Actors' Equity Association
Actors' Equity Association is a U.S. labor union founded in 1913 that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, operating as a nonprofit funded by 2.5% working dues collected through signatory employers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1913
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Actors' Equity Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Actors' Equity Association
- Legal name
- Actors' Equity Association
- Website
- https://actorsequity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1913
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Actors' Equity Association is a U.S. labor union founded in 1913 that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers in live theatre, operating as a nonprofit funded by 2.5% working dues collected through signatory employers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Actors' Equity Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Labor Union Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Talent Agency & Representation Services (HSACAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services (MPAGAAAF)
Keywords
Where Actors' Equity Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Actors' Equity Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Union dues are collected from members. Currently 2.5% of the Equity member's total gross salary must be deducted and forwarded to Equity as the Actor or Stage Manager's dues obligation to Equity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard membership dues |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Actors' Equity Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Actors' Equity Association is the U.S. labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, providing collective bargaining, contract administration, minimum wages, working condition standards, health insurance, pension, 401(k) contributions, workers' compensation, and bonding across more than 40 national and local agreements covering Broadway, national tours, Off-Broadway, LORT, Stock, SPT, and other live theatre venues. The union offers a Member Portal for job access, auditions, and dues payment, an Open Access membership program, the Equity News Magazine, a VITA Tax Preparation Program, and workplace organizing services.
Product overview
Actors' Equity Association operates as a national labor union representing professional actors and stage managers, offering a suite of member services centered around its Member Portal as the primary digital platform. The portfolio includes the Equity News Magazine for industry communications, the VITA Tax Preparation Program for member financial assistance, Workplace Organizing Services for collective bargaining support, and comprehensive Producer Resources including contract templates for various theatre agreements (Production, Touring, LORT, Off-Broadway, Stock, SPT, and others). The organization negotiates over 40 national and local contracts covering wages, working conditions, health insurance, and pension benefits for its 51,000+ members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Member Portal Secure online platform for 51,000+ Equity members to access job postings, audition sign-ups, work history records, employer production research, dues payment, membership management, contract access, and educational resources.
- Equity News Magazine Official publication of Actors' Equity Association featuring theatre news, member spotlights, and industry coverage including Native Voices theatre company profiles and VITA tax program updates.
- VITA Tax Preparation Program Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helping working artists navigate complex tax documentation from multiple jobs and industries throughout the year.
- Workplace Organizing Services Support services for workers forming unions, providing guidance through the process of collective bargaining organization.
- Producer Resources and Contract Services Comprehensive resources for theatrical producers including agreements, forms, audition management, bonding information, and contract administration guidance across multiple theatre types (Production, Touring, LORT, Off-Broadway, Stock, SPT, and others).
- Outreach Presentations Educational presentations and resources about Equity membership, union benefits, and industry standards for potential and current members.
- Open Access Membership Program Membership program launched July 21, 2021 that allows any actor or stage manager who has received payment for professional work in the United States to join Equity, replacing the prior restrictive eligibility framework.
Companies that use Actors' Equity Association
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Actors' Equity Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Actors' Equity Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.
- AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations)flagshipEquity is a member of the AFL-CIO and receives a direct charter from the federation. The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of unions in the United States, providing organizational support, political advocacy resources, and connection to the broader labor movement.
- FIA (Fédération Internationale des Acteurs)flagshipEquity is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. This affiliation enables international solidarity with actors' unions worldwide and provides resources for members working internationally.
- Associated Actors and Artistes of America (4As)coreEquity is affiliated with the 4As, which coordinates among various performing arts unions in the United States.
- The Broadway LeagueflagshipThe Broadway League is the primary employer organization that Equity negotiates with for Broadway productions, national tours, and first-class sit-down productions. Their collective bargaining agreement covers minimum salaries, working conditions, health benefits, and pension contributions.
- Entertainment Community FundcoreEquity supports the Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, which provides services including career counseling, health insurance resources, housing assistance, and support for performing arts professionals.
- Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDScoreEquity supports Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, one of the theater industry's leading charitable organizations providing grants to AIDS charities and emergency assistance to those in need within the entertainment industry.
- Actors Federal Credit UnioncoreEquity supports the Actors Federal Credit Union which provides financial services including free checking, credit and debit cards, mortgages, car loans, and other banking services to members.
- National Energy Management Institute (NEMI)supportingEquity partnered with NEMI to develop ventilation guidelines and protocols for performance spaces, helping ensure safe working conditions for members during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Open Access partner organizationssupportingUnder the new Open Access membership program, Equity opened membership to any actor or stage manager who has worked professionally in the United States, previously only open to those who worked for Equity employers or were members of sibling unions like SAG-AFTRA.
- Local One IATSEcoreJointly developed the NY12 Live Arts Agenda with other entertainment unions to advocate for federal policy priorities supporting live arts workers.
- Local 802 AFMcoreMusicians union partner in the NY12 Live Arts Agenda coalition advocating for live arts sector protections and investment.
- AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists)coreDance andchoreography union partner in NY12 Live Arts Agenda coalition for shared policy priorities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Actors' Equity Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SAG-AFTRA: U.S. labor union representing performers across film, television, broadcast, and media — the closest functional peer to Actors' Equity for screen and recorded entertainment, sharing the same dues, collective bargaining, and member-benefit model.
- American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA): Labor union representing opera singers, dancers, and choreographers in live performance — operates with the same union model (collective bargaining, dues, member benefits) for a closely adjacent performing-arts constituency.
- American Federation of Musicians (AFM): U.S./Canadian labor union for professional musicians — directly comparable as a performing-arts union using collective bargaining and dues-based funding; an NY12 Live Arts Agenda coalition partner of Equity.
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE): Union representing behind-the-scenes stagecraft workers in live theatre, film, and TV — operates in the same Broadway and regional theatres as Equity and is an NY12 coalition partner; comparable dues and bargaining structure.
- Directors Guild of America (DGA): Labor union for directors and team leaders in film and television — comparable union model for creative professionals, with dues-based funding and collective bargaining authority in an adjacent entertainment vertical.
- Writers Guild of America (WGA): Labor union representing film, television, broadcast, and digital media writers — directly comparable union model (dues, collective bargaining, member benefits) covering a creative professional class in entertainment.
- British Actors' Equity Association: U.K. performing-arts union representing actors, singers, dancers, and stage managers — the international counterpart to U.S. Actors' Equity, affiliated through FIA, with an essentially identical representational mandate.
Others
- Entertainment Community Fund: Nonprofit social services organization providing health, housing, career, and emergency support to performing-arts professionals — complementary to Equity's bargaining role, with overlapping membership and partnership ties.
- AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees: Federation affiliate overseeing unions of professional, technical, and white-collar workers — Equity's parent federation body providing political, organizing, and policy infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- The Broadway League: National trade association representing Broadway producers, presenters, and general managers — the principal employer counterparty with whom Equity negotiates the Broadway Production Agreement, making it a structural counterpart rather than a competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Actors' Equity Association social profiles
Digital presenceActors' Equity Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Actors' Equity Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Actors' Equity Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Actors' Equity Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Actors' Equity Association
What does Actors' Equity Association do?
Actors' Equity Association is the U.S. labor union representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers, providing collective bargaining, contract administration, minimum wages, working condition standards, health insurance, pension, 401(k) contributions, workers' compensation, and bonding across more than 40 national and local agreements covering Broadway, national tours, Off-Broadway, LORT, Stock, SPT, and other live theatre venues. The union offers a Member Portal for job access, auditions, and dues payment, an Open Access membership program, the Equity News Magazine, a VITA Tax Preparation Program, and workplace organizing services.
Is Actors' Equity Association a public or private company?
Actors' Equity Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Actors' Equity Association founded?
Actors' Equity Association was founded in 1913. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Actors' Equity Association based?
Actors' Equity Association is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Actors' Equity Association make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership dues.
Who are Actors' Equity Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SAG-AFTRA, American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), American Federation of Musicians (AFM), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Directors Guild of America (DGA), Writers Guild of America (WGA) and British Actors' Equity Association. Others are Entertainment Community Fund and AFL-CIO Department for Professional Employees. The Broadway League is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Actors' Equity Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Actors' Equity Association.
What industry is Actors' Equity Association in?
Actors' Equity Association's product category is Performing Arts Labor Union Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAHAK, Talent Agency & Representation Services, with a secondary code of MPAGAAAF, Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.