Access to Funding: 2SLGBTQI+ Communities in Canada

The Canada Council for the Arts and the Diversity Institute conducted a literature review on the access to funding for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

Research goal

To understand the experiences of the 2SLGBTQI+ arts community in Canada regarding knowledge, access, and barriers to the Canada Council’s support, programs, and grant resources.

Methods

The literature review leverages existing research, including research conducted by the Canada Council and other funding organizations.

Outcomes

The literature review concluded that:

• 2SLGBTQI+ people make up approximately 4% of the Canadian population aged 15 and older.
• Many find it difficult to make ends meet, as lesbian, gay, and bisexual people have a lower average income than non-2SLGBTQI+ people.
• From a funding perspective, 2SLGBTQI+ artists face numerous barriers despite being more likely to work in the arts than heterosexual artists.
• Violence and harassment, bias toward professionalization, and limited resources/granting knowledge are major challenges for 2SLGBTQI+ artists.
• More research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of what challenges are faced by 2SLGBTQI+ individuals in the arts sector of Canada.

The findings from this research will inform the Canada Council’s support for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

Questions?

Please contact the Research, Measurement and Data Analytics Section at research@canadacouncil.ca.