by Canada’s visual artists
Statistics Canada reports 15,000 artists in Canada.
The direct impact of culture on GDP was $40 billion.
78% of BC artists earn less than $10,000 per year making art.
There were 2400 applicants for 220 creation grants last year.
The visual arts section of the Canada Council has the smallest budget (3.5 million/ 150 million).
Post secondary institutions are graduating 8000 fine arts students per year (double 5 years ago).
These shocking numbers are excerpted from BC president Femke van Delft’s front page article in Visual Arts Voice, newsletter of CARFAC BC, Spring 2005 issue, concerning Canada Council’s proposed changes to grants. Unfortunately it’s not online.
This was published just before Canada Council for the Arts announced their new program.
Links for further reading:
– The story on CBC
– Chris of Zeke’s Gallery keeps on top of all this and has put together a bunch of links on the subject.
– CARFAC (Canadian Artists Representation)
– CARFAC BC affiliate (sadly not updated)
– my older post about CARFAC
May 31, 2005 in Being an Artist, Canada and BC by Marja-Leena
But let me ask you, how often is the Canadian parliament embroiled in debate about the scandalous use of taxpayer’s money to fund art that is offensive to God and country?
Oh, you’ve noticed, eh!? You can’t please all of the people all of the time… There are those who who don’t believe any of their taxes should go to the arts, then there are some who say we should not support sports, especially commercial hockey etc. Some don’t like to pay any taxes until we tell them they’d be living in a third world country. Where does it begin and end? I do strongly believe in the value of the arts to society, but how does society support the artists who provide the arts – through education, I think. What do you think, Dave?