A federal government survey of some 4,700 artists and content creators last year found creative incomes are low and volatile, with many respondents relying on other income sources.
The results are not particularly surprising, says Hill Strategies Research, an Ontario company that recently analyzed the results.
"Key survey findings point to a high degree of precarity among artists and content creators," Hill said. "Low income. Income volatility. Self-employment. Even worse during the pandemic."
Hill said the survey indicates a majority of artists earn less than $40,000 a year from all sources, with more than half of respondents experiencing fluctuations in creative income of more than 50 per cent from year to year.
Men generally earned more than women and non-binary people.
"Total personal income is particularly low for visual and performing artists," Hill notes.
The survey, done by the Department of Canadian Heritage between May and June 2021, was not by random selection so no margin of error can be calculated.
But Hill favourably notes the "large" number of respondents, including 27 per cent from the visual arts sector. Performers, musicians, writers and audiovisual creators also responded in significant numbers.
Hill also wrote about precarity in the arts in an online post last fall.
Source: Hill Strategies Research