1967

The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) sent a letter to artists who were participating in a major exhibition of Canadian art, and asked for permission to make reproductions of their work. They did not offer to pay artists for the exhibition or the reproductions, but the gallery was planning to sell the reproductions for their own profit. London, Ontario artist Jack Chambers wrote to the other artists in the show and called for a refusal to work for free. They succeeded, and it started a national debate between artists and museums about fair payment.

1968

CARFAC (then known as Canadian Artists' Representation) was born in London, Ontario, led by Jack Chambers, Tony Urquhart, and Kim Ondaatje. The group established CARFAC's first minimum fee schedule which outlined recommended rates for compensating artists. This practice continues today, and our Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule is reviewed and updated annually by a National committee.

1975

Steady lobbying by CARFAC results in Canada becoming the first country in the world to pay exhibition fees to artists. Based on CARFAC's minimum fee schedule, the Canada Council for the Arts make the payment of fees to living Canadian artists a requirement for eligibility for grants to Public Art Galleries. 

1988

CARFAC's lobbying results in the federal Copyright Act Amendment. The act recognizes artists as the primary producers of culture, and gives artists legal entitlement to exhibition and other fees.

1992

1999

CARFAC is certified by the Canadian Artists and Producers Professional Relations Tribunal as the collective bargaining representative for visual and media artists in Canada, as recognized by the federal Status of the Artist legislation.

2007

After years of advocacy, the Status of Ontario's Artists Act is passed. The act recognizes artists' contribution to the Province.  

This same year, CARFAC National, along with RAAV (Le regroupment des artistes en arts visuals du Quebec) signed am unprecedented agreement with the Canadian Arts Museums Directors' Organization, and the Canadian Museums Association regarding the minimum recommended fee schedule. 

2008

CARFAC partners in forming the Visual Arts Alliance (VAA), an independent alliance of national visual arts organizations determined to advance the status of visual and media arts in Canada.

2010