Ron Orr, Minister of Culture. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Professional Recognition

Government proposes legislation to uphold the value of artists to Alberta

Oct 28, 2021 | 11:00 AM

Officials with the Government of Alberta say proposed new legislation is anticipated to promote greater economic security, freedom of expression and professional recognition for Alberta artists.

The Arts Professions Recognition Act (Bill 75) aims to endorse the importance of contracts when engaging artists for services and will ensure artists are paid fairly, say government officials. The legislation is also expected to encourage greater respect for freedom of expression, the arts and artists as professionals and their associations.

“The act recognizes that art inspires, defines who we are, and passes our culture from one generation to the next. Alberta’s culture is unique to Canada, and our province’s creative and cultural industries are an important part of our life as a community,” says Ron Orr, Minister of Culture, in a press release. “Art is valuable work and artists deserve fair payment in order to secure their economic future. Through legislation, our government is clearly stating art is an important economic driver that creates jobs and helps with our economic, social and emotional recovery.”

“The arts sector has been and continues to be one of the most impacted by COVID, so this legislation is very timely,” adds Mary Rozsa de Coquet, board chair, Alberta Foundation for the Arts. “We need to put artists back to work and ensure they receive fair compensation, recognizing that their contribution benefits all Albertans. The arts stimulate the economy and attract investment, improve mental health outcomes, enrich education, and strengthen social cohesion; for these reasons, they certainly deserve this new support.”

“Artists are skilled and hard-working members of the workforce, and deserve to be paid their worth. CARFAC Alberta welcomes provincial legislation that can support fair compensation and greater economic security for Alberta’s professional artists,” notes Chris Carson, executive director, CARFAC Alberta.

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Officials say the proposed legislation will:

• Formally acknowledge artists’ contributions and promote their work and their rights to help make their artistic enterprises profitable.
• Emphasize Alberta’s continued commitment to freedom of artistic expression.
• Help to protect artists’ economic and contractual rights.
• Model the way for private and non-profit employers and contractors in Alberta’s economy, upholding the professional nature of artists’ work.

Officials say the Arts Professions Recognition Act is part of the government’s commitment to grow creative and cultural industries in the province by 25 per cent over the next 10 years and is an important part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan.

Government quick facts

• In 2019, the visual and applied arts and live performance industries contributed approximately $1.3 billion in GDP and sustained nearly 20,000 jobs in Alberta.
• According to the 2016 census, there were 44,880 Albertans employed in arts, entertainment and recreation.
• The total median individual income of artists in Alberta ($28,500) was 51 per cent lower than that of all Alberta workers ($52,400).
• Artists with university credentials at or above the bachelor’s level earn an average of $30,300, which is 55 per cent less than the average earnings of workers in the overall labour force with the same education ($66,500).
• According to analysis of the 2016 census by Hill Strategies, there are 13,300 professional artists living in Alberta (the fourth highest population after Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia), accounting for eight per cent of all artists in the country.

NDP Critic for Culture Nicole Goehring issued the following statement in response to the government’s introduction of Bill 75, the Arts Professions Recognition Act:

“Alberta’s arts and entertainment sector has been pummeled by the COVID-19 pandemic which has been deepened and prolonged by the UCP’s failure to respond to the fourth wave. The yo-yo approach that Jason Kenney took caused instability for venues that artists needed. Artists are watching the spaces where they earn their paycheques disappear.

“Venues, galleries and spaces needed to be able to stay open to pay their literal hundreds of thousands in debt after the UCP promised them the best summer ever, especially since the supports offered up from this government for profit spaces was next to zero.

“While I agree with the intent of this bill, in laying down clear outlines for government contracts and title recognition for artists, this bill will not create jobs and address the damage the UCP has done and continues to do to artists and venues’ ability to earn a living.”