This publication was cancelled as of 2020-10-09 and replaced with Income Tax Folio S4-F14-C1, Artists and Writers.

Summary

This bulletin deals with the determination of income, for income tax purposes, of a visual artist or writer. The main topics discussed are:

• criteria used to determine whether a visual artist or writer is an employee or self-employed,

• factors to be considered in determining the existence of a reasonable expectation of profit,

• valuation of inventories,

• implications of charitable donations of capital property

  and of inventory (including cultural gifts), and

• artists’ employment expenses deduction allowed under

  paragraph 8(1)(q).

  The special concerns of performing artists are discussed in the current version of IT-525, Performing Artists. The word “artist” as used hereinafter refers to a visual artist.