Visual Arts Nova Scotia’s Studio Sessions Webinar Series is presented in an effort to keep members and visual artists informed of best professional practices in the visual arts. Individual webinars will be available to VANS members for $18, and $28 for non-members, unless otherwise indicated. Members can also bundle and save!
If you do not wish to register online, mail a cheque, call the office, or pay with cash or credit card by visiting the VANS office with your Workshop Registration Form.
If you have any trouble at all with the PayPal shopping cart, please let us know by giving us a call at 902-423-4694 or 866-225-8267 (toll free) or e-mailing us at vans@visualarts.ns.ca.
WEBINARS
Visual Arts Nova Scotia is pleased to announce the return of Studio Sessions, the webinar series for artists! Starting on Wednesday, February 13, at 6pm AT, this three-part online workshop series will focus on tax essentials for artists. Each one hour session will be taught by CPA Nora Macnee and will allow artists from across the country to learn the ins and outs of their taxes – all from the comfort of their home or studio. This webinar series is designed to give artists practical help with preparing their taxes this season. You can download your tax software before webinar #1 and have your taxes ready to file by the end of webinar #3. Webinars are only $18 each for VANS Members ($28 for Non-members) or you can bundle all three for just $45 ($75 for Non-members).
We use your PayPal information for our registration, including your name, email address and phone number. Please contact communicate@visualarts.ns.ca if you need to update that contact information so we can confirm your registration.
Understanding the Current Tax Landscape for Artists
The workshop will discuss the criteria that CRA uses to determine if “a taxpayer’s artistic activity…constitutes the carrying on of a business or is merely the furtherance of a hobby”. Learn the steps in establishing your artist practice as a business, including registering a name with Joint Stocks, requirements leading to HST registration, online services with CRA, and hiring employees. The workshop will also discuss managing different sources of income (self-employment, sales, grants, commissions, and employment) and how to organize yourself for the tax season.
Wednesday, February 13, 6 – 7pm AT
Register before February 12 to attend the live session, or register later to be sent a link to the recorded session.
The Mechanics of Filing Taxes Using Online Software
This workshop aims to leave you with a better understanding of how to report different types of income on your tax return. We’ll use StudioTax as our sample software (free for download and tax filing). We’ll start with the basics of the layout of a tax return and the flow of the numbers in the tax calculations. Understand the differences between a tax deduction and tax credits. We’ll do a deep dive into the Statement of Business Income where you’ll be reporting income and expenses from your artist practice. This is where it all happens.
Wednesday, February 20, 6 – 7pm AT
Register before February 19 to attend the live session, or register later to be sent a link to the recorded session.
The Brass Tacks of Business Expenses
We will spend time in this workshop looking in more detail at special areas of business expenses. We’ll explore the differences between current expenses and capital expenses, wrestle with the concept of Capital Cost Allowance (depreciation), cost of goods sold and inventory. These are important areas for artists who invest in equipment (computers, cameras, tools etc.) and artisans who are production based. We also look at what is required to claim vehicle expenses.
Wednesday, February 27, 6 – 7pm AT
Register before February 26 to attend the live session, or register later to be sent a link to the recorded session.
3 WEBINAR BUNDLE
Want to take all three Taxes for Artists webinars? You can bundle all three webinars for just $45 for VANS members $75 for non-members.
Nora Macnee is a Chartered Professional Accountant who has spent the last 15 years working in the non-profit field. Nora is CFO at MetroWorks which operates social enterprises designed to provide training and work opportunities for persons with barriers to employment. Nora has served on the VANS Board of Directors as Treasurer since 2014 and volunteers her time with individual artists by helping them find their way through issues of taxation and small business management.
Let’s be honest, it is hard to get motivated to leave your house or studio and travel in winter weather to attend a workshop. This webinar series is short, jam-packed with great information and you can learn without leaving home.
For further information regarding this series please contact:
Carri MacKay
Programming Coordinator
902.423.4694 | 1.866.225.8267 | f: 902.422.0881
communicate@visualarts.ns.ca
VANS Cancellation and Refund Policy
Refunds of 75% of workshop fee will be given if cancellation occurs 72 hours or more prior to the beginning of the workshop. No refund will be given if cancellation occurs on the day of the workshop. If VANS has to cancel the workshop for any reason, registrants will be notified and refunded in full.
