Prince Edward Island Employment Journey

PEI Job News You Can Use

Creative/ Cultural

Putting the Creative/Cultural sector in the spotlight

The Creative / Cultural sector includes visual and performing arts, music, media, writing, heritage and more, which are collectively known as the creative industries.

Cultural Sector

COVID-19 News & Resources

PEI Cultural Human Resources Sector Council (CreativePEI) is the sector council representing the creative industries. It focuses on empowering creative professionals to have successful careers on their own terms.

Mark Sandiford
Mark Sandiford, Executive Director of CreativePEI

CreativePEI works on behalf of 10 industries on PEI:

  • Contemporary Art
  • Craft & Design
  • Dance
  • Film
  • Libraries
  • Museums & Heritage
  • Music & Sound Recording
  • Theatre
  • Videogames
  • Writing & Publishing
  • Photography

Mark Sandiford, Executive Director of CreativePEI, provided the following information about the economic state of the Creative Sector on PEI due to COVID-19:

1. Crafts and Design- “The main market for craft on PEI is the summer tourism market. They normally make most of their income in a few months. With the borders closed, even if only until the fall, craftspeople will have a very difficult year. Many are bolstering their online shops in order to offset losses from the tourism market. Design work tends to go up and down with the overall economy. Work is down but not as dramatically as for craft.”

2. Live Performing Arts-  “This industry has been very hard hit on PEI. Not only does it rely primarily on the summer tourism market, it also involves large gatherings in confined spaces which have been prohibited so far. Live performance, especially theatre and festivals, involve a lot of planning which requires long lead times. Ongoing uncertainty about when large gatherings will be allowed have led most theatres and festivals to cancel their seasons. Some innovative solutions such as drive-in and live-streamed events are being tried but they will not make up for the losses from traditional live performance. Particularly worrying is the possibility that 2021 may also be disrupted due to COVID-19 since large gatherings may not be allowed until a vaccine is widely available.”

3. Film, TV and Media Arts Production- “This industry was shut down for the early part of the pandemic but, with very strict protocols now in place, it is beginning to open again. With production being delayed globally, there is a big pent up demand for shooting locations. PEI may be able to tap into this market opportunity.”

4. Interactive Media- “This industry has been relatively unaffected by COVID. Employees are working from home with no drop in productivity. Worldwide markets for videogames are doing well. One issue that has come up is the difficulty of hiring and training new employees when people are working from home. This continues to be a major challenge.”

5. Visual Arts– “Artists have been relatively unaffected since many work from home. The PEI Arts Grants and the Canada Council for the Arts have continued to support artists through this period. Galleries are beginning to reopen.”

6. Music and Sound Recording- “Musicians have had a very hard time. Touring musicians have had all of their gigs cancelled with no end in sight (see Live Performing Arts). Local music venues will soon begin opening in a limited way which will provide some opportunities. In the meantime, some musicians have been live-streaming performances. There is little revenue from this. Online lessons have been one of the few bright spots.”

7. Museums, Archives, Libraries, & Heritage- “Museums and libraries are beginning to open again with limited numbers of visitors. Some smaller community museums have elected not to open because they primarily cater to tourists and the expected numbers don’t justify the costs of opening.”

8. Writing and Publishing- “This industry is relatively unaffected since most writers work from home and the market and funding opportunities for writing are relatively unchanged. The exception is newspapers. The Guardian and Journal Pioneer merged into one publication and 40 percent of their staff were temporarily laid off in May.”

From CBC News: In June 2020, Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper chain, Halifax-based SaltWire Network, has announced it will be laying off 109 people permanently. Those employees were among the 240 people laid off in March, amid the loss of advertising revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a company spokesperson said in an email to CBC News. At the time the company said the layoffs were temporary, for up to 12 weeks.

Of the 109 people laid off, 61 worked in Nova Scotia, 25 in Newfoundland and Labrador, and 23 on PEI, according to the email. Employees from all areas of the company have been affected, read more. . .

Creative/Cultural Sector Education on PEI

Resources

  • I Choose Arts – So you want to work as a Writer? Dancer? Musician? Design Video Games? Visit ichoosearts.com
  • Careers in Creative Industries videos: creativepei.ca/careers–in–culture
  • To view the report Cultivating Growth: A Five-Year Action Plan for Culture and Creative Industries of PEI, click here.
Seasonal business is a dream come true for an entrepreneurial artist
Building the capacity of the film and TV industry on PEI
Plans to grow the culture and creative industries on PEI
Third generation of musicians use community resources to help preserve traditional music on PEI
Prosper West program helps address seasonal employment needs
Welcome back to PEI: where dreams have come true
Artisans on Main is a prime example of PEI’s creative sector
Kurk Bernard, Musician/Entertainer
Entrepreneurs working on PEI in their chosen careers
Composer of music for film, television and video games
Home based business: Just a Hug Away
Rural Action Centre helps new business owner access funds
Graphic design profession draws attention on PEI
PEI Theatre Summit 2017 – CBC PEI story

CreativePEI is funded in whole or in part by the Canada-PEI labour market agreements.

For more information about the CreativePEI, call 902-367-3844. Visit www.creativepei.ca.
To explore careers further, check the career booklet Careers in Culture.
Video-SymbolClick to watch Creative/ Cultural career videos.
Video-SymbolClick to watch videos of the many arts programs Holland College offers.
Click for related articles on Creative/ Cultural.

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter