Mexico's cultural sector contributes 2.8% of the national Gross Domestic Product, yet for 2027 it would receive barely 0.05% of federal public investment: 20 billion 967 million pesos, according to the study by the Centro de Análisis e Investigación Fundar presented on October 12, 2026. In practical terms, that figure amounts to 155 pesos per inhabitant per year to guarantee the right of access to culture.

The figure, reported by El Universal, comes from the Proyecto de Presupuesto de Egresos de la Federación (PPEF) and corresponds to the so-called cultural Subfunction, which adds up the resources allocated to the sector not only by the Secretaría de Cultura but also by agencies such as the SEP. Fundar researcher Paulina Castaño detailed that the cultural Subfunction went from 39 billion 380 million pesos in 2013 to the current projection, a decrease of 47% over fourteen years.

The study was presented in the panel "El presupuesto del sector cultura. Entre crisis, promesas y desesperanzas," coordinated by specialist Bolfy Cottom. Proceso reported that the meeting discussed the gap between the cultural contribution to GDP and the assigned federal spending, as well as the international goal, driven since the pandemic, of allocating 1% of the national budget to culture.

Among the figures in the analysis:

  • Secretaría de Cultura: 15 billion 849 million pesos projected, of which almost 83% goes to payroll and operations and only 5.9% to equipment and conservation of assets. - Historical comparison: in 2013 the sector's total investment was 39 billion 380 million pesos. - Economic contribution: 2.8% of national GDP.

Eduardo Cruz Vázquez, of the Grupo de Reflexión sobre Economía y Cultura, noted in the panel that a large part of that contribution to GDP comes from small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector, and that the regulatory frameworks for their competitiveness have not been reformed.

What's next: the PPEF 2027 is still under discussion in Congress, where the cultural Subfunction figures may be adjusted before the budget is approved. Fundar's full study is available for public consultation.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.