Canada’s visual artists are celebrating today after the Supreme Court unanimously allowed an appeal on behalf of artists – which restored an earlier decision in their favour – in a dispute with the National Gallery.

The issue was a perceived conflict between the Status of the Artist Act and the Copyright Act.

Associations representing artists had been trying to negotiate binding minimum fees for artists exhibited at the National Gallery.

But the gallery argued that the associations were removing the right of artists – to be paid less if they chose.

The top court rejected that argument and allowed the appeal.

Grant McConnell, president of CARFAC calls it a major victory for all artists in Canada and Quebec.