Artwork by Samantha McLeod
By Paddy Lamb, President of CARFAC National
Many artists are unaware that CARFAC is directly affiliated with a copyright collective. For over 20 years CARCC [Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective] has been distributing royalty payments and negotiating licences on behalf of approximately 1000 artists across the country.
In 2012 changes to the Copyright Act resulted in a steep decline in royalty payments (particularly from reprographic or photocopying in the educational sector). As a result CARCC was reorganized as a registered non-profit organization owned and operated by CARFAC and RAAV. It is now known as Copyright Visual Arts: Droit d’auteur Arts Visuel.
Since 2016 Copyright Visual Arts has been working on a major redesign of its website and operations to include a broad range of copyright services to Canadian artists, artists’ estates, and users of their work. These include:
- An online licensing platform that will offer a fast and efficient services for artists and users such as galleries, curators, publishers, etc.
- A secure, searchable Image Bank featuring the work of its members (up to 10 images) that will be actively promoted to galleries, museums, publishers, etc.
- Valuable information about copyright and how it affects your work.
Copyright Visual Arts is also a partner in several other major projects. We are pleased to be part of blockchain technology project called Imprimo, with Access Copyright, CARFAC, and RAAV. We are also partnering with CARFAC to develop an Indigenous Intellectual Property Guide.
The new website is live (with the exception of the online licensing platform which will launch in January 2020) at https://www.cova-daav.ca/en/. Moving forward, Copyright Visual Arts will be actively promoting its content and services to artists and clients throughout the visual arts sector.
Copyright Visual Arts is run by artists for artists. Our aim is to help artists maximize the potential uses and compensation for their work. Membership is free and we negotiate royalties (including exhibition fees) for our members at a rate above the CARFAC RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule.
I encourage you to learn more about this valuable service by visiting our website. If you are interested in becoming a member you can contact our coordinator, Erin Gurski at administration@cova-daav.ca