Minimum Rates and Best Practices for Compensating Elders, Knowledge Keepers and their Helpers

The Indigenous Protocols Collective, born of indigenousprotocols.art, is pleased to officially announce the launch of "Advisory Note: Considerations and Minimum Fees for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Helpers."

This is an Advisory Note developed in collaboration with CARFAC National and the Indigenous Editors Association to recommend minimum rates and best practices for compensating Elders, Knowledge Keepers and their Helpers who share their time, knowledge, and cultural guidance in the Visual Arts sector. 

These recommendations are based on comparative industry research, interviews with vetted Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous Arts Administrators, and Community Members across different First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in Canada. This Advisory Note was created for the Visual Arts sector specifically, as Elders and Knowledge Keepers are often invited to provide Opening and Welcome Remarks, Land Acknowledgements, at arts sector events like Exhibition Openings, Community Events, and so on. 

Thank you to the Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Arts Administrators and Community Members who took the time to share their knowledge and experience that was essential in shaping this work. We acknowledge the long standing grassroots advocacy for fair compensation for Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous Artists that gave way for such a resource to be possible. The Indigenous Protocols Collective shares this resource in good faith and hope for the Visual Arts sector to be a fruitful, equitable space for Indigenous peoples. Thank you to the Indigenous Editors Association for supporting this work.

Warmly, 

The Indigenous Protocols Collective:

Larissa Desrosiers

Monique Manatch

Liz Barron

Jennifer Smith

Holly Aubichon