritian national classification at the four-digit level:
7331
7332
7333
7339
Handicraft Workers in Wood and Related Material
Handicraft Workers in Textile Leather and Related
Handicraft Workers in Straw Vacoa and Related
Other Handicraft Workers
4
4. Proposal for thematic view of cultural occupations
Based on the definitions outlined in the first section, the proposed thematic view of cultural
occupations is intended to cover both traditional and ‘newer’ cultural occupations. Indeed, it
covers a broad range of occupations, from handiwork to creative work in multimedia.
Four groups of cultural occupations have been identified for the thematic view of cultural
occupations:




Core cultural professions
Cultural occupations hidden within other occupations (non identifiable within ISCO but
may be identifiable in national classifications)
Related/peripheral cultural professions
Occupations related to traditional and local knowledge
4.1. Core cultural occupations
This section focuses primarily on identifiable cultural occupations based upon traditional
definitions. They include domains such as visual artists, performing and creative artists, librarians
and architects as well as occupations involving the creative use of new media (such as graphic
and multimedia designers). The list of occupations for this category is presented in Table 1 A
Core cultural occupations.
4.2. Cultural occupations hidden within other occupations (non-identifiable in ISCO)
In addition to the occupations defined in section A, it is important to consider those that may be
‘hidden’ within non-cultural industries (e.g., art teachers). ISCO currently does not provide the
level of detail required to fully identify cultural occupations within broad categories. An
additional consideration is that many of these hidden occupations may not include a number of
practitioners large enough to warrant a separate unit group.
There are two types of hidden occupations, in the first group the cultural occupations may be
separated out by the use of an industry classification when available. In the second group,
occupations such as teachers are important but that cannot be broken out even when industry
classification is available.
The full list is proposed in Table 1 B Cultural occupations hidden within other occupations.
-
The following highlights the unit groups containing a cultural component that could be
separated out at a national level by using industry classifications if they are available.

1120 Managing directors and chief executives
These occupations should be reviewed in order to identify occupations such as the
director of an art company.
5

3431 Social work associate professionals
This category is considered to be pertinent for some countries such as France, where
social workers and educators are specifically responsible for organizing cultural events
and activities.

514
Hairdressers, beauticians and related workers
This category can include occupations for cultural industries, such as film or theatre,
which employ hairdressers, wig hairdressers or make-up artists.
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The following highlights the unit groups containing a cultural component but require
more than just industry classification to be identifiable.

Teaching professionals
In the major group 23, cultural fields are not identified apart from 2354 Extra-curricula
language teachers and 2355 Extra-curricula music teachers.
If additional coding were available, teachers in arts and humanities in all level of
education should be identified and included. These teachers may be found in formal, nonformal and vocational education.
23
231
232
233
234

Teaching professionals
University and higher education teachers
Vocational education teachers
Secondary education teachers
Primary school teachers
Social, religious and related professionals
Archeologists and conservators do not form a sufficiently large group to justify the
creation of a separate category. Therefore, these professions, although important cultural
occupations, are included in category 2632 Sociologists, anthropologists and related
professionals.

7 Craft and related trades workers
The aim is to consider all categories which may include handicraft workers. Minor group
733 focuses specifically on handicraft workers using wood, textile, leather and related
materials. Nevertheless, there are other materials to consider. For example, craftspeople
working with stone and clay would now be considered with industrial workers under the
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current classification. Therefore, unit group 7113 Stonemasons, stone cutters and
carvers has been added because it includes some artistic occupations such as those
defined in India’s classification (code 711340 Stone carver).
4.3. Related/peripheral cultural professions
This section is intended to cover occupations for which there is no clear consensus on their
cultural components or nature. Section 1 provides a definition of core cultural occupations
that all or most countries consider being cultural. However, some countries may also consider
it important to include the following categories.

Leisure activities
A brooder definition of culture than that used in the main portion of this proposal would
incorporate activities such as leisure. In that case, the definition would also include
professions defined as “principally using artistic skills that enable enjoyment, relaxation,
diversion or recreation." (Based on ANZSCO):

343 Sports and fitness workers
5154 Pet groomers and animal care workers for zookeepers
New technologies
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) professionals may be involved in a
creative process.
- 2513 Web and multimedia developers

Religious professionals
Some countries consider religious professionals to be part of cultural occupations.

5241
Fashion and other models
Please see the complete list provided in Table 1. C. Related/peripheral cultural professions.
4.4. Occupations related to traditional and local knowledge
This category concerns occupations related to traditional and local knowledge and most often
involves indigenous peoples. It is intended to propose an alternative view of cultural
occupations by incorporating traditional occupations such as:

1113 Traditional chiefs and heads of villages.
In particular, they can perform ceremonial tasks and duties, as defined by ISCO 88.
7

3238
Traditional and complementary medicine practitioners
The complete list of unit groups considered under this section is given in the table 1 .D
Occupations related to traditional and local knowledge
5. Pending issues

Identification of heritage occupations
Should “heritage site personnel” (e.g., park rangers, wardens) be categorised under 314
Life science technicians and related associate professionals or in 2134 Environmental
protection professionals? For example, what is the appropriate classification for site
managers in Canadian National Parks, who often deal protection and biodiversity issues?

Distinct categories for performers and creative artists
Many contributions suggested separating out performers from creators for examples
composers from musicians. However, it has been suggested by the ILO that the numbers
of creators in individual artistic disciplines such as music or dance probably do not
warrant a separate unit group and that the creators would be better grouped with
performers in the same discipline rather than grouped all together in a separate unit group.
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Table 1: Thematic view of cultural occupations
A.
Core cultural occupations
ISCO-08
Description
Comments
1222
Advertising and public relations managers
Advertising agency presidents
New: add culture in the title
134
Culture, education, health and welfare service
managers
? 1346
Culture, service managers
New unit group
Library, museum, gallery and archive managers
Newspaper, magazine and book publisher managers
Performing arts and festival managers
Media producers: (broadcasting production and distribution managers)
1431
2151
Sports, culture, recreation and centre managers
Building architects
People managing sports and cultural venues (halls, arenas, etc.)
Include conservation architects, heritage architects
2152
2153
Landscape architects
Product and garment designers
Include landscape architects (Canadian classification C052)
Include fashion designers, jewellery designers, costume designers as well as
industrial designers
2155?
2156
22157
Town and traffic planners
Cartographers and surveyors
Graphic and multimedia designers
2353
2354
? 2355
Extra-curricula language teachers
Extra-curricula music teachers
Other extra-curricula Arts teachers
Multimedia designers, graphic designers, illustrators, industrial designers and
artists (of furniture, glass etc.),
Need term curricula
Music teachers: private, conservatory or studio lessons
New unit group:
Fine arts, dance, drama teachers, elocution teachers, film and creative writing
teachers
9
2431
Advertising and marketing professionals
26
Legal, social and cultural professionals
2621
2622
Archivists and curators
Librarians and similar information professionals
264
Creative or performing artists
2641
2642
Visual Artists
Musicians, singers and composers
2643
2644
Dancers and Choreographers
Film, stage and related directors
2645
Film, stage and related actors and storytellers
2646
2647
Announcers on radio, television and other media
Creative or performing artists not elsewhere classified
265?
2651
2652
Writers
Journalists
Authors and other writers
3118
Draughtspersons
314
Life science technicians and related associate
professionals
333
Business services agents
3335?
Culture & sports services agents
Advertising specialists
Archivists; museum/gallery curators
Librarians; information professionals related to libraries
Split out writers and create a new category in 265
Painters, lithographers, sculptors
Composers, conductors (orchestra & vocal groups), orchestra musicians,
church musicians, opera singers, other singers, musicians (entertainment, pop,
rock, etc); chorus
New unit group: split out directors
Art directors (film/TV/stage), directors of photography, film editors, technical
directors, programme directors (TV radio), theatre directors
New unit group
Actors in theatre, TV, radio, film, dubbing, storytellers
TV announcers and interviewers, radio announcers, disc jockeys
Other live performers (music hall artists, ventriloquists, bull fighters, tap
dancers etc.); community arts worker, clowns, magicians and related workers
New code, separate out writers from 264
Authors, essayists, dramaturges, copy editor, critic, multimedia writer,
scriptwriter, advertising writer, playwrights, script writer radio, TV and film;
copy writers, book or script editors
Architectural draughtsperson, architectural technologists and technicians
(Canada: C151)
Where are heritage site personnel (e.g. park rangers, wardens)?
New unit group
Agents and promoters related to cultural activities: literary, theatrical, musical
performance, theatrical and other culture-related agents and promoters
10
Sport agents
344
Artistic and cultural associate professionals
3441
3442
3443
3444?
Photographers
Interior designers and decorators
Gallery, library and museums technicians
Performing arts and broadcasting associated
professionals
New unit group:
Production designers and assistants (film/TV/theatre), set designers, stage
managers, prompters
3449
3531
Artistic associate professionals not elsewhere
classified
Broadcasting and sound and vision recording
technicians
414
Library clerks
4141
5113
Library clerks
Travel guides
7
Craft and related trades workers
7312
7331
7332
Musical instrument makers and tuners
Handicraft workers in wood and related materials
Handicraft workers in textile, leather and related
materials (excluding carpet makers)
Carpet makers
New unit group
Artisans and handicraft workers not elsewhere
New unit group
classified
Handicraft workers using traditional material such as basketry, weavers (part
of 7424 of the Indian classification)
Include sign writer
TV cameramen, film cameramen, film editors, sound recorders and mixers in
TV and film, operators of studio equipment in TV and radio, light technician.
motion picture projectionist
Removed filing clerks to new class 4142
7333?
7339?
Museum guides, docents, gallery guides
11
B. Cultural occupations hidden within other occupations (non identifiable)
1120
Managing directors and chief executives
3431
5141
5142
Social work associate professionals
Hairdressers
Beauticians and related workers
2310
2320
2330
2341
2632
7113
7115
7313
7321
7322
7323
7341
7342
University and higher education teachers
Vocational education teachers
Secondary education teachers
Primary school teachers
Sociologists, anthropologists and related professionals
Stonemasons, stone cutters and carvers
Carpenters and joiners
Jewellery and precious-metal workers
Abrasive wheel formers, potters and related workers
Glass makers, cutters, grinders and finishers
Glass and ceramics engravers, etchers and decorators
Pre-press technicians
Printers
7343
7522
7531
7533
7534
7535
7536
7537
Print finishing and binding workers
Cabinet-makers and related workers
Tailors, dressmakers and hatters
Textile, leather and related pattern-makers and cutters
Sewers, embroiderers and related workers
Upholsterers and related workers
Pelt dressers, tanners and fellmongers
Shoemakers and related workers
Include managers of cultural enterprises and institutions and directors of
museums
Cultural animators
Wig dressers
Make up artists
Include university and higher education arts teachers
Include vocational education arts teachers
Include secondary education arts teachers
Include primary education arts teachers
Include archaeologist and conservators
Include stone carver (India’s classification)
Include desktop publishing operators
Graphic pre-press trade’s worker, printer assistants, printing machinists,
printing table workers, screen printers and small offset printers
Binder and finisher
12
C. Other associated cultural professions that can be considered
25
Information and communications technology
(ICT) professionals
2512
2513
2519
Software developers
Web and multimedia developers
Software and multimedia developers and analysts not
elsewhere classified
Philosophers, historians and political scientists
Religious professionals
Sports and fitness workers
Athletes and sports players
Sports coaches, instructors and officials
Fitness and recreation instructors and program leaders
Web and multimedia technicians
Pet groomers and animal care workers
Fashion and other models
2633
2637
343
3431
3432
3433
? 3520
5154
5241
The occupations given in this category are considered as mostly IT
occupations not cultural. Even though some of these occupations can be
done within cultural industries
It includes zookeeper
D. Occupations related to traditional and local knowledge
1113
3238
Traditional chiefs and heads of village
Traditional and complementary medicine practitioners
Includes faith healers
13