If there is one common thread running through the lives of those of us who make their living from the arts, it’s that we’re not in it for the money. Working full-time as a writer, illustrator, painter, musician, potter or poet means no health benefits, no cushy dental plan for those bi-annual checkups and often a lot of uncertainty about where your next paycheque is coming from. But we do it anyway. Personally, I feel we get a lot of other work benefits (the 30 second commute via the bathroom, the pyjama-friendly dress code and afternoon playstation breaks, just to name a few.)
While these perks are nice, they’re not as good as an 80% break on root canals. That’s why I’m urging all artists or friends of the arts to take the Status of the Artists Survey, from the Ontario Minister’s Advisory Council. It takes about 10 minutes and covers a wide range of issues concerning those who make their living in the arts from the creators to the distributors and beyond. The results from the survey will go towards the decision making process for grants for artists, care for ageing artists and re-thinking how the arts is seen and promoted in this sports-obsessed, corporate-theocratic culture we’re living in.
The deadline is this Friday, June 10th, so grab a coffee, put on your best pair of PJs and take the survey.
Thanks.
