Canadian Heritage launches the Canadian Artists and Content Creators Economic Survey

OTTAWA – The long-term success and sustainability of the Canadian artistic and creative scene is essential in fostering and maintaining our strong and distinct Canadian identity.

The economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt across the country, and the Canadian creative sector has been particularly hard hit.

The pandemic has strained our cultural sector at a time when it was already experiencing significant challenges and disruptions regarding how creative work is made, experienced and compensated.

With in-person events cancelled or postponed for the near future, Canadian artists and content creators from various backgrounds are feeling the turbulence and repercussions of this moment.

Canadian Heritage is launching the new Canadian Artists and Content Creators Economic Survey.

All Canadian artists and content creators are invited to take part to help shed light on their experiences working and earning a living in a pre and post- COVID-19 world.

The purpose of this survey is to help create an updated portrait of the artistic and creative community in Canada.

The data gathered through this survey will inform current and future Canadian Heritage policies and programs, ensuring the department continues to be responsive to the realities of the creative sector.

The survey is available online and will be open from May 10 to June 18.

It is open to anyone in Canada aged 16 or older who sees their creative or artistic work as an important component of their professional identity, and at any point in their career.

Help develop a more complete and grounded picture of the economic and work circumstances affecting your creative practice.

We also want to hear from people who hold multiple jobs and may not consider their creative work as their primary occupation.

The survey is anonymous and will take about 20 minutes to complete.

The survey is open but not limited to the following people:

Writers, such as book authors, playwrights, poets or screenwriters;

– visual artists, such as painters, craft artisans, designers, illustrators, installation artists, video game designers, concept artists, photographers or printmakers;

– performing artists, such as actors, choreographers, circus artists, comedians, dancers, mimes, puppeteers, spoken word artists or storytellers;

– musical artists, such as composers, musicians, singers or songwriters; and

– audio-visual directors, such as those in film, television, video games or other digital media productions, including on social media.

The survey is available online.