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Section 1 – 2027 Exhibition and Screening Royalty Schedule


A.1 • Guiding Principles

This section of the CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule establishes guidelines for royalties paid to visual and media artists for the use of their work in public exhibitions, festivals, and screenings where the work is not offered for sale or hire, with one notable exception – see A.1.7.

A.1.0.1 What the Royalty covers

An Exhibition Royalty or Screening Royalty is compensation for the public presentation of an artist’s work. All royalties listed here are considered minimum recommendations. An artist may request a higher royalty, or they may accept a higher royalty if it is offered. All royalties are payable in Canadian dollars, and they are exclusive of applicable taxes.

Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

Additional reproduction royalties or professional services fees may apply. For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule, Reproduction Royalty Schedule and Artist Professional Services Fee Schedule.

Royalties do not include:

  • general equipment (ie: lights, projectors, video, audio, etc) that should be provided by the presenting organization. Special equipment integral to the work is the responsibility of the artist, however, if an artist is supplying their own equipment, equipment rental fees should be added. Rental fees for artists’ equipment should match those of the nearest production centre offering similar equipment.
  • publication costs, insurance, shipping, or any other costs associated with the production of an exhibition or other activity.
  • costs related to the production of artwork(s), which should remain negotiable.
  • artists’ travel and accommodation expenses, or per diems payable to the artist so they may attend a site visit, install work, give an artist talk or workshop, attend a reception, etc.
  • presentation, consultation, jury, writing, installation, or preparation fees. Refer to Section 4 Artist Professional Services Fees.

If an artist receives a prestigious award or cash prize, all exhibition and reproduction royalties and professional services fees are to be considered separate from the award amount.

A.1.0.2 What a copyright license covers

A license entitles a user to exhibit or reproduce or use a work in a specified manner. Ownership of a work does not imply a transfer of copyright. Copyright remains the property of the artist unless there is an agreement that states otherwise. We recommend that artists license their rights, rather than assign them.

Moral rights protect a work from associations with unapproved causes or products, and from unapproved alteration or distortion (including overprinting and cropping). They also require that an artist be credited with their creation, unless the artist does not wish to be associated with it.

A.1.0.3 Size of a presenting organization

The Minimum Exhibition Royalty schedule reflects the fact that there are museums, galleries, and other presenting organizations of different sizes and means in Canada.

Operating budgets

A presenting organization’s budget category is determined by their operating budget, which may include factors such as Earned Revenues, Net Investment Income, Private Sector Revenue, and Public Sector Revenues (federal, provincial, and municipal). An organization’s operating budget is defined as the organization’s total revenues, averaged over the last three years. For organizations that report to CADAC, the exact amount can be found on line 4700 of the organization’s financial form.

If the presenter is part of a larger institution such as a city administration, university, or multi-purpose centre, only the revenues of the visual or media arts presentation space are considered to determine the royalty category. Capital funds are also excluded from consideration.

A) Domestic Exhibitions

This category is reserved for exhibitions that take place in Canada at organizations that are funded through federal, provincial and/or municipal governments. They include, but are not limited to, public art galleries, artist-run centres, collectives, and festivals.

The Domestic Exhibition category includes three sections:

  • Category III – For presenters with operating budgets over $1 Million
  • Category II – For presenters with operating budgets of $500,001 to $1,000,000
  • Category I – For presenters with operating budgets of less than $500,000

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

National Gallery of Canada: Mandatory minimum exhibition and reproduction royalties and professional services fees have been negotiated between CARFAC-RAAV and the NGC since 2015.

B) International Exhibitions

This category is reserved for international exhibitions that are funded by multiple major funding bodies and/or sponsors, which may include museums and/or other presenting partners.

The International Exhibition category includes two sections:

  • International II – For major exhibitions, such as international biennials or other exhibitions where the artist is selected to represent Canada, and which are funded by several funding bodies and/or sponsors.
  • International I – For exhibitions held in cultural centres, embassies, or other locations under the auspices of a federal agency.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Venice Biennale: Mandatory minimum exhibition and reproduction royalties and professional services fees have been negotiated between CARFAC-RAAV and the NGC, including the Venice Biennale since 2015.

A.1.0.4 Scope of an exhibition

The basis of the Exhibition Royalty schedule is the solo exhibition. Many types of exhibitions vary from this norm. Retrospectives, group shows, small projects, or installations, for example, have different parameters and costs. A percentage calculation has been adopted for these different types of exhibitions.

For media artworks presented in exhibition contexts (ie: ongoing presentation of looped audiovisual pieces or continuous digital/electronic works), works of art conceived for the Internet, and online exhibitions featuring digital reproductions of works, refer to the relevant sections that follow.

  • A solo exhibition, for the purposes of the Exhibition Royalty schedule, is defined as an exhibition that features a body of work, major stand-alone performance, or major single work (ie: multi-media installation, single or multi-channel projection, looping audio/media work, etc) by a single artist that spans less than 10 years of their production.
  • For retrospectives, or solo exhibitions that feature more than 10 years of an artist’s production, the royalty is the listed solo rate plus 15%.
  • For projects, small exhibitions, or installations not presented as solo exhibitions – exhibitions with a very narrow focus on a small body of work and occupying one room or a single space – the royalty is the listed solo rate minus 15% for all categories.
  • For very small sites, like windows or foyers, the royalty for such exhibitions is 20% of the appropriate solo rate.
  • The single work category applies to exhibitions of a single artwork. It also serves as a benchmark for calculating performance presentations. The royalty for such exhibitions is 20% of the appropriate solo rate.
  • A group exhibition involves any exhibition with two or more artists, where royalties are divided according to the guidelines set under A.1.3 Group Exhibitions.
  • A touring (traveling) exhibition or screening, is a type of exhibition or screening that is presented at more than one venue. Details are found under A.1.2 and A.2.

A.1.0.5 Duration of coverage

All Exhibition Royalties generally apply to exhibitions of up to three months duration. For longer exhibitions, refer to A.1.1.2.

A.1.1 • Solo Exhibition Royalties

A.1.1.1 Royalties for exhibitions up to 3 months duration

Institutional Categories Solo Retrospective
+15% of solo
Project
-15% of solo
Single work/
Small sites
20% of solo
International II $19,682 $22,634 $16,730 $3,937
International I $13,132 $15,101 $11,162 $2,626
Category III $4,376 $5,032 $3,721 $899
Category II $3,569 $4,106 $3,035 $713
Category I $2,677 $3,078 $2,247 $535

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.1.2 Royalty per extra month of display for exhibitions over 3 months

All Exhibition Royalties generally apply to exhibitions of up to three months duration.

For longer exhibitions, a higher royalty should be calculated using one of the following two methods:

Option 1: the royalty is the applicable rate found in A.1.1.1 for the first three months of the exhibition, and pro-rated for each additional month, calculated as 1/4 of the base rate, as follows

Institutional Categories Solo Retrospective
+15% of solo
Project
-15% of solo
Single work/
Small Sites
20% of solo
Category III $1,094 $1,258 $930 $219
Category II $892 $1,028 $759 $179
Category I $670 $769 $569 $134

Example: For a five-month solo show at a Category III gallery, the royalty is $6,564 ($4,376 base rate plus $1,094 x 2).

Option 2: use the following flat rate for shows that are 4 to 6 months, 7 to 9 months, or 10 to 12 months in duration. Royalties for shows longer than 12 months may be negotiated, which is not less than the 12-month rate.

Institutional Categories Exhibition up to 3 months Exhibition up to 6 months Exhibition up to 9 months Exhibition up to 12 months
Category III $4,376 $6,700 $10,000 $13,000
Category II $3,569 $5,700 $7,800 $10,700
Category I $2,677 $4,000 $5,700 $7,800

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.2 • Touring Exhibitions

For touring exhibitions, each participating venue will pay the full appropriate exhibition rate, determined by each relevant Institutional Category and the scope of the exhibition (solo, retrospective, group, etc). The artist is thus paid each time the exhibition is shown.

A.1.3 • Group Exhibitions

For group exhibitions, royalties for each participating artist are calculated as follows: two artists (70% of the solo rate); three artists (50%); four artists (30%); five artists (25%); 6 -10 artists (20%); 11 – 15 artists (17%); 16 – 29 artists (15%); 30 – 50 artists (12%); 51+ artists (10%).

For Group Exhibitions, the royalties are paid per artist for exhibitions up to three months duration. For exhibitions that are longer than three months, see A.1.1.2.

For Group Exhibitions, the royalties are paid per artist for exhibitions up to 3 months duration.

Institutional Categories Solo 2 artists 3 artists 4 artists 5 artists
International II $19,682 $13,778 $9,842 $5,905 $4,920
International I $13,132 $9,193 $6,566 $3,940 $3,283
Category III $4,376 $3,063 $2,188 $1,314 $1,094
Category II $3,569 $2,498 $1,785 $1,071 $892
Category I $2,677 $1,874 $1,340 $804 $670
Institutional Categories 6-10 artists 11-15 artists 16-29 artists 30-50 artists 51+ artists
International II $3,936 $3,346 $2,953 $2,362 $1,969
International I $2,626 $2,233 $1,970 $1,576 $1,314
Category III $875 $743 $656 $525 $438
Category II $713 $606 $536 $428 $357
Category I $536 $456 $401 $321 $268

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.4 • Permanent Collection Exhibitions

Permanent Collection Exhibition Royalties are for installations of works on the owner’s premises only. Regular exhibition royalties apply to any off-site exhibition. Rates apply to both purchased and donated works created after June 7, 1988.

Some organizations may prefer to license the use for exhibitions only when/if they install it. The royalty is paid per installation with no time limit, and it may involve temporary or long-term installations on the owner’s premises. Other organizations may favor the convenience of paying a flat rate for the right to an unlimited number of installations, likely licensed at the time of acquisition. The flat rate is equal to three times the Permanent Collection installation royalty.

When many works are purchased at one time from the same artist, a percentage reduction of the total royalties may be considered.

Where a portfolio or series of prints is purchased, one print can be licensed provided that only one print is exhibited at any one time at the owner’s location. When more than one is exhibited, Temporary Exhibition Royalties at the appropriate rate apply to each extra print exhibited.

Institutional Categories Royalty per installation Royalty for unlimited installations on the institution’s premises
International II Not applicable Not applicable
International I $644 $1,930
Category III $386 $1,159
Category II $355 $1,064
Category I $258 $773

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.5 • Performance Presentation Royalties

Exhibition Royalties apply to performance work, and rates vary depending on whether they are part of an exhibition or a festival. Royalties for a performance that tours to several venues are calculated and paid according to the operational budget of each venue on the tour.

If the performance leads to the creation of a new work in a public place that remains after the performance, the relevant exhibition or festival royalty in A.1.5 would apply in addition to the relevant royalty under A.1.6 Exhibitions in Other Public Places.

A.1.5.1 Performance in a Solo Exhibition

Major stand-alone solo performance: For major stand-alone solo performances, the solo exhibition royalty applies when the work meets any three of the following six criteria:

  1. the artist is a well-established performance artist recognized by peers;
  2. the programming is described as featuring a stand-alone artist;
  3. the artist(s) have exclusive, as opposed to shared, access to the presenter’s dissemination resources (exhibition space, technicians, communications, etc.);
  4. the performance includes work that is larger in scale than the artist’s usual signature performance works;
  5. the work is presented by a major, established art presenter;
  6. a higher royalty amount is requested by the artist(s).

Performance in addition to solo exhibition: When a single performance is presented as part of a solo exhibition, the solo Exhibition Royalty applies, in addition to the Single Work Rate (20% of solo royalty).

Institutional Categories Major stand-alone performance Single performance + solo exhibition (Solo + 20%)
International II $19,682 $23,726
International I $13,132 $15,758
Category III $4,376 5,251
Category II $3,569 $4,283
Category I $2,677 $3,213

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.5.2 Performance in a Group Exhibition

Performance in a group exhibition: When an artist’s contribution to a group exhibition is a single performance work, the relevant group Exhibition Royalty applies, based on the number of artists in the exhibition.

Performance in addition to group exhibition: When a single performance is presented in a group exhibition in addition to other work(s) by the same artist, the relevant group royalty plus Single Work Rate (20% of solo royalty) applies.

Institutional
Categories
Group show with
2 artists
Group show with
3 artists
Group show with
4 artists
Group show with
5 artists
Group show with
6-10 artists
Group show with 11+ artists Performance
+ additional work(s)
by same artist
International II $13,778 $9,842 $5,904 $4,920 $3,936 $3,346 Group rate + $4,920
International I $9,193 $6,566 $3,940 $3,283 $2,626 $2,233 Group rate + $3,283
Category III $3,063 $2,188 $1,314 $1,094 $875 $743 Group rate + $1,094
Category II $2,498 $1,785 $1,071 $892 $713 $606 Group rate + $892
Category I $1,874 $1,340 $804 $770 $536 $456 Group rate + $770

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.5.3 Performance in a festival, conference, or event not part of an exhibition

Single Performance: This may be a single performance within an ongoing showcase or event, or a performance work in a setting of multiple performances by different artists in a single evening. This may also include a performance presented in the context of a conference, symposium, or art fair. The royalty is equivalent to the Single Work Rate appropriate to the presenting organization.

For additional performances of the same work at the same venue or project, each additional performance is 50% of the Single Work Rate.

Artist collective performances: involve a group of two or more professional artists and/or other collaborators working together who have shared creative input into the development of a singular performance work. The royalty for artist collectives with two or three members shall be the Single Work Rate for each collaborator. Royalties for larger artist collectives may be established in consultation with the collective members.

For durational performances, which involve the passage of extended periods of time (one performance occurring over multiple days or event programming slots), the royalty is the equivalent of the Single Work Rate plus 30% of the Single Work Rate for each additional programming slot or day, up to the applicable Solo Royalty rate. Alternatively, for more long-term ongoing performances, the rates may be negotiable, and may warrant the Solo Exhibition Royalty or Major Stand-alone solo rate, depending on the circumstances.

Institutional Categories Single performance (Single Work Rate) Each additional performance
(50% of SWR)
Single performance, collectives with 2 or 3 members Festival durational performance (SWR + 30%/day or slot
International II $3,936 $1,969 $3,936/person $5,118 / day
International I $2,626 $1,315 $2,626/person $3,414 / day
Category III $875 $439 $875/person $1,140 / day
Category II $713 $357 $713/person $929 / day
Category I $536 $268 $536/person $696 / day

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.6 • Exhibitions in Other Public Places

Rates are applicable only to exhibitions in a location (i.e. public business or institution, library, community centre, hotel, restaurant, etc.) where the mandate or activity of the business or organization does not include the exhibition of visual or media art, and where the work is not available for sale. If the art is for sale, see A.1.7.

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty schedule and the Artist Professional Services Fees schedule.

Each exhibition may be up to three months in duration. For each additional month or portion thereof, add 10%.

Per artist, per exhibition
Solo $618
2 artists $309
3 artists $204
4 artists or more $196

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.7 • Exhibitions with Art for Sale

According to the Copyright Act, the Exhibition Right entitles artists to receive payment when their work is exhibited in a “public exhibition” other than for sale or hire. For example: art being displayed in an art rental program or work that is being shown in a commercial gallery with the primary intention of selling it would probably not require the payment of exhibition royalties.

However, in some circumstances, art may be offered for sale in exhibitions in non-commercial galleries, museums, arts councils, and community centres or businesses like cafes, restaurants, and more. It is recommended that artists should be paid if their art is exhibited with the clear intention to sell but no sales are made by the end of the show, and the work is returned to the artist.

The following fees are recommended for exhibitions up to 3 months, paid to each participating artist if the combined total retail value of that artist’s work in the exhibition is at least $500.

Flat fee paid per artist
1-9 works per artist $200
10+ works per artist $500

For example, if an artist has a solo show with 15 artworks with a combined value of $5,000 and none of them sell, the fee paid to the artist would be $500. If one of the artworks sells, the fee does not apply, unless the parties agree that it will be paid.

In another scenario, if three artists have a group show and each of them contributes five artworks valued at $200 each and none of them sell, each artist would be paid $200. If one of the artists in this situation has a sale, the fee would not be paid to that artist, but it would be paid to the other two artists.

This is a new rate introduced in 2024. If there are any doubts about whether a fee should be paid, please contact us.

A.1.8 • Exhibition of a Reproduction

Use this category when a reproduction of an original work, rather than the original work, is exhibited. This excludes digital visual or media artworks presented in their original production format or an equivalent format.

Per work
Temporary exhibition, up to three months $233
Permanent exhibition, up to five years $439

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.1.9 • Creation of a Work in Public

We do not provide guidelines for producing commissioned works, which should remain negotiable between the artist and presenter. When a work is created in public, the organizer of the event must include in the amount of compensation to the artist:

  • Relevant Exhibition Royalties.
  • An appropriate professional fee that considers time and other requirements such as materials, travel, and installation. See also Section 4.

A.2 • Media Arts screenings and presentations

This section applies to screenings of single-channel film or video, or presentations of audio works. Screenings are typically held over one or two evenings. These royalties are based on two criteria: duration of the work screened/presented and whether the presenting organization’s annual operating budget is under or over $100K (see A.1.0.3 for criteria on determining operating budget).

Screening royalties apply to non-exhibition contexts. For exhibition contexts, refer to A.1.1 – A.1.5. These royalties apply to non-live presentations of audio works, as we do not currently have recommendations for live presentations of media artworks.

For touring screenings, the originating presenting organization and each venue pay 100% of the appropriate screening fee, determined by the operating budget of each venue and the scope of the particular screening (length of work, single or multiple screening, etc). The artist is thus paid each time the work is presented.

For educational use of media artworks, where an educational institution purchases physical copies and a long-term license of media art for use in a specific institution’s context, or where they purchase a streaming license of a digital file for online learning platforms, refer to Section 2 of the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) fee schedule.

A.2.1 Single screenings and audio presentations

Single screening/presentation royalties apply to one-time screenings of a single work.

Length of work Annual operating budget
<$100K <$250K <$500K <$1M >$1M
< 15 minutes $138 $173 $237 $301 $369
15-30 minutes $186 $232 $302 $399 $493
30-60 minutes $229 $287 $371 $495 $609
60+ minutes $275 $345 $447 $596 $732

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.2.2 Multiple screening/presentation royalties

Multiple screening/presentation royalties apply to multiple screenings or presentations of the same work and is paid each time it is presented by an organization in the same presentation space. The royalty is 50% of the Single screening royalty.

Multiple screening/presentation flat rate royalties apply to a large volume of screenings of the same work by an organization in the same presentation space, over a period of three months. In this case, a flat rate covers all screenings for a period of up to three months. For screenings that extend past three months, add 5% of the base royalty for each additional month or part of a month. This royalty is not determined by organizational budget; only duration of the work applies.

Length of work Annual operating budget  
<$100K <$250K <$500K <$1M >$1M Flat rate
< 15 minutes $70 $86 $112 $150 $185 $644
15-30 minutes $93 $116 $151 $200 $246 $838
30-60 minutes $114 $141 $186 $248 $304 $902
60+ minutes $137 $172 $225 $298 $367 $967

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.2.3 Package screening/presentation royalties for shorts

Discounted royalties for short film packages are designed to encourage the programming of short film, video, and audio works. The rates below apply to programs of six or more works (each under 30 minutes) by different artists at a single screening/presentation.

Packages of works by the same artist are considered retrospective programs. For retrospective programs, rates under A.2.1 apply for each work.

Length of work Annual operating budget
<$100K <$250K <$500K <$1M >$1M
Any duration < 30 min 89 114 148 197 243

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.2.4 Add-on fees for in-person screenings/presentations also presented online

Add-on fees apply to screenings and audio presentations that are presented in their entirety in in-person or online contexts. In this case, the same program, event, or content is presented in person and online, with minor technical adaptations for each context.

Fees are calculated as 100% of the applicable screening/presentation fees (see A.2.1, A.2.2, or A.2.3) plus 50%. For example, single screenings (A.2.1) presented in person and online:

Length of work Annual operating budget
<$100K <$250K <$500K <$1M >$1M
< 15 minutes $208 $260 $337 $450 $553
15-30 minutes $279 $348 $439 $601 $739
30-60 minutes $345 $430 $558 $742 $913
60+ minutes $413 $516 $672 $894 $1,099

A.2.5 On-demand screenings/presentations

Fees apply to online programs that are accessible for streaming at the viewer’s convenience via the presenter’s website, digital platform, or social media channels. On-demand programs may be freely accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Presenters may also require viewers to activate programs through a ticket, pass, or registration to access their content.

Period of on-demand availability: The standard period for a work to be available for on-demand viewing is up to two weeks. Add-on fees apply when programs are available for on-demand viewing for more than two weeks.

Streaming window after content activation: If the viewer needs to activate a program through a ticket, pass, or other form of registration to stream its content, the standard timeframe to complete the streaming is up to 72 hours. Add-on fees apply when the streaming window extends beyond the initial 72 hours (see A.2.5.2).

This category of fees does not apply to works presented through:

  • Transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) distribution services that remunerate artists based on a percentage of rental costs.
  • Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) distribution platforms that provide long-term access (1 year +) to works in their collections.
  • Video-on-demand (VOD) collections that provide long-term (1 year +), free, public access to audiovisual material such as digitized archives and collections of works produced by artists.

A.2.5.1 On-demand screenings and presentation rates

Fees are calculated as 100% of the applicable in-person screening/presentation fees (see A.2.1, A.2.2, or A.2.3) plus 50%. For example, single screenings (A.2.1) presented in person and online:

Length of work Annual operating budget
<$100K <$250K <$500K <$1M >$1M
< 15 minutes $208 $260 $337 $450 $553
15-30 minutes $279 $348 $439 $601 $739
30-60 minutes $345 $430 $558 $742 $913
60+ minutes $413 $516 $672 $894 $1,099

A.2.5.2 Add-on fees for on-demand screenings and audio presentations

Add-on fees apply for on-demand viewing for more than two weeks, or if a viewer has more than 72 hours to complete the streaming. They are paid in addition to on-demand screening/presentation rates.

Add-on fee Proposed additional % of on-demand screening/presentation fee
On-demand availability period over 2 weeks Applicable rate + 25% per week each additional week up to 1 month plus 25% per month each additional month up to 3 months plus 25% after 3 months for up to 1 year plus 25% per year after 1st year
Streaming window exceeds 72 hours for programs requiring activation plus 25% per additional 72-hour streaming window

A.3 Digital Programming

These rates apply to the presentation of an exhibition on the Internet.

A.3.1 Virtual Exhibitions

An exhibition or screening that exists only online, in a non-commercial context. This may include, but is not limited to, a dedicated section of the presenter’s website where several works are presented with curatorial or didactic texts, production of a catalogue, supported through a communications/promotional campaign, etc.

The artist(s) should receive the regular applicable royalty for exhibitions. For film, video, or audio art screenings, it may make sense to use A.1.1, A.1.3, or A.2, depending on the context of the presentation, or the presenter.

If the artist(s) is asked to provide extra content, such as writing new text, or if the artist(s) is also asked to give a talk online about this exhibition or their work, consult rates for presentations in Section 4 of the Fee Schedule. Additional royalties may be payable if the exhibition includes fully immersive, 3D, or virtual reality components.

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.3.2 On-site and Virtual Exhibitions

This rate applies to exhibitions that are presented in two formats: as an on-site exhibition and a virtual exhibition.

The recommended royalty is the relevant rate for solo exhibitions or performances (see A.1, A.3, A.5, etc) plus 50%. For example, Solo Exhibition Royalties (A.1):

Institutional Categories Solo Retrospective
+15% of solo
Project
-15% of solo
Single work/
Small sites
20% of solo
International II $29,524 $33,952 $25,095 $5,905
International I $19,698 $22,654 $16,743 $3,940
Category III $6,563 $7,548 $5,579 $1,316
Category II $5,352 $6,160 $4,552 $1,070
Category I $4,019 $4,620 $3,414 $803

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.3.3 Virtual tour of an exhibition

A temporary exhibition (normally one which is publicly available, in some form, for up to three months) is installed, and the curator (or other gallery staff) walks through the show and talks about the work on display, which is presented as a video online – either in a live or pre-recorded presentation.

The artist(s) should receive the applicable royalty for the exhibition, and no additional payment is required for the video, unless agreed to between the artist and the presenter. This includes sharing the video as part of their official programming on their website and/or social media accounts, and informal ‘sharing’ via personal social media channels.

If the same exhibition is presented elsewhere and the venue(s) wants to share the video as well, the applicable exhibition or screening rate should be paid to the artist(s) by each host venue, with no additional payment for sharing the video on that venue’s website. However, if the exhibition does not physically or virtually tour to another gallery, but the video is shared by other venues, the minimum recommended rate paid to the artist(s) should be $322 for a solo exhibition, $163 for a show with two artists, $110 for a show with three artists, or $82 for exhibitions with 4+ artists.

If, however, the artist is asked to participate in or lead the walk-through of the exhibition and the gallery organizes, records, and promotes the presentation, then they should be paid a fee for the presentation in accordance with Section 4 of the Fee Schedule. If additional work is provided by the artist, such as recording or editing the video of the virtual tour, then more compensation to the artist should be negotiated.

In all scenarios listed above, additional royalties may be payable if the exhibition includes fully immersive, 3D, or virtual reality components. Contact CARFAC-RAAV or Copyright Visual Arts to consult about the details of your project.

All rates above apply to non-commercial exhibitions of visual, media, or craft-based art, where the work is not offered for sale.

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.3.4 Virtual tour of a permanent collection

A curator (or other gallery staff) chooses a piece from the permanent collection, and talks about that work, which is presented as a video online – either in a live or pre-recorded presentation. The following rates are to be paid by each presenting institution, in the event that others also broadcast the video.

If the work was previously installed and a permanent exhibition royalty was paid to the artist, then an additional reproduction royalty payable to each artist whose work is used, per video, is $193. If a royalty was not previously paid, then the artist will be paid the applicable Permanent Collection royalty for their work’s inclusion in each video, and according to the host institution’s budgetary category.

If, however, the artist is asked to lead or participate in the discussion of the work, and the gallery organizes, records, and promotes the presentation, then they should be paid a fee for the presentation in accordance with Section 4 of the Fee Schedule. If additional work is provided by the artist, such as recording or editing the video of the virtual tour,  then additional compensation to the artist should be negotiated.

In all scenarios listed above, additional royalties may be payable if the exhibition includes fully immersive, 3D, or virtual reality components. Contact CARFAC-RAAV or Copyright Visual Arts to consult about the details of your project.

All rates above apply to non-commercial exhibitions of visual, media, or craft-based art, where the work is not offered for sale.

See A.1.0.1: What the Royalty covers

For other related royalties and fees payable to visual and media artists, see the relevant category of the Reproduction Royalty Schedule, Exhibition and Screenings Royalty Schedule and/or Professional Services Fees Schedule.

*Specific agreements negotiated under the Status of the Artist Act

Mandatory minimum royalties have been negotiated separately with the NGC under Status of the Artist legislation.

Note: Copyright collectives, such as Copyright Visual Arts may request higher royalties for their affiliated artists.

A.3.5 Further development of new rates

As previously stated, additional royalties may apply to the above scenarios where the work as presented includes fully immersive, 3-Dimensional, Virtual Reality, etc. components. There may be other scenarios that emerge which we do not currently have rates for. We are working on developing new rates in consultation with artists and presenters, and we will add them as examples here once they are confirmed.

Example: Gallery F, which is Category II, plans to develop an online geo-mapping project that relates to works in their permanent collection. The collection includes works by artists who have responded to the surrounding city or landscape where the gallery is located. Gallery F will situate 20 works from their collection as points of interest on an interactive map. Users will click on a point to see the work associated with that location. Images of the artworks will be embedded within the map platform, and they will appear with all label and credit information as well as a short text to provide context.

In this example, the digital map functions like a virtual walkthrough of the town, similar to an exhibition of selected works from the permanent collection. As such, we recommend that the artists be paid the permanent collection rate of $355 per work involved in the map or $1,022 for its use in perpetuity. If the artist provides written content for the project, they should be paid $0.50- $1.00/word for that text. If applicable, additional fees for curatorial work are to be negotiated separately with the curator.

We encourage presenters who have the resources to consider planning the addition of online content, including exhibitions, screenings, and presentations as a contingency plan, or to supplement their growing digital strategy plan for public engagement. The CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule does not include guidelines for every project that an artist or presenter may possibly imagine. Please get in touch to discuss what you are currently doing, or considering, for future programming.

For further information, please contact:

April Britski, National Executive Director, CARFAC

Camille Cazin, Direction générale, RAAV