The Canada Council for the Arts has announced a hold on funding for any projects with direct ties to Russia, in response to the ongoing military invasion of Ukraine.
According to a statement issued by the CCA, “…the measures […] 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.”
What’s affected
The measures are targeted at any direct involvement with Russian individuals or organizations. They include:
- Canadian artists touring in either Russia or Belarus;
- Artists or arts organizations travelling to Canada for performances or any other activities;
- Projects created in collaboration with or by Russian artists or arts organizations;
- Partnerships, financing whether direct or indirect, co-productions;
- Participation in festivals or other events in Russia or Belarus.
The measures will stay in place until the Russian military has withdrawn from Ukraine.
To be clear, the hold does not apply to any citizens or permanent residents of Canada, regardless of their origins.
“We understand that many Russian artists do not support the decisions of their government,” CCA Director and CEO Simon Brault writes in a blog post. “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.”
Those whose projects have been affected are encouraged to contact the CCA directly.
“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,” Brault writes.
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