In December, the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) revealed the results of a flash survey conducted among the artistic community and applicants for its scholarships and grants. In total, 95% of respondents indicated that it was difficult for them to continue working in the arts. As for organizations, 86% said they had seen their expenses increase, and 54% noted a drop in revenue.
The survey, carried out between June and July 2024, sought to draw “an accurate and up-to-date portrait of the state of the sector on a national scale”, according to the CAC.
We see that financial and work difficulties continue for the artistic community since the pandemic. The results indicate, implicitly, that the numerous comments from artists which have been circulating in recent months, testifying to the now increased difficulties of creating and living from creation, are far from being individual or anecdotal cases.
7,255 artists, groups and organizations from all artistic disciplines across Canada responded to the survey. 80% of respondents are artists, 20% of organizations or companies.
67% of respondents said they have been experiencing financial instability for the past two years — whether they feel “very unstable” or “relatively unstable.”
64% noted a net decrease in their total income for the same period; conversely, only 19% experienced an increase in their income.
For organizations, 86% of them saw their expenses increase. 54% see a drop in income.
It also seems increasingly difficult for artists to disseminate their work: 52% of respondents noted a clear reduction in opportunities to present their work “in person”, while 32% had the opposite luck.
-Consequence? Of all respondents, 88% have experienced mental health or well-being difficulties within organizations over the past two years.
Figures and supporting documents
In its reading of the results, the CAC emphasizes the fact that 86% of artists and 67% of organizations used funding to be able to experiment and innovate. “When we focus on funding, the artistic community is even stronger and more resilient,” highlights the Council.
In interview at Duty last November, director and CEO Michelle Chawla recalled that “the work we have been doing for years at the CAC is to always be able to demonstrate the impact of our investments”.
To do this, she explained, “we now have data. We had very little data ten years ago,” explained the woman who has worked in the arts sector for three decades.
“We didn't have the capacity to collect as we can with all the new tools we have. Now we have figures to demonstrate our impacts. This is a significant impact. »
From its new survey, the CAC notes that respondents agree that additional public funding is needed “to help the sector transform, adapt and sustain itself over the long term, particularly in terms of concerns the diversification of income streams, the development of markets and networks, public participation, accessibility and the development of the donor base »
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