This paper is an attempt, based on international experience, to identify the creative and cultural economic activities in Belarus and to assess their size and development trends from the perspectives of output, employment (including regional dimension) and trade, based on open-source data for 2016-2023 period, as well as their impact on economic growth using “Input-Output” and CGE model calculations based on 2020 data.

The results of the latest GEM wave conducted in Belarus in 2024 revealed a paradoxical stability of entrepreneurial potential in Belarus. Despite the degradation of the institutional environment, activity in the private sector not only remains stable but also shows growth in key indicators .

The paper develops a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for Belarus to assess the consequences of alternative integration strategies and external shocks.

The structure of Belarusian economy and labor market situation are facing considerable changes after COVID-19 pandemic, intra- and geopolitical destabilization.