Founded in 1968, Canadian Artists’ Representation / Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC National) is the national voice of Canada’s professional visual artists. Federally incorporated as a non-profit membership association, CARFAC advocates for artists’ economic and legal rights while fostering a fair, sustainable, and thriving visual arts sector.

Recognized by a federal tribunal in 1999 as the representative association for Canada’s professional visual and media artists, CARFAC negotiates working conditions and standards through collective bargaining and voluntary agreements. This includes developing and administering the CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule, the national benchmark for artist remuneration, as well as collective agreements with federal institutions under the Status of the Artist Act.

Through a network of affiliated provincial organizations, CARFAC represents thousands of professional visual artists across Canada. We advance artists’ interests through advocacy, research, public education, and the development of practical resources that promote fair compensation, strengthen professional practice, and support artists at every stage of their careers.

For six decades, CARFAC has been at the forefront of improving the socio-economic conditions of professional visual artists, championing policies and legislation that recognize the essential role artists play in Canada’s cultural landscape.

Click here for CARFAC’s full history. 

Vision

A thriving and supported national visual arts community in which artists are valued and compensated equitably for their artistic work, labour, and intellectual property. 

Mission

CARFAC National is the national voice of Canada's professional visual artists. Through advocacy, research, and public education, we promote and articulate the interests and concerns of professional visual artists while fostering a socio-economic climate conducive to the production of visual art in Canada.

Mandate

CARFAC National is a federally incorporated non-profit membership association founded by artists for artists. CARFAC National represents Canada’s professional visual artists and is recognized under the Status of the Artist legislation. Its mandate is to advocate for artists’ economic and legal rights while educating the public on fair and equitable engagement with artists. Through advocacy, research, and public education initiatives, CARFAC National works to advance and support artists' interests across Canada and contribute to a thriving national visual arts community.