Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
November 21, 2017

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation:

Status of the Artist Legislation A Priority for Provincial Government

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to join representatives of the arts community today to recognize an important piece of legislation that will be debated in this Honourable House. The Status of the Artist Act recognizes the important role artists play in contributing to the cultural, social, and economic well-being of the province.

Mr. Speaker, the Status of the Artist Act is intended to enhance the recognition and support of professional artists and to ensure they receive fair compensation. Through the act, the Provincial Government encourages everyone, with government departments and agencies leading by example, to pay artists fairly and equitably based on existing industry pay scales for their genre.

The Provincial Government is also committed to revitalizing its approach to supporting culture through a new cultural plan renewal to be completed by January 2019. This is in support of the Status of the Artist Act and will involve broader consultation with stakeholders from both the arts and heritage sectors. This renewal process will offer the opportunity to explore government programming and support, and ways to improve opportunities for artists in the province.

In developing the legislation, the Provincial Government consulted with representatives from the various art sectors including: visual arts, craft, music, literary and publishing, dance, theatre and film. In addition, 256 professional artists provided their perspective through an online survey.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring forward legislation that formally recognizes the important contribution artists make to our province. Recognizing and supporting professional artists is a key priority for our government, as outlined in The Way Forward. This legislation is just the beginning; through the cultural plan renewal, we will ensure continued support to improve the lives of artists in our province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Provincial Government to Implement Status of the Artist Legislation

2017 11 21                                                      1:50 p.m.