Supporting Artists’ Rights to Advocate for Justice

Like the majority of Canadians, the Board of Directors of CARFAC National is devastated by the violence and destruction that continues in Gaza, and by the proliferation of that violence as it manifests in anti-Palestinian and antisemitic discrimination committed in communities across Canada, and around the world. 

For over fifty years, CARFAC National has worked to affirm the economic and legal rights of Canadian visual artists. We believe that artists absolutely must have the ability to create, express, and share their work without fear of reprisal or censorship. As such, we are deeply concerned about the recent experiences of artists and arts administrators who have faced losses of opportunity, employment, and other consequences for demonstrating their perspectives on the violence in Gaza. International events of this magnitude are necessarily processed through culture, and artists play a central role in supporting their communities to reflect, come together, and try to make sense of such horrendous expressions of humanity. Artists help us to grieve, while challenging us to envision possible futures. They illuminate truths and help us to see beauty at times when neither might seem to exist. This has been, throughout history, a chief function of the arts, and this moment is no exception. 

It is a disturbing trend to witness artists and cultural leaders  being penalized for their expressions. Responses to advocacy and protest within the arts community across the country have demonstrated a negative impact, notably in the case of Wanda Nanibush and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in November 2023 ‘resulting in the Let Wanda Speak movement put forth by 100 Indigenous Artists, Arts Administrators, and Cultural Workers and the Indigenous Curatorial Collective. These instances highlight the ongoing threat faced by artists and cultural leaders whose artistic expressions challenge asymmetrical power structures. 

We stand in solidarity with those who have been silenced or penalized for demonstrating their legal rights to freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and we invite artists and arts workers who have been impacted to contribute to a short anonymous survey. As an organization that advocates on behalf of artists, your participation will help quantify this disturbing trend, and provide CARFAC National with the information necessary to advocate on behalf of the arts community. 

Call to Action: Fill out this survey
Resource: Legal Clinics for Artists

In Solidarity,

Board of Directors
CARFAC National
board@carfac.ca