Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists, Ontario Chapter (CADA-ON)

CADA-ON was formed in 1986 in response to impending Status of the Artist Legislation in Canada and incorporated in the Province of Ontario in 1995 to improve the status and working conditions of dance artists. We are a grassroots arts service organization and work to empower and educate members towards self-representation. Our major sphere of activity is best practices and our guide, Professional Standards for Dance (PSD), is a living document responding to the sector. It was first published in 2003, Version 2 was published in 2009 and Version 3 will be published spring 2011. We support our mission with resources including professional development tools and research and development in areas affecting artists’ economic status. The CADA-ON model reflects a community in which an artist’s roles are fluid amongst contractor, contractee or member of a collective and is an alternative to the traditional labour/management model. We address the needs of a community in which the vast majority of artists are self-employed. CADA-ON collaborates with many other organizations and increasingly functions as part of a community of practice and agent for change within networks. Our relationships include sharing our membership of individual artists through joint membership with Canadian Dance Assembly and acting for Status of the Artists issues within the Coalition of Provincial Arts Service Organizations (PASO Coalition).