The Canadian Artists’ Representation/le Front des artists canadiens (CARFAC) welcomes the increase of nearly $4.6 million to individual artists’ grants, recently announced in the Canada Council for the Arts’ Action Plan for 2008-11.
The increase in individual grants provides much needed funds for research, creation, production, and travel, and higher success rates for applicants. CARFAC hopes the plan will also help to improve conditions for visual and media artists in Canada. “We’d like to work with the Canada Council on a review of individual grant criteria, the creation of a social security net for senior visual artists, and the abolition of the federal income tax on artist’s grants and awards,” said April Britski, national Executive Director of CARFAC.
CARFAC is also pleased that new money has been allocated to research initiatives. In particular, there is sector-wide interest in a study on the feasibility of a establishing a dedicated fund for the public exhibition of artworks, similar to the Public Lending Right fund which pays writers whose books are available in public libraries.
While CARFAC is happy to see the Canada Council’s budget increase, the Action Plan notes that resources are still insufficient to support many important initiatives such as increasing public awareness of Canadian artists. CARFAC hopes the necessary funds will soon be made available so these projects may go forward.
CARFAC is happy that the Canada Council involved national arts service organizations in this strategic planning process. The new Canadian Alliance of the Visual Arts (CAVA), an independent alliance of national visual arts organizations of which CARFAC is a member, will work with the Canada Council to implement the plan in the visual arts sector.
CARFAC is the national voice of Canada’s professional visual and media artists. CARFAC defends artists’ socio-economic and legal rights and educates the public on fair dealing with artists. CARFAC engages actively in advocacy, lobbying, research and public education, on behalf of artists in Canada.
For more information contact:
April Britski
Executive Director
CARFAC National
613-233-6161, 1-866-344-6161