The Foundation - Fondation des Artistes

Our mission

For over 40 years, the Fondation des artistes has been dedicated to supporting vulnerable artists in Quebec. It provides them with a vital safety net through one-time financial assistance and access to psychosocial support programs. Whether facing illness, financial hardship, or mental health challenges, the Foundation is there to help them navigate the most difficult periods of their journey.

Our impact, their reality

860 artists

received essential financial support in 2024.
Thanks to your generosity, an artist was able to pay their rent, access medical care, feed their family, or simply continue to create.

Artists’ distress can’t wait.
Today, the Foundation receives an average of

2.3 requests for assistance per day.

That’s over 800 cries for help each year.
In 2019, we received barely 48.

The median income of an artist in Quebec is barely

$20,000 per year.

compared to the average income in Quebec, which is $49,450.

Less than

10% of artists

can comfortably make a living from their art.

In 2024,

69 % of the artists

we helped were aged between

18 and 35 years old.

These are young creators at the very start of their careers, hit hard by insecurity.

Every donation counts.

Help us protect those who bring our culture to life.

Why give to the Artists' Foundation?

Because behind every work of art is a human being.

Thanks to your support, we are helping to build an artistic community that is more dignified, more sustainable, and more humane.

Providing stability when everything falls apart.

An unexpected event, an illness, a cancelled contract — in a profession already marked by precarity, these moments can turn everything upside down. Thanks to our one-time financial assistance, artists can get through these difficult times without giving up their vocation. You give them the chance to keep creating.

Investing in artists’ mental well-being

In a context where the social safety net is often missing, the Foundation takes action. We provide access to therapy and personalized psychosocial support. Since 2021, more than 7,500 therapy sessions have been funded — a clear commitment to the mental health of artists. Because well-being is essential to creation.

Supporting the next generation, investing in the future

Emerging artists face immense challenges: instability, lack of resources, and difficulties gaining recognition. By supporting them, we ensure the vitality, diversity, and sustainability of Quebec’s artistic scene. Together, let’s make sure the artists of tomorrow have a real chance.

For a more inclusive culture

The Foundation actively supports artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, newcomers, and historically marginalized communities. Through targeted programs, we contribute to a more equitable artistic community and a Quebec culture that reflects its rich diversity.

Their stories

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History

At the initiative of a group of artists, the Fondation des artistes de chez nous was established in 1984 with the goal of funding a performance venue adjacent to the Chez-nous des artistes, a seniors’ residence intended for artists.

In 1988, the Foundation’s board of directors cancelled the project to build the performance venue and decided to use the funds to help artists in need.

In 1995, the Fondation des artistes de chez nous became the Fondation des artistes du Québec, as we know it today.

Testimonials

“The support I received allowed me to catch my breath during a difficult time. The assistance helped me continue to hone my skills and focus on my artistic vocation, rather than being forced to look for a day job unrelated to my artistic work.”

“After many difficult years filled with questions and uncertainty, it is comforting to know that one can rely on the help of an organization to ease this daily anxiety. I will now be able to move forward and continue to thrive in my career.”

“I hesitated for a long time before asking for help. But I was out of breath, unable to pay my rent. The Foundation reached out to me without judgment. Thanks to this support, I was able to keep creating, to get back on my feet, and above all… to keep hope alive.”

Protection of Personal Information

To view the Artists’ Foundation’s Privacy Policy: here

To report a privacy-related incident, please contact the person responsible:

HÉLÈNE CÔTÉ, Executive Director of the Artist’s Foundation

5445 avenue de Gaspé bureau 1005, Montréal (Québec) H2T 3B2

Phone number : 514-278-4783, ext. 1

loi25@fondationdesartistes.ca