New legislation would boost pay for New Brunswick artists

Mark Leger · CBC News

· Posted: May 09, 2025 2:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

New Brunswickers observe their culture, but artists haven't ever been paid successful a mode that reflects that pride. The provincial authorities introduced authorities Friday that's meant to code that problem.

If passed, the Status of the Artist Act would admit the arts arsenic a profession. In practical terms, this would mean a request for written contracts and the outgo of industry-standard fees by arts organizations, events and festivals the state funds. 

It would besides pb to accreditation of artists organizations and festivals funded by the state and the improvement of regulations.

"The creator assemblage of New Brunswick has been advocating for this for 30 years," said Isabelle Thériault, curate of tourism, practice and culture.

"The bill, archetypal of all, defines what is simply a nonrecreational artist. Second, the request to person written contracts erstwhile you prosecute artists, nonrecreational bosom artists, and three, the nonstop request to respect the nationalist bid scales, truthful erstwhile you prosecute a nonrecreational artist, you person to respect the interest scales."

Thériault said she comes from an arts inheritance herself truthful she knows firsthand however important it is to beryllium paid fairly.

Before she became a subordinate of the legislative assembly successful 2018, Thériault had a vocation successful the arts. She was a touring and philharmonic manager for the groups Ode à l'Acadie, Les Muses, and DRUM. 

She besides founded a euphony schoolhouse and was the enforcement and creator manager of the Festival Acadien de Caraquet. 

"I recognize truly good what the artists are going through," Thériault said. "I understand the struggle."

She said Premier Susan Holt was "really supportive" of a bill. "Our authorities recognizes the publication of arts and civilization successful our society."

Most N.B. artists gain little than $40,000 per year

Around 2,700 radical successful the state enactment arsenic artists. The taste assemblage employs different 9,000 people, but they're mostly not paid well.

Census information shows that much than 70 percent of artists successful the state gain little than $40,000 per year. The median idiosyncratic income of artists successful 2020 was $27,400, which is 39 per cent little than that of each New Brunswick workers.

Legislation similar this was a proposal of the Premier's Task Force connected the Status of the Artist, which was established successful 2014. Led by experts successful the field, the task unit was asked to urge measures to amended the socioeconomic presumption of nonrecreational artists.

Julie Whitenect, the enforcement manager of ArtsLink NB, said her enactment has been progressive successful the workforce since the task unit was established and she's heartened to spot it output applicable results for creator community.

"Artists are indispensable to New Brunswick's health, resilience, and future," Whitenect said successful a statement. "We applaud the authorities for acknowledging this done factual action, and we stay committed to moving with our partners and colleagues to guarantee the implementation of policies that bespeak the realities and needs of nonrecreational artists."

Six different provinces — Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Alberta — have akin legislation. But Theriault said New Brunswick is going further than astir with factual enactment to boost however overmuch artists are paid for their work.

"It's the information that we are requiring that stakeholders funded by the authorities use the nationalist modular fee," Thériault said. "We went further than different authorities connected that. We are truly arrogant of being audacious connected that, and we anticipation it's going to make a question and artists volition beryllium recognized everyplace arsenic nonrecreational artists."

If the authorities is passed, the established interest scales would instrumentality effect successful the autumn for artists being hired for projects nether Parts I and II of the provincial government. 

Arts and civilization organizations receiving backing from Parts I oregon II of the authorities would beryllium granted a modulation play and person until April 2027 to comply with the interest scales.

Thériault said artists should beryllium recognized arsenic moving professionals and this authorities volition assistance them get the respect and wage they deserve.

"It volition assistance the artists, the stakeholders, the theatres, the festivals recognize amended what artists are going done and elevate the sector," she said.