Acting Association
The Actors’ Equity Association intends to change its name to better reflect its overall membership.
Founded in 1913, the 51,000-member union not only represents actors and stage managers working in live theater, but has recently organized strip club dancers, planetarium lecturers and others working in live arts and entertainment.
The union said today it is now accepting proposals “to guide stakeholders through a process to determine a possible new name for the union and to implement a possible name change and renaming”.
According to the union, a “selected vendor will work in two phases with equity members, executives and employees. In the first phase of work, the agency will advise the Change The Name Working Group on assessing readiness for the name change, conducting market and stakeholder research, developing new naming options and selecting a new name, while also facilitating communication with members and the broader industry about the procedures. In phase two, should the union decide to proceed with a new name, the agency will assist in the development of brand assets associated with the new name, including but not limited to a new logo and/or logotype, slogan, a visual identity, etc.
The closing date for questions is March 1st, answers are due by March 15th, an award is expected by the end of April. Project work is expected to start in May and last until 2024. The tender is open to all companies. Read the full RFP here.
The name change process began with a resolution passed at the Equity 2021 conference, but is rooted in the history of the union. Here is the background:
“To understand the desire for a new name and identity for the union, it is important to understand part of Equity’s history, stretching back to the union’s formation in 1913,” the union said. “Actors’ Equity Association was officially recognized by the American Federation of Labor (later AFL-CIO) in 1919 when Equity began its historic first strike.
“This was the first strike in the history of American theater demanding recognition as a representative and negotiating partner for performers. The strike lasted 30 days, spread to eight cities, closed 37 plays, prevented 16 others from opening, and cost millions of dollars. Chorus performers joined the fight along with the actors. Five days after the strike began, the Chorus Equity Association was formed.
“In the early days of theater in America, the functions that today’s stage managers fill were often filled by actors. But in 1920 stage management was recognized as a separate professional category in equity contracts, and stage managers have been valued members of the Actors’ Equity Association ever since.
“Actors’ Equity and Chorus Equity merged in 1955. Today, Equity is structured around three main professional categories: lead performers, chorus performers and stage managers. However, only two of these categories are represented in the Actors’ Equity Association name.
“After years of organizing within the stage management community, Equity’s inaugural 2021 meeting passed a resolution entitled ‘In Solidarity, Change Our Union’s Name’. This resolution states:
WHILE the Actors’ Equity Association is a union representing tens of thousands of stage managers and actors nationwide; And
WHILE the current name of our union, Actors’ Equity Association, excludes part of our membership, particularly stage managers; And
WHILE the current name perpetuates a common misconception that stage managers are not members of our union; And
WHILE stage managers pay the same fees as actors but are still often referred to as Capital A’s “actors” in contract language; And
WHILE the UNION will have flexibility for future growth under its jurisdiction and most importantly will include ALL of its current contributory membership; And,
WHILE employers maintain their power by dividing workers and we are strongest as a union when we actively use our full solidarity to regain our power as workers united; And
WHILE stage managers have always been members of the Actors’ Equity Association; And
WHILE we’ve waited 108 years;
THEREFORE DECIDED The Convention considers that the name of our union should be changed; And,
RESOLVE that the Union will stand by its mission of solidarity and support a name change to include all of its members; And,
BE IT ENDLY RESOLVED Convention recommends that the National Council submit a full plan to facilitate this name change within three years of the conclusion of the 2021 Convention
This resolution was subsequently endorsed by Equity’s Council in June 2021 with the following policy:
VOTED to unanimously adopt the recommendation of the Executive Committee on: Convention Resolution 3-02 Solidarity, Change of name of our union:
RESOLVED that the name of our union should be changed; And,
RESOLVE that the Union will stand by its mission of solidarity and support a name change to include all of its members; And,
FINALLY RESOLVED that the National Council will present a full plan to facilitate this name change within three years of the conclusion of the 2021 Convention and that a working group will be set up to begin this process.
