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PodcastingArts and Artists Info-Guide
Last Verified:
2008-02-01
This Info-Guide can help you navigate through the federal and provincial government programs, services and resources that may be of interest to artists or arts groups starting or operating a business in Ontario.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Training And Professional Skills Development
There are over 52,500 artists in Ontario and 44% of these artists are self-employed entrepreneurs. (“A Statistical Profile of Artists in Ontario: Based on the 2001 Census”, Prepared by Hill Strategies Research Inc. for the Ontario Arts Council, March 2005). The vocation of artist can be very demanding but also very personally rewarding. Starting up and running an art-based business can pose very unique and sometime complex challenges. This guide aims to give artists and artisans useful information drawn from other government departments, industry associations and art organizations to help start and run an art-based business in Ontario.
Training is available from a wide source of educational institutions in more traditional arts fields like drawing and painting, photography, pottery, and costume and clothing design and culinary arts. Many high schools, collegiates and small private organizations offer courses ranging from the general to the very specific.
At the level of postsecondary educational institutions, universities and colleges provide special areas of study both with an academic as well as a more practical, technical and hands-on focus.
There also exist in Ontario a number of advanced institutions specializing solely in the forming of new generations of artists and artisans.
Outside the institutional arena there remains the more traditional and individual approach of pursuing private mentoring and apprenticeships with an established artist or arts community.
The amount and duration of training for an artist can vary greatly dependant on what fields interest you.
Minister of Education and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities’ web site has information on Ontario’s publicly funded universities as well as a list of other educational institutions that can grant degrees and a list of private career colleges that offer courses in the applied arts.
Ontario Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education web site is also a good source of information on arts and arts-related courses offered though your local school board.
For further information:
visit the web sites:
About Ontario Universities
About Ontario Colleges
Private Career Colleges (PCC)
Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities – Apprenticeship
Ministry of Education (MTCU) schools
2. Programs and Services for Artists
Funding for the Arts and Cultural Industries
Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Arts and Media
This Info-Guide provides an overview of grant and subsidy programs potentially available for businesses involved in arts and media, including programs offered or supported by the governments of Canada and Ontario.
For further information:
see the document
Grants, Subsidies and Contributions - Arts and Media
Ministry of Culture
The Ministry of Culture implements strategies to promote and market Ontario's cultural and heritage attractions to help realize their full economic potential. The ministry works with local communities and cultural agencies to preserve Ontario's culture and heritage through its various agencies. Some of the Agencies, Boards and Commissions under the ministry include:
For further information:
please call 1-866-454-0049 or 416-212-0644
visit the web site:
Ministry of Culture
Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council is the province of Ontario’s primary funding body for professional arts activity. It offers more than fifty funding programs for Ontario-based artists and arts organizations, with funds from the Ontario government. Grants provide assistance for a specific activity, support for a period of time, or for ongoing operations. OAC also offers awards, prizes and scholarships from private funds managed by the Ontario Arts Foundation. Contact OAC directly for more information about funding available through the council, choosing a program and filling out an application form and the application deadlines. Program staff can help you in completing your application.
For further information:
please call 416-961-1660 or 1-800-387-0058
visit the web sites:
Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council Granting - programs and awards
Ontario Media Development Corporation
The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture that facilitates economic development opportunities for Ontario’s cultural media industries including book publishing, film and television, interactive digital media, magazine publishing, and music industries. To help those active in these areas the OMDC has designed a series of programs.
In partnership with Ontario's Ministry of Finance, OMDC also co-administers six tax Incentives based on eligible Ontario expenditures.
One of the new features of the OMDC web site is its Online Digital Locations Database that allows production companies to find locations for their film shoots.
For further information:
please call 416-314-6858
visit the web sites:
Ontario Media Development Corporation
OMDC's Digital Library And Location Services
OMDC's series of programs
Tax Incentives
Location Services
Ontario Production Guide
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Each year the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), one of Canada’s leading grant-making foundations distributes funding for selected community-based initiatives and selected province-wide initiatives. Funding is allocated in four sectors: Arts and culture, Environment, Sports and Recreation and Human and Social Services.
For further information:
please call 416-963-4927 or 1-800-263-2887
visit the web sites:
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF)
The Ontario Trillium Foundation - Frequently Asked Questions
How the Ontario Trillium Foundation Works
Grant Seekers - How to Apply
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC)
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) focuses on the area of cultural human resources development. CHRC aims at drawing together members of the arts disciplines and cultural industries in the cultural sector with the aim of addressing the training and career development needs of all cultural workers from the artists, technical staff, to everyone involved in the sector in a professional capacity whether as an employee or the self-employed.
Created in 1995 to strengthen the Canadian cultural workforce, CHRC is one of 28 sector councils supported by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). With general membership and board members drawn from within the cultural sector, CHRC specifically works in the areas of project development for a wide range of human resource management including competency development and career planning for artists; career development tools; job opportunity and virtual market place; networking resources; sector specific research and information resources; and general advocacy for the sector. The web site offers a comprehensive selection of assessment tools, guides and links to art organizations across Canada as well as CultureWorks.ca, an online job search engine.
For further information:
please call 1-877-699-5559 or 613-562-1535
visit the web sites:
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC)
CHRC - Careers in Culture
CHRC - HR Tools
CHRC - Youth Internship Program (YIP)
CultureWorks.ca
Culture.ca
Culture.ca, Canada’s cultural portal, aims to engage Canadians in cultural life by providing access to quality Canadian cultural content in both official languages.
For further information:
visit the website:
Culture.ca
Culturescope.ca
Culturescope.ca, the interactive hub of the Canadian Cultural Observatory , disseminates cultural policy and research information in Canada and abroad.
For further information:
visit the website:
Culturescope.ca
Artscape
The Artscape is a not-for-profit enterprise that works around many of the issues of art space. Among the numerous resources the organization offers is " SQUARE FEET The Artist's Guide to Renting and Buying Work Space" that walks you through the difficulties of finding artist’s space.
For further information:
call 416-392-1038
visit the web sites:
Artscape
SQUARE FEET The Artist's Guide to Renting and Buying Work Space
The Healthy Artist Guide to a Less Toxic Studio
Artists and craftspeople often use materials that contain harmful chemicals in order to create art and make a living. Daily exposures to many substances in artist materials can lead to health problems in the nervous and respiratory systems, in organs such as the kidney and liver, and even cancer.
For further information:
visit the web site:
The Healthy Artist Guide to a Less Toxic Studio
Artists’ Professional Associations and Organizations
Artists’ professional associations/organizations often provide business training, information and/or professional development workshops, events and resources for their members. See the list of organizations in Section 7 “Other Resources”.
3. Business Start-Up
The choices faced by the artist starting a new business are the same as those faced by any other entrepreneur. The COBSC has written a number of guides of both a general and a specific nature that may be of some assistance to the artist. The guide for the construction business could be applicable, for example to the artist whose work includes large installations. The guide for starting a consulting business would also be of help to the interior designer. These guides also include information on different types of business structures, basic steps to registering a business and the types of licencing and levels of regulations that might apply. Our documents feature links and contact information to a vast number of organizations useful to anyone starting up or expanding a business.
For further information:
visit the web site:
Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre
see the document:
Business Start-Up Info-Guide
4. Financing For Business
Access to capital and space is one of the most challenging aspects of business ownership for any entrepreneur. In addition to the programs specific to the arts named in the Programs and Services for Artists section above, there are a variety of programs and organizations that can help business owners secure start up financing as well as development capital. Below are some of the programs and services available.
For further information:
see the document:
Financing for Starting a Business Info-Guide
Business Support for Young Artists – The Summer Company Program
The Summer Company program provides hands-on business training and mentoring – together with awards of up to $3,000 – to help enterprising young people (students aged 15-29) start up and run their own summer business. Many participants of the program successfully started and managed an arts-based business (e.g., fashion design, drama programs, music instruction, etc.)
The Summer Company is coordinated and delivered at the community level through a network of Small Business Enterprise Centres and other program providers supported by the government of Ontario.
For further information:
please call 1-800-387-5656
visit the web site:
Summer Company
see the document:
Summer Company
5. Regulations
For regulatory or legal questions, it may be useful to contact a lawyer through the Law Society of Upper Canada's Lawyer Referral Service.
For further information:
please call 416-947-3300 or 1-800-668-7380
visit the web site:
The Law Society of Upper Canada
see the document:
Selecting Professional Services
Business Regulations Info-Guide
This document will assist you in navigating federal, provincial and municipal regulations that apply to a number of industries and businesses in Ontario.
For further information:
see the document:
Business Regulations Info-Guide
Status of the Artist Act
The Status of the Artist Act regulates the legal status of the artist and professional relations between artists and producers in Canada.
For further information:
visit the web site:
Status of the Artist Act
ServiceOntario - The Entertainment & Creative Industry Information Bundle
This Entertainment and Creative Industry Information "Bundle" provides information about the legislation and by-laws that pertain to the entertainment industry, focusing on many provincial and municipal requirements.
For further information:
visit the web
sites:
ServiceOntario - The Entertainment & Creative Industry Information Bundle
ServiceOntario - Industry Employers
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN)
The Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) is a national centre of excellence that provides a visible face to Canada's heritage through the world of networked information. CHIN 's vision is to connect Canadians and worldwide audiences to Canada's heritage. Its mission is to promote the development, the presentation and preservation of Canada's digital heritage content for current and future generations of Canadians. To this end the agency is developing tools and standards of good practices in the area of intellectual property that may provide a guide to artists in their own businesses.
For further information:
visit the web site:
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) – Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property
Creativity is the bread and butter of all artistic endeavour. An understanding of intellectual property rights is essential for an arts-based business to thrive. Intellectual property rights that directly concern artists and arts-based businesses are trademarks, copyrights (which provide protection for artistic, dramatic, musical or literary works -including computer programs - and performance, sound recording and communication signal) and industrial designs. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), a Special Operating Agency (SOA) associated with Industry Canada, is responsible for the administration and processing of the greater part of intellectual property in Canada.
For further information:
visit the web sites:
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
Intellectual Property - IP Toolkit
Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) – Intellectual Property
Innovation Canada - Intellectual Property
Industry Canada – Intellectual Property
Artists' Legal Advice Services
The Artists' Legal Advice Services (ALAS) offers a free-of-charge summary legal advice clinic in Toronto to artists of any discipline and who qualify for Legal Aid . The advice is in person, by appointment, in consultations that last up to one-half hour. Appointments with ALAS may be booked by telephone through 416-367-2527. The office is open on Tuesday and Thursday. Although the service is free-of-charge, clients are encouraged to make a contribution of $7.00 per appointment to offset the administrative costs of the service.
6. Taxation
Dealing with Business Taxes
All businesses must be aware of the various taxes that may apply to their product or service. Depending on the type and location of products or services being offered, federal, provincial and/or municipal business taxes may apply.
Taxation Info-Guide
This guide has been prepared by the Canada-Ontario Business Service Centre (COBSC), a single point of access to information on federal and provincial government programs, services and regulations.
For further information:
see the document:
Taxation Info-Guide
The following federal tax information may be specifically applicable to the art-based business owner.
IT-273R2 Government Assistance -- General Comments
T4002 Business and Professional Income 2006
IT-407R4 (Consolidated) Dispositions of Cultural Property to Designated Canadian Institutions
IT-110R3 Gifts and Official Donation Receipts
IT-288R2 Gifts of Capital Properties to a Charity and Others
IT525R-CONSOLID Performing Artists
IT504R2-CONSOLID Visual Artists and Writers
IT75R4 Scholarships, Fellowships, Bursaries, Prizes, Research Grants and Financial Assistance
Line 130 - Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries (study grants), and artists' project grants
Motor Vehicle Expenses Claimed by Self-Employed Individuals
7. Other Resources
Canadian Conference of the Arts
Artists' Health Centre Foundation
Cultural Careers Council Ontario (CCCO)
Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal
Canadian Artists' Representation - CARFAC
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective Inc (CARCC)
Ontario Association of Art Galleries
Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA)
World Intellectual Property Organization
Need more information?
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Call: 1-800-567-2345
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to locate an office near you
Some of the organizations listed above are not subject to the federal Official Languages Act or the French Language Services Act of Ontario. Their services may not be available in both official languages.
DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this document is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. Users concerned about the reliability of the information should consult directly with the source, or seek legal counsel.
Links Policy
Some of the hypertext links lead to non-federal government sites which are not subject to the Official Languages Act and the material is available in one language only.