Silencing in the Arts 🤫

Acknowledgments


Silencing in the Arts is initiated and led by Aisle 4 and funded through the Canada Council for the Arts Sector Innovation & Development program.

Legal research advisory and consultation was provided by Julie Macfarlane. Much of the information gathered for the online resource is adapted from the groundbreaking project that she initiated with Zelda Perkins, Can’t Buy My Silence, which campaigns to end the misuse of NDAs in Canada and the UK.

We want to thank the 52 artists and arts workers across Canada who shared their stories anonymously through closed-door interviews or the national survey. We also want to thank the six artists who contributed “Shhh” emoji illustrations for the Silencing in the Arts website and social media campaign: C, C, M, M, P, and S.


Additional Resources
Silencing in the Arts is a research project that traces the extent and impact of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on the Canadian visual arts sector. The project aims to shed light on the culture of silence that permeates the artworld, and the cycles of abuse, professional misconduct, and censorship that are perpetuated as a result.

A Project by Aisle 4

Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts Sector Innovation & Development Program

"Shhh" drawings by anonymous artists
Website Design & Development by Studio Whyte-Gray, 2025.