The Canadian Association of Stand-up comedians works year-round to build a thriving and dynamic industry for stand-up, sketch and improv comedians, and independent comedy producers. Our members are vital to our work – they support and drive all initiatives and are the key to success.

Since March 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis hit, CASC made the following actions to help Canadian comedians through this unpredictable time:

  • Created the Emergency Relief Fund for Canadian Comedians, which raised over $30,000 to help comedians in need. This fund will live on past COVID-19, as it is the only emergency fund in the country-specific to comedians.
  • CASC successfully lobbied the Federal government to include comedians and other gig workers to be included in relief efforts like CERB
  • CASC lobbied the Minister of Canadian Heritage to include comedians and the comedy industry in the Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations 
  • CASC continued to lobby the Canada Council for the Arts to have comedy recognized as an art form
  • CASC worked with Dr. Jill Andrews, MPP Toronto-St. Paul’s, to create a petition to have comedy recognized as an art form in Ontario, which was presented at Queen’s Park
  • CASC and CANCOM conducted Ontario’s Comedy Content Creators Survey, the first-ever study of the challenges and opportunities faced by Canadian comedy professionals, in partnership with Ontario Creates and Nordicity.
  • Throughout the Spring and Summer, CASC set out to find and create opportunities by taking meetings with the Night Economy Ambassador for the City of Toronto Councillor Michael Thompson, and representatives from Netflix. 
  • CASC moved membership dues to September 1, 2020 to help alleviate the financial burden
  • CASC has been invited to an exclusive roundtable with the Minister of Heritage on September 2nd to discuss the recovery phase for the arts and culture sector.

CASC members have access to resources and benefits such as information about Visas and Travel, and a How-To Guide for Sound Exchange and other royalty payment forms. Members also have access to the Arts & Entertainment Plan, an affordable health insurance plan offered by the not-for-profit insurer AFBS. All CASC members have the right to attend meetings, including the Annual General Meeting and committee meetings, at which they also have voting privileges. 

If you are a CASC member, please renew your membership for the 2020/2021 season. If you are not a member, please consider joining the cause. When you become a member of CASC you not only help yourself, you help the entire comedy community.

BECOME A MEMBER HERE