Artists in northwestern Canadian territory earn more than peers in rest of the country, survey says
A new survey has found that Yukon artists make more money than artists elsewhere in the country, but significantly less than other workers in the territory.
That’s according to a report produced by Hill Strategies for the Canada Council of the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council using census data from 2016.
It looked at the number and incomes of people working as artists across the country. It’s definition of artists includes musicians, authors, craftspeople, dancers and other performers.
Hill Strategies said there are 250 artists in Yukon and their median income is $32,900 a year, compared to the national median of $24,300.
The median income for all Yukon workers is $54,200.
Yukon artists are also the oldest in the country: 63 per cent are are 45 years of age or older.
N.W.T.’s 120 artists make the second most money in the country after the Yukon, with a median income of $27,200, but with a much larger difference from the territorial median of $68,200.
Unsurprisingly, most of Nunavut’s 180 artists are indigenous (91 per cent), the highest proportion in the country, but just 26 per cent are female, representing the lowest proportion in the country.
The median income for Nunavut artists is just $10,700, compared to $53,400 for all Nunavut workers.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: New cultural centre will help bridge generations say Inuit in Atlantic Canada, Eilís Quinn, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: BBC lists Sami journalist Sara Wesslin among world’s 100 most influential women, The Independent Barents Observer
Iceland: Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson lights up London’s Tate Modern, Blog – Mia Bennett
Norway: Norway sends song with Sami joik to Eurovision Song Contest, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Sweden, Norway team up to preserve ancient rock carvings, Radio Sweden
United States: Art exhibit in Alaska connects bird research to backyards, Alaska Public Media
