Aisle 4

Have you signed, or been asked to sign, a legal agreement that prevents you from speaking about your experience working with a Canadian arts organization? Please consider contributing to vital research through the “Silencing in the Arts” national survey. Information collected will serve to inform arts institutions, funders, and policymakers about the serious harms caused by NDAs in the arts sector, and advocate for meaningful change.

Link in bio - please share widely!

The anonymous survey is part of the first phase of “Silencing in the Arts”, a multi-year research project that traces the extent and impact of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on the Canadian arts sector. The project aims to shed light on the culture of silence that permeates the artworld, and the cycles of abuse and professional misconduct that are perpetuated as a result.

Initiated and led by curatorial collective Aisle 4, the project stems from widespread concerns about artists and arts workers signing NDAs without clear understanding of their rights, organizations quietly dissolving without public accountability, and the growing culture of censorship in our industry. “Silencing in the Arts” examines how these issues impact personal and professional wellbeing on an individual level, and reinforce power imbalances, limit transparency, and hinder growth in the sector more broadly. Through research and advocacy, we aim to shed light on these challenges and push for meaningful change.

“Silencing in the Arts” is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts Sector Innovation & Development Program.

Launching today is a free online resource for artists and arts workers to understand their rights when it comes to NDAs. Intended to empower those most impacted by institutional silencing, the resource includes information about the ways NDAs are issued, what to do when being asked to sign an NDA, what your options are if you have already signed an NDA, and what resources you can access for legal and mental health support.

Link in bio - please share widely!

The online resource is part of the first phase of “Silencing in the Arts”– a multi-year research project that traces the extent and impact of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on the Canadian arts sector. The project aims to shed light on the culture of silence that permeates the artworld, and the cycles of abuse and professional misconduct that are perpetuated as a result.

Initiated and led by curatorial collective Aisle 4, the project stems from widespread concerns about artists and arts workers signing NDAs without clear understanding of their rights, organizations quietly dissolving without public accountability, and the growing culture of censorship in our industry. “Silencing in the Arts” examines how these issues impact personal and professional wellbeing on an individual level, and reinforce power imbalances, limit transparency, and hinder growth in the sector more broadly. Through research and advocacy, we aim to shed light on these challenges and push for meaningful change.

“Silencing in the Arts” is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts Sector Innovation & Development Program.

Join us this Sunday .projects for “Publics” — a conversation between , as part of the “Undercurrents Forum” programming series!

Together, the discussion will focus on the political implications of working in public; as well as, an understanding of politics as inherent to the public itself.

We’ll also highlight some of our past and current projects, and share our process, challenges, interpretations, and the little victories experienced when working under the umbrella of public art.

RSVP link in bio

Attn: artists and arts workers across Canada! Have you signed an NDA* with a Canadian visual arts institution? Please consider sharing your story anonymously in a closed session with a legal professional.

*NDA = non-disclosure agreement, also sometimes called a confidentiality agreement. We are looking specifically at use cases other than protecting trade secrets / intellectual property

“Silencing in the Sector” is a research project tracing the impact of non-disclosure agreements on the visual arts sector in Canada, as a first step in advocating for change. Information collected will inform a resource intended to empower artists and arts workers while calling for institutions to revise their existing legal documents and practices.

Participants’ identities will be protected to avoid any negative legal implications associated with contributing to the project. Compensation is provided in the form of CARFAC consultant fees and access to professional psychotherapy services and legal counsel.

To express interest in participation, please fill out the “Silencing in the Sector” intake form (link in bio). To learn more, DM us or email us [email protected]