Where Artists Live, Work and Earn What in Ontario

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has released Artists by Region in Ontario, an analysis of Ontario artists commissioned from Hill Strategies Research Inc., based on data from the 2001 Statistics Canada census.

The study provides an in-depth examination of artists in various regions of Ontario, including counties, districts, local municipalities and postal areas. The quantity of local detail is of particular interest, including newly commissioned data for every county in Ontario.

In the province as a whole, the number of increased from 39,000 in 1991 to 52,500 in 2001, an increase of 33 percent. This figure is three times the 11 percent growth of the overall Ontario labour force.

The overall growth in the number of artists was slightly larger in Ontario (33 per cent) than in all of Canada (29 per cent). Between 1991 and 2001, 10 municipalities saw their arts labour force double or more. Of all Ontario municipalities, Barrie had the fastest-growing arts labour force, more than tripling, from 110 artists in 1991 to 340 in 2001.

Of the 52,500 artists living in Ontario, 84 percent (or 44,100 artists) live in the province’s 11 Census Metropolitan Areas.  This arts labour force makes up less than one percent of the overall Ontario labour force (0.8 percent).

“Artists” are defined by nine occupations tracked by Statistics Canada: actors; dancers; musicians, singers and other performers; conductors, composers and arrangers; artisans and craftspersons; painters, sculptors and other visual artists; producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations; and writers.

On a regional basis, the Toronto region has the largest number and highest concentration of artists as a percentage of the local labour force:

• Toronto – 21,000 artists, 1.6 percent of the local labour force;
• South-central (the Greater Toronto Area, excluding the City of Toronto) – 9,200 artists, 0.6 percent of the local labour force;
• East – 7,000 artists, 0.8 percent of the local labour force;
• Central – 3,200 artists, 0.7 percent of the local labour force;
• Southwest – 10,500 artists, 0.6 percent of the local labour force;
• Northeast – 1,100 artists, 0.4 percent of the local labour force;
• Northwest – 400 artists, 0.4 percent of the local labour force; and
• Far North – 100 artists, 0.3 percent of the local labour force.

The five most artistic municipalities in the province are all small: Seguin Township (3.5 percent of the local labour force in the arts), Merrickville-Wolford (2.7 percent), Niagara-on-the-Lake (2.2 percent), Centre Hastings Township (1.9 percent) and Alnwick/Haldimand Township (1.7 percent).

These municipalities are located in different parts of Ontario, indicating that many small municipalities across the province have a high concentration of artists.

The average earnings of artists in Ontario are $26,800, 24 percent less than the average earnings of the overall Ontario labour force ($35,200). Not surprisingly, this places artists among the lowest average earners of all occupation groups.

Two-thirds of the 500-plus occupations tracked by Statistics Canada have average earnings higher than artists. Other occupations with similar earnings include purchasing and inventory clerks ($26,700), typesetters ($26,900), accounting clerks ($26,900) and restaurant and food service managers ($27,200).

Artists’ average earnings exceed $25,000 in seven municipalities: Toronto ($34,100); Ajax ($31,800); Pickering ($31,000); Ottawa ($29,700); Oakville ($28,300); Burlington ($27,700); and Windsor ($25,300).

Click here to read the full report

Click here for a map of the regions listed above