Our History

1968

Canadian Artists’ Representation is founded in London, Ontario when a group of artists, headed by Jack Chambers, Tony Urquhart and Kim Ondaatje organize themselves collectively to demand the recognition of artists’ copyright. They begin issuing minimum copyright fee schedules and continue to produce them regularly.

1971

Members form Canadian Artists’ Representation/le Front des artistes canadiens to advocate at the federal level.

1975

Canada becomes the first country to pay exhibition fees to artists, after successful lobbying by CARFAC. Based on CARFAC’s minimum copyright fee schedule, the Canada Council makes the payment of fees to living Canadian artists a requirement for eligibility for Program Assistance Grants to Public Art Galleries.

1988

CARFAC’s lobbying results in the federal Copyright Act Amendment. The Act recognizes artists as the primary producers of culture, and gives artists legal entitlement to exhibition and other fees.

1999

CARFAC is certified by the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal as the collective bargaining representative for visual and media artists in Canada, as recognized by the federal Status of the Artist legislation.

2000

The RAAV (Regroupement des artistes en visuels du Quebec) and CARFAC sign a joint Memorandum of Understanding that facilitates the membership of RAAV in CARFAC.

2003

CARFAC begins to expand its services in the northern territories, with offices opening in 2005 in Nunavut, and the Yukon in 2006.

2007

A new agreement on a fair level of payment for artist fees was struck between CARFAC, RAAV, CAMDO and the CMA. The four organizations agreed to form a joint committee to pursue common goals.

2014-5-14

Supreme Court unanimously decides in favour of artists in the fight for minimum artist fees at the National Gallery of Canada.

2014-11-24

The National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Artists’ Representation / Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) and the Regroupement des artistes en arts visuels du Québec (RAAV) are pleased to announce that they have reached an historical agreement in principle on terms and conditions for the exhibition and the reproduction of works of art, as well as the provision of professional services by living Canadian artists at the National Gallery of Canada, pursuant to the federal Status of the Artist Act.