Our Governance, Mission and Vision, Mandate and Administrative Philosophy

—Diversity statement

The arts are a form of free speech that can play a central role in any society. The diversity of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts membership suggests that, by embracing inclusive policies, we affirm the dignity of those we serve, regardless of age, education, income, heritage, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, immigration status, physical or mental capabilities, or gender identity.

The RCA is committed to tolerance and understanding and acts to ensure that people can enjoy its programming free from any attempt by others to impose values, customs or beliefs. We are not complacent about our progress to date, and recognize that there is more work to be done in order to achieve diversity in all of our activities.

We have a strong contingent of linguistic minority and Indigenous members, and actively seek new members on an annual basis.


—The RCA’s Position on Artificial Intelligence 

The RCA believes unequivocally that creativity, in any artistic discipline, should begin with the artist. The tools an artist chooses to bring their vision to life are just that—tools. They serve the creative vision; they do not define it.

As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into artistic practice, the RCA encourages thoughtful, responsible and transparent engagement with open-source AI tools. Their use should uphold fairness, integrity and respect for human creativity, while avoiding bias or disadvantage to any individual or group.

The RCA is committed to affirming and protecting the economic and legal rights of artists, many of whom have been deeply affected by the non-consensual use of their intellectual property in the development and training of generative artificial intelligence systems.

As generative AI technologies and the legal, ethical and creative contexts surrounding them continue to evolve, the RCA’s position will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure it remains relevant, responsible and effective.

—What is an Academician?

Royal Canadian Academy of Arts members are invited annually to nominate accomplished individuals, from a wide range of art, design and fine craft disciplines, for membership in the RCA. Candidate submissions must include a nominator, a seconder, and three supporters. Submissions are then reviewed by a jury of RCA members, and those selected are inducted during the annual awards dinner. All participants of this process must be ‘members in good standing’ which requires the payment of annual dues.