MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Federation is a path, not a price list. Every artist begins in the same place, and what separates the levels is not what you pay but what a jury of your peers has recognised in your work.
Founded in Vancouver in 1941 by working artists including members of the Group of Seven, the FCA now supports roughly 2,800 members through 13 chapters across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
Supporting membership opens the door to everyone. Exhibiting status and Elected status — AFCA and SFCA — are earned through jury, and the fee follows the decision rather than buying it.
Membership Levels
There are four ways to belong to the Federation. Only the first is a decision you make on your own; the rest are conferred by a jury of your peers.
Under 25 — free
Full Supporting benefits at no cost, for artists under twenty-five. The entry point costs nothing but the ambition.
Supporting — $65 a year
Where every artist begins. Open to anyone interested in art, with no jury and no portfolio required. Includes Art Avenue magazine, member rates on workshops and classes, invitations to openings and receptions, entry to open calls such as On the Edge, and affiliation with as many chapters as you like.
Exhibiting — $95 a year
Earned, not bought. Submit ten images with a $15 application fee; three Signature members jury them independently, and at least six of the ten must be suitable for FCA shows. Success unlocks entry to juried exhibitions, eligibility for awards and titles, and a listing in the member directory.
Elected — AFCA and SFCA — $95 a year
The senior levels, and the same fee as Exhibiting: the difference is earned rather than purchased. You must already be Exhibiting and have collected seven qualifying points within four years, one per acceptance into a juried FCA exhibition in a physical gallery. Juried once a year by a committee of twenty to thirty Signature members.
Sculpture runs as a parallel stream — Exhibiting of Sculpture, AFCA of Sculpture and SFCA of Sculpture — juried monthly, and it gates the sculpture calls separately.
Chapters and Fees
Every membership runs the calendar year to 31 December and is a single payment rather than a recurring subscription.
Chapters are regional groups run by members, for members, and their fees are additional to your national dues. They range from $10 to $55; some are collected nationally and some by the chapter itself, and several offer free membership to artists under twenty-five. You may affiliate with as many chapters as you like, as long as your national membership is in good standing.
Start where every FCA artist starts
Supporting membership is $65 for the calendar year, and it is the only level you can join directly. Everything above it begins here. Your membership runs to 31 December, and you can apply for Exhibiting Status as soon as your registration is complete.
Already a member? Go to my account to renew or update your details.
Where the money stops
The annual fee climbs exactly once, from $65 to $95, and then never again. Everything above that line is decided by a jury of your peers rather than by a payment — which is why the three highest rungs share one fee and one unbroken blue rule.
$65
Supporting member
No jury. Join today and you are a member today. This is the entry point and the prerequisite for everything below it.
$95
Exhibiting member
Ten images, juried independently by three Signature members. At least six must satisfy them. A $15 application fee applies, and a $30 upgrade if you succeed.
$95
Associate — AFCA
Judged by the Selection Committee of 20 to 30 Signature members, once a year, capped at 60 applicants. Awarded for an extremely high degree of technical skill.
$95
Signature — SFCA
The same committee, the same fee, a higher bar: technical mastery and a voice recognisably your own. The Federation’s highest designation.
Fees verified against MemberPress. Chapter affiliation is charged separately by each chapter.