Organizations

Arts Organizations in Canada

Canadians understand the importance that artistic creation brings to their communities and to their quality of life. This is reflected in the support they provide to the artists, and the public and private institutions that fund and promote the arts. The success of the arts in Canada is in part the result of a broad collaboration among artists, governments, corporations and people.

Typically, artistic disciplines are organized into associations that represent people who provide services such as writing, acting, production, music, or architecture. Those associations and organizations promote the interests of their members to employers, governments and the public.

National institutions play a key role in supporting and promoting artistic activity in Canada. The Canada Council for the Arts, the National Arts Centre, the National Film Board and the National Gallery of Canada are but a few of the national organizations dedicated to the development of the arts.

Provinces and municipalities also play an important role through community arts programs, art education programs at all academic levels, and funding programs within their jurisdictions.

Canadian artists also can receive support from private and corporate donors through endowments and other forms of financial assistance.

Arts are a source of pride for Canadians, and the numbers are there to prove it – export of Canadian cultural products increased by 80% between 1996 and 2002.