“This report finds significant concentrations of artists in small and rural municipalities across Canada. The study is based on a custom data request from Statistics Canada’s 2001 census, conceived of and commissioned by Hill Strategies Research. Nine arts occupations are included in the analysis:

actors;

artisans and craftspersons;

conductors, composers and arrangers;

dancers;

musicians and singers;

other performers (such as circus performers and puppeteers);

painters, sculptors and other visual artists;

producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations; and

writers.

Previous reports by Hill Strategies Research showed that there are 130,700 artists in Canada who fit this occupational definition. Artists represent 0.8% of the overall labour force in Canada. Between 1991 and 2001, the number of artists grew by 29%, close to three times the rate of growth of the overall labour force (10%). With average earnings of $23,500, the gap between artists’ average earnings and overall labour force earnings is 26%. Among the many occupation categories tracked by Statistics Canada, artists are in the lowest quarter with regards to average earnings.”