The Canadian Artists Network [CAN, formerly CSARN] engages seasoned professional artists in Canada in their desire to continue their life’s work as creators, in the visual and performing arts, through the written word, as well as on production teams.

As the voice of Canada’s experienced artists, we offer a supportive, inclusive, and like-minded community, as well as programs and services that serve artists of every discipline in their desire to remain relevant, connected, informed and inspired.

CAN is the only organization in Canada that focuses on professional artists across all disciplines.

Artists don’t retire. Creativity Lives Forever and elder professional artists are a big part of that creativity.

Artists begin their professional lives with energy and optimism. They want their work to inspire, to thrill, to empower. That conviction doesn’t diminish with age.

CAN exists to tell those stories. It also contributes to Canada’s continuing quest to make the world a more culturally diverse place in which to live.

Our Mentoring Program allows them to share their talent and experience with their colleagues.

Our webinars and OnSalons help them keep up with current trends. And we present a major conference every year to help senior artists stay creative.

Our Health Care Assist & Connect Program helps them with their healthcare needs.

The decision of artists’ associations and others to launch the Canadian Senior Artists Resource Network, later CSARN  and now CAN, arose from the findings of the Senior Artists Research Project. Over three years, SARP studied the circumstances, situation, needs, and interests of Canadian senior artists, looking at what services are presently available to them, and examining relevant international models. The research reports were released in 2011. The key findings can be read in the executive summary. You can also download the full report.

The SARP steering Committee agreed to collaborate to launch a new organization that would be focused exclusively on assisting professional artists to remain creative and productive in their senior years.

CAN was launched in 2011 and received its charitable status in December of that year. Its first concrete activity was a series of seminars in April-June 2012. Our Mentoring Program was launched in 2014.