Professional Arts/Service Organisations
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ADC (Associated Designers of Canada)
National, not-for-profit arts service organisation and professional association dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of Canadian set, costume, lighting and sound designers.
Seeks to improve the status of the designing artist in the field of performing arts. Since its founding in 1965, ADC has grown and changed in response to its members' needs, and is now federally certified to represent designers across Canada (currently with limitations in the province of Quebec) and is recognized by producers and producer associations as the official negotiating body for designers in Canada.
- Member services
- Contracts
- Producer-paid accident insurance coverage and a self-directed RRSP program with a producer contribution
- Mediation and mentoring
- Limited association-paid legal consultation
- Typical Membership
- Any professional designer who has the appropriate credentials and design credits has the right to apply for membership in ADC (minimum of 3 professional productions for Professional applicants, and minimum of 1 professional production for Apprentice applicants)
- The Membership Committee meets 4 times per year at Board meetings to review membership applications.
- Phone
416-410-4209
- adc@designers.ca
- Website
ADST (Association des diffuseurs spécialisés en theatre)
Syndicate for independent and freelance producers and technicians, mainly francophone.
Union for independent and freelance producers and technicians who specialize in theatre work.
- Member services
- Negotiates collective agreements for the commission of plays
- Adaptations and translations into French
- Negotiates required licences
- Typical Membership
General performance spaces, including theatre stages.
- Phone
n/a
- Website
no website
Affaires d'Art
Non-profit, francophone organisation established to help artists develop career management skills.
Aims to inspire entrepreneurial instinct in artists to help them secure financial freedom.
- Member services
- Helps artists establish detailed career plans, marketing plans, portfolios and other promotional items
- Workshops on managing self-employment and other topics
- Typical Membership
Established, emerging, and/or self-taught comedians, actors, musicians, vocalists, circus artists, dancers, visual artists.
- Phone
514-543-7371
- info@affairesdart.org
- Website
ALAI
ALAI Canada has as its purpose to promote and protect copyright, as well as to study questions regarding the protection and the applicability of these rights.
Due to its close contacts with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), UNESCO and the European Union, ALAI is invited to share its views on projects elaborated by these organisations and among others, on the evolution of the Berne and Rome Conventions. Every second year, ALAI holds a world-wide congress, such as those of Québec in 1989 and Montebello in 1997 organised by ALAI Canada, and in the the interval years, study sessions are held, such as those of Amsterdam and Cambridge.
- Member services
- Holds conferences, seminars and congresses
- Publishes and distributes documents dealing with copyright
- Educational and training sessions on copyright issues
- Typical Membership
ALAI is made up of a multiplicity of personalities interested in copyright from over twenty countries.
- Phone
514-993-1556
- alaican@aei.ca
- Website
ANDPVA (Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts)
Member-driven, not-for-profit arts service organisation for the promotion and development of indigenous artists.
ANDPVA offers community and participatory arts practices that offer an alternative to mainstream institutions and practices from an Indigenous set of value and belief systems. The ANDPVA is based in Toronto, but has a growing national focus and represents over 300 active artists.
- Member services
- Runs a Multi-disciplinary Arts Festival, as well as music festivals and exhibitions (most in Toronto)
- Curatorial training program
- Artistic and cultural workshops
- Typical Membership
Indigenous artists.
- Phone
1-877-972-0871, 416-972-0871
- ahneen@andpva.com
- Website
APASQ (Association des Professionels des Arts de la Scène du Québec)
A francophone-speaking professional association dedicated to supporting creation in the performing arts.
APASQ aims to study, defend and develop the economic, social, moral and professional interests of its members, and to promote and expose scenographic creation from Quebec. I t also wishes to support the integration of all the disciplines of the performing arts, in order to work in continuity with this milieu.
- Member services
- Advice on negotiating contracts and working as a "travailleur autonome" (self-employed)
- Information on funding and statistics on theatre job market
- Retirement fund for members
- Typical Membership
APASQ represents mainly lighting, costume, and sound designers.
- Phone
514-523-4221 or 1-877-523-4221
- info@apasq.org
- Website
Association of Performing Arts Presenters
Arts service organisation representing both the non-profit and for-profit sectors of the industry.
"The Association of Performing Arts Presenters is a membership organisation, dedicated to bringing performing artists and audiences together in every way imaginable. The Association achieves its goal by providing visionary thinking, professional development, resource sharing, and advocacy, in support of its members and all those who create and disseminate the performing arts."
- Member services
- Visa assistance
- Many online resources
- Grants
- Typical Membership
Members hail from 15 countries across the globe and range from large performing arts centres in major urban cities, outdoor festivals and rural community-focused organisations to academic institutions, artists and artist managers. Members bring performances to over 2 million audience-goers each week.
- Phone
888-820-ARTS
- info@artspresenters.org
- Website
CAC (Canadian Arts Coalition)
CAC has the singular focus to lobby for increased funding through the Canada Council for the Arts in the federal budget.
The Canadian Arts Coalition will implement a lobbying and public affairs plan designed to build support for an infusion of new funding to the Canada Council. This includes: meetings with Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, public servants and key influencers; and communication strategies to build public support. The CAC is the largest consortium of artists and arts organisations ever assembled in Canada.
- Member services
Advocacy
- Typical Membership
Organisations interested in lobbying for increased funding of the arts in Canada.
- Phone
604-681-3535
- info@allianceforarts.com
- Website
CAPACOA (Canadian Arts Presenting Association/L'Association canadienne des organismes artistiques
Canadian network of performing arts touring professionals, with a mandate to promote the development of the presentation of the arts in Canada.
"Through professional development, facilitating the touring marketplace, and connecting professionals and organisations, CAPACOA's programs and services build capacity in people and in organisations."
- Member services
- Professional development seminars
- Assists the presenters of the arts in Canada with coordination of bookings
- Funding
- Typical Membership
Touring companies, artists, agents, facility managers, stagehands, ticket sellers, marketers, and impresarios.
- Phone
613-562-3515
- mail@capacoa.ca
- Website
CAPPRT (The Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal)
Quasi-judicial, independent federal agency which administers the regime of professional relations contained in the Status of the Artist Act.
"The Status of the Artist Act guarantees the right of artists to join associations that can represent their professional interests and the right to bargain collectively with producers for the purpose of reaching agreement on the minimum terms and conditions under which an artist will provide services to those producers. The Act also permits producers to form associations for the purposes of bargaining and entering into scale agreements. By following the procedures specified in the Act, artists' associations may become certified by CAPPRT, granting them the exclusive right to negotiate scale agreements with producers."
- Member services
- Defines the sectors of cultural activity suitable for collective bargaining between artists' associations and producers within CAPPRT's jurisdiction
- Certifies artists' associations to represent self-employed artists working in these sectors
- Deals with complaints of unfair labour practices and other matters brought forward by artists, artists' associations or producers, and prescribes appropriate remedies for contraventions of Part II of the Act
- Typical Membership
Members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Governor in Council in consultation with the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Tribunal has jurisdiction over self-employed artists, producers in the federal jurisdiction, artists' associations and producers' associations.
- Phone
1-800-263-ARTS
- info@capprt-tcrpap.gc.ca
- Website
CCA (Canadian Conference of the Arts)
Non-partisan, non-profit cultural advocacy organisation.
The CCA provides "a national forum for debate on cultural policy and are the leading national advocate for Canada's artists and cultural institutions and industries."
- Member services
- 50–60 CCA Bulletins annually, containing research updates and more
- Chalmers Conference networking event
- Reduced rates for the National Policy Conference and discounts on CCA publications
- Organisational members receive: free registration for one delegate to the CCA's Chalmers Conference (valued at $150)
- Links to artist members' sites through www.ccarts.ca
- Typical Membership
Artists and cultural workers, arts organisations, labour groups, arts educators, cultural industry organisations and concerned citizens from across Canada.
- Phone
613-238-3561
- info@ccarts.ca
- Website
CCC (Creator's Copyright Coalition)
Alliance of the national associations, unions and collectives representing individual artists working primarily in the English language media in Canada.
"Our concern is to protect artists' rights in negotiations with the large media organisations with whom they sign contracts, as well as rights as artists/creators on the Internet." The CCC collaborates with and supports the work of sister organisation DAMIC (Droit d'auteur/Multimédia/Internet/Copyright) in Québec.
- Member services
- Copyright protection
- Promotion
- Workshops
- Typical Membership
Writers, musicians, songwriters, composers, artists, performers, photographers, directors, screenwriters, translators and journalists concerned about our continued ability to make a living.
- Phone
n/a
- editor@creatorscopyright.ca
- Website
CHRC (Cultural Human Resources Council)
National council whose mandate is to "initiate, coordinate and promote human resources planning, management, development and training in the cultural sector".
The CHRC manages projects addressing cultural human resource issues such as succession, training, compensation, HR management/planning, career planning and competency development.
- Member services
- Youth internships
- Competence compendiums
- Maintains CultureWorks, an online job board for artists and cultural workers
- Opportunities to network with partners in and outside the cultural sector
- Typical Membership
Artists, creators, technical staff, managers and all others engaged professionally in the sector, including the self-employed.
- Phone
1-866-562-1535
- info@culturalhrc.ca
- Website
CINARS
A private, non-profit organisation whose principal mission is to promote and market the performing arts of Quebec and Canada to the international audience.
The mission of CINARS is: to promote cultural productions from the performing arts sector and strengthen their marketing; to promote business exchanges between producer and presenter organisations; and to make Montreal an international focal point for the performing arts.
- Member services
- Promotion in foreign markets through fairs and missions
- Biennial networking conference bringing together nearly 1,000 artists, agents, presenters, producers and observers from 60 countries
- Forums on issues such as the nuts and bolts of foreign touring
- "Exporting Preparation" program designed for artist agents and tour organisers who want to upgrade their knowledge and tools of international marketing
- "Signature 2001", a complete marketing package
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-842-5866
- arts@cinars.org
- Website
COCo (Centre for Community Organisations)
Provincial, non-profit organisation that works primarily with English-speaking, bilingual, and ethno-cultural organisations to develop organisational health and promote community sector development.
COCo's mission is to promote social justice, active citizenship, democracy, and socio-economic development by supporting the development of healthy organisations and strong communities.
- Member services
- Advises on evaluation, conflict management, fundraising, board development, strategic planning, and more
- Supports community organisations through training and e-Bulletins
- Resource Centre
- Learning circles
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-849‑5599 or 1-866-552‑2626
- info@coco-net.org
- Website
Conseil de la Culture de la Gaspésie
Regional francophone cultural association covering all domains, and also concerned with heritage (patrimoine) issues.
The Council is funded and mandated by the government to promote and defend the interests of the cultural milieu while supporting the development and visibility of Gaspésie artists and the region's cultural products.
- Member services
- Advice on grants, portfolios, and marketing
- Professional development workshops
- Awards, galas recognizing outstanding work
- Directory of Gaspésie area artists
- List of regional art service providers under Ressources Professionelles
- Typical Membership
Individual artists and organisations.
- Phone
1-800-820-0883 ext. 229 / 418-534-4139
- falary@culturegaspesie.org
- Website
Culture Montreal
Independent non-profit organisation for anyone interested in promoting culture in all its forms as an essential element of Montreal's development.
Culture Montreal is the expert-advisor to governments, the City and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal on issues pertaining to art and performance. It is a place for reflection, dialogue, and action aimed at the cultural community, political and business decision-making entities, and citizens.
- Member services
- Culture research and analysis
- Events, networking, guest speakers
- Discounts through CM's partners
- Participates in Journées de la Culture
- Culture Metropolis, etc.
- Typical Membership
Artists, cultural workers, and citizens.
- Phone
514-845-0303 ext. 24
- info@culturemontreal.ca
- Website
DAM
An open organisation striving for the recognition and inclusion of professional artists from ethno-cultural communities into the Montreal cultural network.
DAM's mandate is to "promote cultural diversity in the arts and culture through recognition and inclusion of all artists and cultural practitioners within professional arts networks, professional cultural organisations and the performance outlets in Montreal" and to "maintain an active and critical watch over policies and procedures that could discriminate against artistic and cultural proceedings".
- Member services
Advocacy
- Typical Membership
Any person who supports the mandate and objectives of D.A.M. may become a member of the organisation.
- Phone
514-280-3580
- guillaume.sirois@cum.qc.ca
- Website
DTRC (Dancer Transition Resource Centre)
Non-profit national organisation with the "mandate to help dancers make necessary transitions into, within, and from professional performing careers".
The DTRC also operates as a "resource centre for the dance community and the general public by providing seminars, educational materials, networking and information, as well as supporting activities that enhance the socio-economic conditions of artists".
- Member services
- 5 types of counselling available free of charge to members: academic, career, financial, legal, personal
- Grants for Skills Courses
- Retraining
- Stream I or Stream II subsistence are available
- Typical Membership
Professional dancers: members of dance companies, independent dancers and artistic dance staff.
- Phone
1-800-667-0851
- nationaloffice@dtrc.ca
- Website
En piste, formerly La Trac
Trade association housed inside the National Circus School and founded to support the circus arts.
En Piste aims to "develop, consolidate and foster cohesion within the circus arts by encouraging creative initiatives, increasing the level of representation and the promotion of circus events, creating a framework and opportunities for professionals to discuss their trade".
- Member services
- Continuous training program with different governmental partners yearly
- Consulting services
- Typical Membership
Individual circus performers, circus companies, technicians, producers.
- Phone
514-529-1183
- admin@enpiste.qc.ca
- Website
Farine orpheline
Francophone group of pluridisciplinary artists committed to combining practices and resources, with a special interest in transforming industrial and urban areas.
The collective develops every project from beginning to end using a variety of media. With an approach that is both analytical and poetic, Farine Orpheline explores the archaeology of doubt, the history of the banal, the architecture of fragments, and other exact sciences.
- Member services
- Collaborations, shared equipment
- Artist spaces
- Participation in festivals
- Typical Membership
Artists from all fields.
- Phone
514-523-2243
- code306@farineorpheline.qc.ca
- Website
FIA (International Federation of Actors)
International, independent and non-governmental organisation representing performers' associations in all continents.
Sister federation of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM). Does not represent individuals directly. (http://www.fia-actors.com/en/faq.html). "FIA's key function is the representation of its members in the international arena. Most national performers' organisations do not have access to this important sphere of activity and FIA is able to participate on behalf of its members in international forums, which deal with issues affecting the life and status of professional performers." FIA also organises broadcast professionals and helps them react to developments in new media and technologies.
- Member services
- Representation of performers and associations in international forums
- Helps secure national and local funding for live performance
- Maintains the Committee for Artists' Freedom to support performers whose rights and livelihoods are threatened as a result of war, political or religious oppression
- Collective agreeements on the use of recorded performances/intellectual property rights
- Trade union development
- Ensures distribution of essential information on issues such as developments in collective bargaining, new technologies, cultural funding and policy, intellectual property rights, taxation, social security, health and safety
- Typical Membership
Trade unions, guilds and associations of professional performers representing actors, dancers, singers, variety and circus artists and others.
- Phone
44-20-7379-0900
- info@fia-actors.com
- Website
IAPAO
IAPAO is a network that presents and supports performance art activities and research.
IAPAO strengthens the international performance art community by developing better economic and social support for performance artists and organisers through stronger relationships with funders and supporters.
- Member services
- Promotion
- Networking
- Information sharing
- Typical Membership
Performance artists and their supporters.
- Phone
917-664-5705
- suffragettes21@ hotmail.com
- Website
IPIC (Intellectual Property Institute of Canada)
"Canada's pre-eminent association of professionals who specialize in intellectual property: patents for inventions, trade-marks, copyright, and industrial designs."
"IPIC is the only professional association in Canada to which nearly all patent agents, trade-mark agents and lawyers specializing in intellectual property belong."
- Member services
- Professional IPIC designation
- Professional development seminars and conferences on cutting edge intellectual property
- patent and trade-mark courses and tutorials
- Annual membership directory
- Representation of IP professionals before Government
- "Members only" permitting online view and key word search of IPIC's professional journals, newsletters and intellectual property literature index
- Typical Membership
Patent agents, trade-mark agents and lawyers specializing in intellectual property.
- Phone
613-234-0516
- admin@ipic.ca
- Website
MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels)
The MAI is a pluridisciplinary presenter of professional contemporary artists, with an intercultural mandate.
An independent, non-profit organisation, the MAI is comprised of a theatre, a gallery space, a café and two rehearsal rooms. "An incubator for the arts favourable to reflection and research, a space for dialogue and interchange between cultures stimulating collaboration between different partners, MAI has the mandate of supporting creation, presentation and outreach of intercultural arts for a diversified audience."
- Member services
- Residencies
- Collaborations
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-982-1812
- info@m-a-i.qc.ca
- Website
MASC
A community-focused arts organisation and registered charity created to introduce Canadian children to the arts.
MASC performs for over 145,000 children and youth each year in eastern Ontario, Outaouais and western Quebec: "connecting artists and learning".
- Member services
- Hires artists to give performances and workshops
- Residencies
- Typical Membership
- Phone
613-725-9119
- masc@masconline.ca
- Website
Outiller - la releve artistique Montréalaise (City of Montreal)
A project initiative from the Conseil des Arts de Montreal to "improve the socio-professional integration of young artists in Montreal".
Created to support collaboration and dialogue between emerging artists and those working in culture, education and government.
- Member services
Advocacy for artists in all disciplines.
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-280-3580
- Website
http://www.artsmontreal.org/artsmontreal.org_non_ssl/releve.php?lang=en
Performance Creation Canada
"Nationwide network dedicated to the nourishment, management and study of performance creation in Canada, and the ecology in which it flourishes."
"As such, Performance Creation Canada (PCC) will endeavour to identify and advance the multifaceted interests of a multidisciplinary definition of work that is performed by the artist(s) who created it."
- Member services
- Conferences in many provinces
- Online discussion and information sharing forum
- Typical Membership
Artists, administrators, educators, funding institutions, presenters, agents, archivists and critics.
- Phone
n/a
- mgreen@performancecreationcanada.ca
- Website
QCGN (Quebec Community Groups Network)
A non-profit organisation which supports minority English language culture in Quebec.
"QCGN promotes cooperation with provincial, regional and municipal government authorities in order to support and assist the development and enhance the vitality of the English-language minority communities", with arts being among the priority sectors of involvement. Members of QCGN's Community Evaluation Committee meet with representatives from Canada Council and Canadian Heritage-IPOLC to discuss and exchange information on the growing needs of the English-speaking artistic community in Quebec.
- Member services
- Advocacy on legal issues, language issues, political and constitutional affairs
- Publishes Arts Ahead bulletin with practical information to the artistic community
- Provides useful links to information, resources, and federal and provincial government websites pertaining to Anglophone communities in Quebec
- Typical Membership
Anglophone community organisations.
- Phone
418-681-2112
- qcgn@qcgn.ca
- Website
RAIQ (Regroupement des arts interdisciplinaires du Québec or Quebec Interdisciplinary Arts Network)
The RAIQ aims to bring together artists, arts organisations and companies working in the interdisciplinary arts in Quebec to ensure representation on all levels.
"The RAIQ aims to nurture the development of its members and of different interdisciplinary practices, by initiating activities that promote research and experimentation, such as conferences, studies, training and networking events."
- Member services
- Education
- Promotion
- Typical Membership
Artists, organisations.
- Phone
514-380-3093 (office hours: Monday and Tuesday)
- raiq@studio303.ca
- Website
Rideau (Réseau Indépendant des Diffuseurs d'événements Artistiques Unis)
Independent, francophone network of performing arts presenters.
RIDEAU defends the interests of performing arts organisations on three levels: national (within the RIDEAU structure), regional (within the networks related to programming and marketing) and individual (within a local community made up of business people, and cultural and scholastic decision makers and speakers).
- Member services
Information/advice
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-598-8024
- admin@rideau-inc.qc.ca
- Website
ROSEQ (Réseau des Organisateurs de Spectacles de l'Est du Québec)
Francophone association for the promotion and support of the performing arts in Eastern Quebec, especially in rural areas.
Member of RIDEAU (an independent, francophone network of performing arts presenters).
- Member services
- Tour planning
- Educates members on marketing issues
- Negotiates with agents on behalf of members
- Organisational help
- Typical Membership
- Phone
418-723-4323
- roseq@globetrotter.net
- Website
RQD (Regroupement québécois de la danse)
Local non-profit francophone organisation composed of over 400 professionals in all dance practices.
At the crossroads of resources and expertise, the RQD gathers all the professional sectors of the dance—formation, creation, production, diffusion—and brings together professionals from all aspects of the profession.
- Member services
- Reimbursement program for dancer training, up to $600/yr per member
- Those accepted into this program are then covered by the CSST
- Professional development workshops subsidized by Emploi-Québec
- Member directory
- Typical Membership
Individuals and organisations, including dancers, administrators, choreographers, danse companies, venues, schools, teachers, service providers, etc.
- Phone
514-849-4003
- Website
SODEC
SODEC is a francophone Quebec government corporation overseen by the Minister of Culture and Communications. It supports the production and distribution of Quebec culture through cultural industries.
SODEC's general mandate is to provide public financial assistance for enterprises active in the following fields: book publishing, recording and variety shows, film and television production, and arts & crafts. SODEC offers a wide range of programs for the various cultural industries. Its assistance takes the form of project investments, grants, or repayable subsidies.
- Member services
Financing
- Typical Membership
- Phone
514-521-5541
- info@sodec.gouv.qc.ca
- Website
Studio 303
A not-for-profit registered charity, dedicated to the development and innovation in new dance and interdisciplinary practices.
"Studio 303 exists to promote the evolution of live artistic practices. Concentrating on the physical body, Studio 303 is a unique resource centre which offers cutting edge workshops, innovative administrative services and a flexible, intimate studio laboratory where new works may be created and presented. Studio 303's programming aims to stimulate enriching exchanges between a variety of artists, art forms and the public."
- Member services
- Presents works of emerging and established artists
- Master classes and extended workshops
- Technical and administrative internships and mentorship programs
- Annual Emerging Artists' Residency
- Space and equipment rentals
- Typical Membership
Dancers, students, public
- Phone
514-393-3771
- info@studio303.ca
- Website
YES (Youth Employment Strategy)
Governmental initiative to help young Canadians (aged 15 to 30) obtain career information, develop skills, find good jobs and stay employed.
- Member services
3 main programs:
- Skills Link, which helps young people who face more barriers to employment than others
- Summer Work Experience, which helps secondary and post-secondary students find summer jobs
- Career Focus, which helps post-secondary graduates develop advanced skills and find careers in their fields
- Also offers internships and mentorship programs for artists Youth Employment Strategy
- Typical Membership
15 to 35 year-old unemployed anglophones.
- Phone
1-800-935-5555 / 514-878-9788
- youth@canada.gc.ca
- Website