Own the Stage: An Artist-Centric National Network

Abstract

This policy analysis faces the challenge of how to raise the wellbeing of Canada’s artists. In particular, this project aims to increase artist wellbeing by acknowledging that artistic work itself plays a vital role in artists’ welfare. As such, a policy mechanism that fosters artistic innovations for the purposes of increasing artist wellbeing will be explored. In its practical form, this mechanism would take the form of a national network that encompasses all levels of government, various training centres, post-secondary research institutes, advocacy groups, fundraisers, and interested artists. Such a network would emulate those already in place in the sports world, networks that take a consolidated, holistic view of sector funding. Further, this policy approach would remove the business functions that have eaten up more and more of artists’ time and funding in recent years.