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Published March 4, 2022. Last updated March 8, 2022 – We have received many comments and questions regarding this post, which we welcome and appreciate. To be clear, the measures cited below are temporary and intended to ensure that public funds from Canada are not used to contribute to the Russian or Belarussian economy, thereby prolonging the invasion of Ukraine.
Our immediate hold applies to any artistic activities taking place in Russia or Belarus, such as touring, and/or the presentation of activities in Canada by artists and arts organizations from Russia or Belarus, involving travel to Canada.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, including those of Russian and Belarussian descent, continue to be eligible for funding through the Canada Council for the Arts, except for the activities on-hold.
We understand that many Russian artists do not support the decisions of their government. We applaud all artists with the courage to oppose the current conflict and who stand for peace. These courageous artists and the Russian people are not the subject of the Council’s actions.
Blog post from the Director and CEO Simon Brault
In the days following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the Canada Council for the Arts added its voice to that of artists, arts organizations, and cultural and heritage institutions around the globe in showing solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
As of today, all activity involving the participation of Russian or Belarusian artists or arts organizations will cease to be funded by the Canada Council for the Arts. This includes partnerships, direct and indirect financing of tours, co-productions, participation in festivals or other events held in Russia.
Therefore, any current or anticipated applications that support artistic activities created by or in collaboration with Russian arts organizations will not be accepted by the Canada Council, until Russia withdraws its military forces from Ukraine.
The Canada Council encourages its core funded clients to support this commitment by reviewing and assessing their current programming and partnerships with Russian arts organizations and artists. We also thank all the Canadian artistic organizations and artists who have already shown solidarity by taking actions that send a strong message to Russia.
If you have a project or activity that is impacted, we encourage you to contact us to discuss it.
We understand these sanctions to have unfortunate consequences for certain Canadian artists and artistic organizations and that the citizens of Russia and Belarus will also be penalized. This is the burden of the unprecedented sanctions of the international community.
I also want to encourage our government and the international community to act as we are now doing, in other unjust wars, genocides or conflicts.
The attack on Ukraine is an attack on international law, as well as on democracy, freedom, and human rights. The Council’s solidarity with the Ukrainian people is one of peace and recognition for all refugees from Ukraine, including those from racialized groups, all of whom are entitled and deserving of human rights protection.
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