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Equity Office - Mandate

The Equity Office was created in 1991 to improve access to the Council’s programs for all Canadian artists and to promote diversity in the arts to better reflect the multicultural reality of the country. Its initial mandate to advance racial equality in the arts has been broadened in accordance to the Strategic Plan (2008-11). [pdf]

The Equity Office’s current responsibilities include:
  • Maintaining a strategic focus on supporting Canadian artists of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American or mixed racial heritage, and their artistic practices.
  • Working closely with the Aboriginal Arts Office to integrate the distinct history, experience and contributions of Aboriginal artists into a wider equity framework.
  • Promoting integration and access for artists with disabilities into the Council’s processes and programs. 
  • Contributing to policy development for official language minority communities.
The Equity Office’s role as a Centre of Expertise at the Council includes:
  • Developing Canada Council-wide policies as it pertains to equity issues in the arts.
  • Developing fair internal processes and measures to counter systemic barriers experienced by groups of artists based on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, language, region etc.
  • Contributing to strategic initiatives and programs in conjunction with other divisions including the disciplinary arts sections.
  • Advancing Canada Council’s knowledge of best practices in implementing equity and its knowledge of diverse cultural communities, artistic practices and changes in the milieu.
  • Proposing and conducting research on equity and diversity issues in consultation with the Research Office.
  • Advancing the understanding and practice of equity in the arts through building cross-sectoral partnerships and collaborations in consultation with the Partnership and Networks Office.
  • Engaging in community consultation through advisory committees, focus groups, targeted outreach initiatives and meetings with various stakeholders, including individual artists and arts organizations.