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Senior Artists Research Project: Preliminary Research

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SENIOR ARTISTS RESEARCH PROJECT:

Under the auspices of a steering committee consisting of representatives of the performing and creative arts and the direction of Joysanne Sidemus, the Project's mission is to develop viable solutions to the problems facing senior artists through the findings of a three-year research initiative which will document their needs and examine what programs and policies for their assistance and support currently exist, both nationally and internationally.  Kelly Hill of Hill Strategies Research Inc. has been engaged for this purpose.  An international conference of experts on the subject is planned for the third year of the project.

For further information about the work of the Project and its fund raising campaign, contact Celine Marks at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


Preliminary Research into International Support for Senior Artists


The Senior Artist Research Project hopes to find viable solutions to the social and economic difficulties faced by senior artists in Canada.  Five key categories of services have been identified by the Senior Artist Research Project:

     * housing,
     * health,
     * career needs (artistic skills, business skills, legal services, archiving of works),
        social needs / isolation
     * financial (retirement, pensions, financial planning, estate planning, insurance, etc.)

This report, prepared by Hill Strategies, notes that results from the 2006 census show that the average earnings of Canada artists are $22,700, compared with an average of $36,300 for all Canadian workers. The gap between artists' average earnings and overall labour force earnings is 37%.

Despite these low earnings, as they age, artists face an even larger drop in earnins than other workers.  The average earnings of Canadian artists 55 or older are only $17,800, or 38% less than the average earnings of artists between 45 and 54 years of age. In comparison, the average earnings of all Canadian workers 55 or older ($36,200) are only 26% less than the average earnings of all Canadian workers between 45 and 54 years of age.

A lager percentage of artist (21%) than other workers (18%) are in the 55 and over age group.

The report provides brief summaries of programs, services and associations that support older artist in 14 countries, largely in Europe. This information will provide a backdrop for further discussions between Kelly Hill and international researchers, program managers and artists regarding the workings of the internalional programs.

The report will be updated periodically to integrate new information about the international programs. 

To link to Hill Stratergies Research, February 2009, click here