CARFAC plays a vital and ongoing role in advocating for visual artists’ rights and fair treatment, and members have input into our decision-making process in various ways. Your membership fees help us bring the Artist’s Resale Right to Canada, and make it possible for us to negotiate agreementswith the National Gallery of Canada, and associations representing museums and art galleries.

All members enjoy free admission to the National Gallery of Canada. Many of our regional affiliate chapters are able to offer discounts to members on gallery admission, art supplies, health insurance, framing, photography supplies, bookstores, and more with the presentation of a membership card.

You can gain access to advice from the National office on various topics related to the business side of your artistic practice. Regular Artist members may receive more in-depth support

We distribute regular e-bulletins and newsletters to all members. We have several books on the business side of art. They are available for sale to anyone, but Regular Artist members receive discounts. We offer Advisory Notes to our members, covering exporting, income tax, insurance, marketing, health hazards, business structures, and more! We also have a copyright toolkit, which offers information on how to protect your work. Members can email us to ask for a copy.

Don’t get stuck at the border because you waited until the last minute to get your paperwork. Planning ahead will make the process much smoother and save you a lot of stress. The International Association of Art Card provides our members with free or discounted entry to many museums in Europe and beyond. IAA cards are available to CARFAC, RAAV, and CMAQ members only. The Certificate of Canadian Origin has been approved by Canada Customs & Revenue Canada, and Regular Artist members can purchase this document at a discount. Certificates identify original works of art temporarily exported abroad in order to allow them to pass through customs without GST implications.

Have a legal problem? CARFAC has several resources for resolving legal problems. Members can email us for details. We can also link members to other legal resources and services – give us a call or send us an email, with information about your specific issue.

Members benefit from conferences, webinars, and workshops offered across the country, on topics such as contract negotiation, copyright, marketing, grant writing, and more. We also organize social events in some locations through our regional chapters. Anyone is welcome to attend our Annual General Meeting, but only members with voting rights have the right to vote.

CARFAC’s provincial partners have a number of resources that may not be on this list. Check their websites for details.