Relationship between Central Public Investment in Culture and Economic Growth: An Analysis of the Colombian Case, 2009–2023

This article examines the relationship between public investment in culture and economic growth in Colombia during the period 2009–2023, recognizing culture not only for its social role but also as an economic sector with potential. The objective is to determine whether there is a significant correlation between public investment in the cultural sector and economic growth, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The methodology combines a documentary analysis with a quantitative approach based on an annual series of cultural investment and GDP obtained from official sources, deflated to ensure real comparability. Descriptive statistics, trend analysis, and Pearson, Spearman, and Kendall correlation tests were applied. The results show a non-linear evolution of cultural investment, characterized by an initial growth phase between 2009 and 2013, followed by a period of deceleration and contraction between 2015 and 2020, and a notable recovery starting in 2021, influenced by changes in National Development Plans and the COVID-19 crisis. The applied correlation tests reveal a positive relationship between the two variables, though with varying degrees of intensity and robustness. This suggests that cultural investment exhibits a procyclical behavior, adjusting to macroeconomic conditions and the availability of fiscal resources, rather than acting as an autonomous determinant of economic growth.