In June 2020, CARFAC Ontario’s Managing Director, Jason Samilski, presented a deputation to the Government of Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs regarding the impacts of COVID-19 on the arts and culture sector. Our deputation, as well as the written brief submitted, included a strong focus on the pandemic’s economic impacts on artists and cultural leaders representing equity-seeking groups. Our key recommendations were as follows: 

1) Immediately invest $5m into the Indigenous Culture Fund;

2) Increase the base level of funding to the Ontario Arts Council to $80m so that it is in line with the 2021 funding level set in 2017;

3) Ensure that artists and cultural leaders representing equity groups and marginalized communities are positioned at the forefront of recovery and rebuilding efforts. We recommended doing this by engaging stakeholders representing these communities to co-design a long-term stabilization fund so that the arts can not only continue to drive tourism and economic growth, but will provide increased economic benefit through the reduction of barriers, and the increase of inclusion, equity, and diversity.

Please click here to view the full written submission. 

For more information please contact Jason Samilski, Managing Director,
CARFAC Ontario at jason [at] carfacontario.ca 

For a PDF version, please click here.

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May 20, 2020 

Attention: 
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 
K1A 0A6
Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca

Dear Minister,    

I am writing on behalf of an ad-hoc coalition of Canadian Arts Service Organizations regarding Phase 2 of the $500 million Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage, and Sport Organizations.  

Firstly, we are truly grateful for the creation of this fund, and we thank you for not only providing much needed relief, but for disbursing funds rapidly during this time of crisis.  

We understand that, while Phase 1 funds are being directed at current clients of Canadian Heritage and its portfolio organizations, Phase 2 funding will be available to initiatives that do not currently receive support from the Federal Government. This is excellent news and will surely play a pivotal role in the very survival of many small cultural initiatives.  We strongly encourage that Phase 2 dissemination prioritizes initiatives led by and serving equity-seeking groups. To this end, decisions around the administration of these funds can, however inadvertently, preclude applications from many culturally important arts initiatives, and can disproportionately exclude those working within marginalized and diverse communities. Barriers that applicants may face include, but are not limited to: 

●      Requirements for initiatives to be operating as legally incorporated entities;

●      Complexities of application processes (impacting applicants experiencing literacy barriers, newcomers, and those new to digital granting portals); 

●      Restrictive guidelines and eligible activities which might not be applicable to all models and methods of delivering activity; 

●      Access to deaf and disability supports in completing applications; 

●      Access to steady internet (impacting artists in remote regions, low-income artists without home internet); 

●      Access to sufficient technological devices (i.e. online portals can be difficult to navigate using cell phones; libraries, which are closed, offer a key internet access point to low-income Canadians);

●      Lack of support in navigating guidelines, writing and submitting applications; 

●      Lack of operational and staff funding to support the development and completion of time-intensive applications;

●      Lack of outreach within hard-to-reach communities (many cultural leaders will not be aware of the opportunity to receive support);  

●      Alienation from major funding programs, and mistrust of institutions which results in a lack of direct personal assistance and advice.  

To reduce barriers and increase access to small arts groups and initiatives, we recommend that the disbursement of Phase 2 of the Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations include:  

●      Prioritizing initiatives led by, and serving, equity-seeking groups with a focus on those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, official language minority communities, newcomer, deaf and disabled, and LGBTQ; 

●      Prioritizing initiatives led-by, and serving, those affected by systemic barriers including but not limited to mental health issues, poverty, lack of education, precarious employment, involvement with the justice system;

●      Prioritizing small artist-led initiatives with annual budgets under $200,000, that do not receive sustainable funding, and are not current clients of federal government funding agencies nor its partners^[1]

●      A portion of Phase 2 funds dedicated exclusively to the above criteria. 

To accomplish this, we recommend that Canadian Heritage employ a third-party recommender model and engage local arts organizations as advisors. These are arts organizations that can provide input into criteria and guidelines, outreach within their own communities, identify prospective applicants most in need, support artists to develop and submit applications, and recommend to Canadian Heritage or to its partners which applicants should receive funding. We recommend that Canadian Heritage leverage these organizations’ community connections, and local expertise to inform the process and reach intended recipients. 

Additionally, many arts organizations may be able to offer a range of supports to recipients throughout project delivery. Centering the funding process within the community level will increase access for applicants and will ensure that these funds support many high-impact grassroots initiatives. 

This “third-party recommender” model is successfully employed by other arts funders; the Ontario Arts Council, for example, engages third-party recommender organizations to assist them with visual, media, theatre, and literary arts grants. 

As Canadian Arts Service Organizations, we offer our full collaboration in developing and implementing such a model in an efficient and timely fashion, and we welcome a meeting with you and your staff, and with partner agencies to begin the process. We are prepared to provide support to Canadian Heritage and its partners throughout the entire process including the creation of a final report to publicly share the department’s commitment to equity in the arts. 

In these uncertain times, getting this process right is critical, and, by implementing simple strategies, we know that we can ultimately increase diversity and representation in the arts, and ensure that more artists and communities can participate, and see themselves reflected in, Canada’s vibrant cultural ecosystem. 

Sincerely,

Jason Samilski 
Managing Director, CARFAC Ontario 

April Britski
National Executive Director, CARFAC

Ben Donoghue
Director, Media Arts Network of Ontario

Maegen Black
Executive Director, Canadian Crafts Federation

charles c smith
Executive Director, Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario 

Anne Bertrand
Executive Director, Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Conference / La conférence des collectifs et des centres d’artistes autogérés (ARCA)

Dermot Wilson
Executive Director, Nipissing Region Curatorial Collective 

 cc: 

Irene Cheung, Policy Advisor, Office to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Julie Dabrusin, MP Toronto-Danforth, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Alexandre Boulerice, MP Rosemount–La-Petite-Patrie, Critic for Canadian Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Canadian Heritage, Deputy Critic for Environment and Climate Change

Peter Julian, MP New Westminster-Burnaby, House Leader, NDP Spokesperson on Finance, Deputy Spokesperson on Canadian Heritage

Simon Brault, Director and CEO, Canada Council for the Arts

Carolyn Warren, Director General, Arts Granting Programs Canada Council for the Arts  

^[1]Artist-Run Centres and Collectives Conference and her allies circulated a survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on artist-run centres and other small organizations in the first 30-day period of closure due to physical-distancing measures. Artist-run centres are typically very small organizations, two‐thirds of them with annual budgets less than $250,000, and account for just 10% of the $146 million in public funding received by visual arts organizations that report to CADAC (Canadian Art Data/Données sur les arts au Canada). On average, survey respondents indicated that the total value of their anticipated loss of earned revenue was between $1,000 and $5,000. On average, respondents indicated that this amount represents between <10% and 25% of their organization’s overall revenue. 

Letter sent April 23, 2020

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Attention:

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0A6
Steven.Guilbeault@parl.gc.ca

The Honorable Lisa MacLeod
Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries
438 University Avenue
6th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5G 2K8
Lisa.macleodco@pc.ola.org

Ministers,

We, the undersigned, represent a diverse spectrum of small, grassroots, and community-based arts initiatives, and we are writing to draw your attention to the vital role of our work, especially at this time, as many of us are focused specifically on working with marginalized communities, and with some of our most vulnerable citizens. We are community organizers on the front lines, and often the most accessible point of personal support for artists and communities, and we fill an important gap by engaging groups that have been historically excluded within conventional cultural institutions. For example, research from Canadian Art (2015) found that only 11% of solo exhibitions at major Canadian public art galleries centered on non-white artists. They also found that gallery management in Canada is disproportionately dominated by white arts professionals. Meanwhile, our initiatives are often led-by, and specifically geared to engaging non-white artists, and, in addition, many of us focus on engaging those identifying as LGBTQ, disabled, and those experiencing systemic barriers to participating in the arts.

We fully support all responsive funding programs intended to stabilize the arts and cultural sector, as well as charities and nonprofit organizations, and of course we support all programs providing emergency relief to individuals facing sudden income losses. However, as unincorporated, or smaller arts initiatives often working with small project grants, fuelled by small donations, and volunteer hours, yet playing a vital role in the arts ecosystem often without any sustainable funding, we encourage policy-makers and public funding agencies to ensure that our work is not overlooked in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we come together as a sector to weather the storm, we fear that, without immediate and accessible support during, and after this COVID-19 pandemic, many of our groups will be all but wiped out, which would result in major gaps in the cultural ecosystem, leave many communities in disarray, and ultimately push many vulnerable citizens further into isolation.

We are creative, resilient, and we have proven track records creating big impacts with small investment. So we ask you, at this pivotal time, to acknowledge our work, and–in addition to the support for established arts organizations, cultural institutions, nonprofits and charities, as well as all the help going to businesses–make sure that we, too, are able to access the basic resources to continue operating in our unique and intimate roles in communities, and for the artists who need us now more than ever.

Thank you,

CARFAC Ontario

CARFAC Ontario strongly advises that all artists track their losses since March 1st 2020. You may find it useful to use the Loss of Revenue document which is a tool primarily developed by the Craft Alliance Atlantic Association. 

We also encourage you to participate in a COVID-19 Impact Survey for Arts, Culture, and Tourism workers, from ArtsPond + I lost My Gig Canada. CARFAC regional branches across the country have agreed to direct members to this survey, and the data produced will allow us to advocate on your behalf. 

Force Majeure – it’s a standard clause we often see in contracts, which aims to provide clarity for anticipating the unforeseen. Fortunately, we rarely need to give this much thought. But what happens when a pandemic or natural disaster forces institutions to close on a national, or even global scale, as is the case with the COVID-19 crisis?

Many artists are at different stages of negotiation in their agreements with presenters. Some have signed contracts while others have verbal or more informal agreements in place. In either circumstance, presenters should honour their agreements with artists. We encourage presenters to support artists to the best of their abilities, and to consider the financial pressures many self-employed artists are currently facing as much as possible during this time. We urge presenters to consider compensating artists for additional labour that may be involved if they are asked to change the format of their exhibition, screening, presentation, etc. We also recommend that presenters keep their websites and social media channels up-to-date with information about their programming, as circumstances change and evolve.

We are living in extraordinarily challenging times, and we are all in this together. Museums, galleries, artist-run centres, and festivals are also facing unprecedented challenges, not knowing when they may reopen their doors. We know most presenters are committed to the principle of fairness in their relationships with freelance artists, designers, curators, and others. Some of them have developed their own internal practices regarding payment for cancelled or delayed contracts, in light of recent events, but they are not always consistent with other institutions. 

With this in mind, the following guidelines are designed to help the visual and media arts community establish procedures for paying artists when exhibitions, screenings, and other opportunities are disrupted due to cancellations or postponements.

CARFAC, RAAV, and Copyright Visual Arts are available to answer questions to the best of our abilities from artists and presenters, as we all contend with unexpected situations related to COVID-19. Please stay connected for updates, as these guidelines continue to evolve.

If an artist was scheduled to give an artist talk, give a workshop, participate on a panel, write text to accompany their work, etc:

If an artist has been asked to provide professional services which have been interrupted by venue closures, every effort should be made to offer an online version of their presentation, workshop or written text. They should be paid at a rate agreed to in their contract, such as those found under Artist Professional Services Fees in the CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule. If the artist requires assistance because of the change in format (ie: software or equipment purchases), the host venue should cover those costs, as well as providing additional payment if more time is required to adapt a workshop or lecture for online presentation. Technical support may also need to be provided. 

If a presenting institution is closed with artwork installed:

We encourage presenters to pay in accordance with an existing contract as planned. Artists should be paid without delay for exhibitions that have already opened or were about to open. If the presenter is facing challenges to pay immediately, they should develop a payment timeline in accordance with the terms of the contract, or in conversation with the artist.

We also encourage presenters to consider the creation of an online version of a temporary exhibition, in full or in part, in consultation with the artist(s) or rightsholder. If the rightsholder is a member of a copyright collective, such as Copyright Visual Arts, please contact them to re-issue a license to include online exhibition.

If there is no additional work to be done by the artist to put the exhibit online, additional royalties may not be payable to the artist in this circumstance. However, if the presenter requires the artist to provide preparation work for the online exhibition, artists should be compensated additionally for that work, in consultation with the artist or their copyright collective. 

If a presenting institution wishes to extend the dates of an installed exhibition that was forced to close early: 

Presenters may ask artists to extend their exhibition beyond the contracted dates. This must be done in consultation with the exhibiting artist(s) to ensure that they agree, and that their artwork is available for the new dates. Due to the unique circumstances of this global pandemic, exhibition licenses that have been paid may be extended at no additional charge, if agreed to by the artist.  

If an artist has a contract or agreement for a future exhibition, screening, or festival, but production is not complete or has not yet begun: 

We encourage artists and presenters to discuss and plan for alternative programming, including online formats, in accordance with the CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule, or in consultation with CARFAC, RAAV, or Copyright Visual Arts.

We also recommend that institutions postpone rather than cancel engagements. While circumstances are uncertain and schedules will change, we encourage presenters to fulfill future commitments to artists, especially if the program was planned for the short-term (ie: within the year). If the artist has incurred expenses related to the production of the project, they should be compensated, in consultation with the artist.

Digital reproductions of artworks: 

The CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule provides guidelines for the reproduction of works online. This currently includes rates for moving images and fixed images (including websites, social media, and mobile apps) on the internet; digital publications such as e-Catalogues, e-magazines, and e-books; and digital media for public and private use. These rates apply to reproductions related to temporary exhibitions, screenings, or festivals, as well as works from museum permanent collections and other archival materials. Discounted rates are offered for non-profit organizations, non-commercial uses, and/or for reproductions associated with exhibitions or screenings where royalties are paid. 

After the crisis: developing new guidelines:

We do not know when our doors will open again, and people may be wary of public gatherings for some time. We encourage presenters who have the resources to consider planning the addition of online content, including exhibitions, screenings, and presentations as a contingency plan, or to supplement their growing digital strategy plan for public engagement.

The CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule does not include guidelines for every project that an artist or presenter may possibly imagine. As a result of the present crisis, the creation of payment guidelines for online exhibitions, screenings, residencies, commissioned work, and more has become a priority, and we will do so in consultation with the visual arts community.  To help us do that, please get in touch to discuss what you are currently doing, or considering, for future programming. 

For further information, please contact:

April Britski, National Executive Director, CARFAC

Bernard Guérin, Director General, RAAV

Erin Gurski, Coordinator, Copyright Visual Arts

Resources and Best Practices for the Visual, Media and Craft-Based Arts Sector

Strengthening the Sector: Resources and Best Practices for the Visual, Media and Craft-Based Arts Sector is a three-year project focused on researching and developing a range of resources and tools to support the visual, media and craft-based arts sectors. The ultimate goal of the project is to establish a set of best practices to advance industry standards through a consultative, consensus building process. The resulting ethical and practical professional standards and best practices developed will provide guidance in areas where regulation and agreements currently do not exist.

The first phase of the project focuses on building a solid base of information to inform subsequent phases of work. This knowledge base is being generated through focused research and an extensive community engagement process involving six regional forums and a province-wide survey.

CARFAC Ontario is leading the project supported by a Steering Committee comprised of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries, Ontario Crafts Council, Artist-Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario, Media Arts Network of Ontario and the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective. CARFAC Ontario acknowledges the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the project. The Steering Committee played an indispensable role in guiding the project, and demonstrated a strong interest in forging stronger partnerships and to build capacity across the sector.

The CARFAC Ontario Strengthening the Province Final Report 2013 can be found here.

To download previous published reports, please click on the links:
CARFAC Ontario Background Research
CARFAC Ontario Regional Forums Report

(Toronto)…The Ontario Budget 2015, Building Ontario Up, is a 372-page document that contains little to recognize the growth sectors of the arts, culture or heritage. 
The Government of Ontario appears to have once again cut its investment in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport by $150 million, a decrease from $1.424 billion (2012-2013) to $1.274 billion (2015-2016), according to budget documents released yesterday. 
“The PASO Coalition’s primary concern continues to be Ontario Arts Council cuts to operating grants that took effect April 1.” Demetra Christakos observed, co-chair of the voluntary arts coalition. “When transfer payments from Ontario to the Ontario Arts Council are straight-lined for a sixth consecutive year, attrition to their value is a ligature on emerging arts professionals.” 

Ontario’s Economic Forecast

Ontario government revenues have increased by $27 billion since 2008-2009, from $97.5 billion to $124.4 billion, according to the budget. Ontario has recovered all the jobs lost since the 2008 recession, the unemployment rate is improving (down to 7.3% from 7.6% last year), the net surplus of corporations rose by 8% in 2014, and a resurgent US economy and a rebound in US consumer demand supports stronger growth in Ontario exports, including motor vehicle sales.

Keystrokes for the arts in the 2015-2016 budget:

• $5.9 million has been allocated to celebrate the significance of the 400th anniversary of the Francophone presence in Ontario in 2015. However, it is not clear whether these funds come out of $905 million in additional funding already allocated for the Pan/Parapan American Games in 2015-2016.
• The government proposes to narrow eligibility for the Ontario Digital Media Tax Credit and use a portion of the savings to renew the Interactive Digital Media Fund.
• The $5 million cut first made to the Ontario Trillium Foundation in Budget 2013 is reiterated the current financial year, 2015-2016, for a total loss to date of $20 million over four years.
• $15 million in arts funding reallocated by the government in 2013 to establish the Ontario Music Fund has been renewed.

Other potential impacts on the arts

Apprenticeship programs is one area where the government proposes some strategic investments: $13 million more over two years for pre-apprenticeship readiness programs, $19 million to increase the per diem for apprentices in classroom training, and $23 million to help colleges and other delivery agents train and deliver high quality apprenticeship programs. 
However, the government is also tightening the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit by $30 million this year—deepening to a loss of $95 million in 2017-2018. 
There is an anticipated increase in investment in the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities of $472 million (from 7.337 billion to 7.809 billion).
At the same, the government announced a massive reform of the postsecondary education system, embarking on a review of university funding this spring with a view both to greater differentiation between schools and the further alignment of public funding with “desired outcomes”.
“We’ll be tracking those outcomes.” Christakos said. “When the Harris government moved on core funding to universities in the mid-90s, university arts programs, art galleries, and other arts activities were deeply impacted.”
Perhaps due to lack of detail about the federal government’s funding intentions in the 150th anniversary of the confederation of Canada available when the Ontario budget document was printed, Ontario’s commitment to 2017 is equally vague: “The government will engage Ontarians to share ideas for commemoration and will work collaboratively to make Canada’s birthday an occasion for pride and celebration across the province.”

About the PASO Coalition

PASO is a Coalition of Provincial Arts Service Organizations that strives to strengthen the environment for the individuals and institutions that create and disseminate the arts in this province and for public access to the arts. Its collective memberships are made up of individual artists as well as the performance and exhibition organizations that create and support artistic expression. PASO operates on the principle of voluntary contributions of time and travel from Coalition member organizations.

Connect with PASO by e-mailing Kristian Clarke at: kc [at] carfacontario.ca. Demetra Christakos can be reached at: oaag [at] oaag.org. Kristian can be reached by phone at: 416-340-8850.