How much does culture cost you?

As soon as I learned that my colleagues at the Bureau of Investigation had developed a tool to find out salaries in the Quebec public service, I rushed to check income in the cultural sector.

I especially wanted to know how these salaries compared to artists' incomes. The answer is surprising…

Arts salaries

“Quebec residents are the highest taxpayers in North America, but it is very difficult for them to know how much their paid civil servants and elected officials earn from public funds,” my colleagues wrote.

Using a research module developed by the Regional Bureau of Investigation, here's what I was able to compile, from highest salary to lowest salary.

—Natalie Verge, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture and Communications $232,001

—Mary Cullen, Board Member. and CEO of Société de Télédiffusion du Québec (Télé-Québec) US$232,001

—Mathieu Lacombe, MP for Papineau, Minister of Culture and Communications (CAQ) $230,591

—Eric Bergeron, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Department of Culture and Communications, $217,754

—Louise Lantani, Board Member. and CEO of the Cultural Business Development Corporation (SODEC) for $217,754

—Marc Hervieux, Member of the Board of Directors. and the DG Institute of Music and Dramatic Arts in Quebec, $217,754

—Jean-Luc Murray, Member of the Board of Directors. and the DG National Museum of Fine Arts in Quebec, $217,754

—Stephane Laroche, Member of the Board of Directors. and CEO of the Museum of Civilization, $217,754

—John Zipitelli, Board Member. and the DG Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal, $217,754

—Marie-José Desrocher, Member of the Board of Directors. and CEO of Société de la Place des Arts de Montréal $216,662

—Anne Marie Jane, Board Member. and CEO of the Council of Arts and Letters of Quebec with $187,521

—Gaetan Morency, Member of the Board of Directors. and CEO of Société du Grand Theater de Québec $187,521

—Louise Chamberland, Deputy Assistant Secretary Department of Culture and Communications $187,521

—Lynn Ouellet, member and president of the Quebec Cultural Heritage Council $169,950

— Michel Ponsaint, Quebec Representative to the United Nations Education, Science and Culture, in Paris. Ministry of International Relations and Francophonie: $169,950

—Stephanie Jordan, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Culture and Communications, $167,870

—Annie Grand-Murcell-Brousseau, Deputy Assistant Secretary Ministry of Culture and Communications $144,249

—Anne Mundy, member and vice-president of the Quebec Cultural Heritage Council $132,259

Here are the conclusions I came to by looking at the list I compiled: Deputy Minister Nathalie Verge and Télé-Québec CEO Marie Colin earn more than the minister. The two highest paid people in the public cultural sector are women. Every year, we pay $3,564,620 in salaries to civil servants and elected officials in Quebec's cultural sector. Ten people in the cultural sector of the public service in Quebec earn more than $200,000.

Hunger killing function

I remind you that the average income of Quebec artists is $ 15,200. Thus, there are ten people who “run” the cultural sector and earn 13 times the average income in the cultural sector.

I leave you with a quote by Godard in the film contempt: “When I hear the word culture, I pull out my checkbook.”