What Art Directors Guild does

The Art Directors Guild (ADG), operating as IATSE Local 800, is a private non-profit labor union founded in 1937 and headquartered at 11969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, California, with 51-100 staff. It represents art department professionals across four craft categories — Art Directors, Illustrators and Matte Artists, Set Designers and Model Makers, and Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists — working in film, television, and commercials. Core services include collective bargaining on wages, working conditions, and benefits; administration of health, welfare, and pension plans; an Industry Experience Roster and Commercial Experience Roster for employment placement; an online Member Directory with skills-based filtering; an Availability List service; portfolio review support; and the annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, which held its 30th ceremony at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown in February 2026.

The guild operates under the IATSE international union federation and works through collective bargaining agreements covering members across more than 50 signatory companies in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Denver. Its technology footprint is light: an official website (adg.org), social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter, and standalone availability and membership directories. There are no disclosed AI capabilities, patents, or proprietary technology products.

The business model is non-profit and dues-funded: revenue derives from member dues, per-capita remittances within the IATSE federation structure, and ancillary revenue from the annual awards gala. The guild does not sell a commercial product or service; it monetizes membership representation. Its primary commercial counterparts are signatory entertainment employers (studios, production companies, streaming platforms) that honor its collective bargaining agreements, with marketing channels limited to organic social, the ADG website, and the annual awards ceremony.

Name

Art Directors Guild

Legal name

Art Directors Guild

Website

https://adg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) is a non-profit labor union founded in 1937 that represents Art Directors, Illustrators, Set Designers, and Scenic/Graphic Artists in film, television, and commercials, providing collective bargaining, health and pension benefits, and member employment services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Studio City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Art Directors Guild (ADG), operating as IATSE Local 800, is a labor union that provides collective bargaining representation, membership services, and professional recognition for art department professionals in the entertainment industry. It sells union membership and related services to art directors, illustrators, matte artists, set designers, model makers, scenic artists, title artists, and graphic artists working in film, television, and commercial production.

Product overview

The Art Directors Guild (ADG), IATSE Local 800, is a labor union representing entertainment industry professionals in art departments. The organization offers a unified platform of membership services including an online searchable member directory with skills-based filtering, an availability list for work opportunities, the annual ADG Awards recognizing excellence in production design, portfolio review services, and collective bargaining representation. The guild covers multiple crafts: Art Directors, Illustrators and Matte Artists, Set Designers and Model Makers, and Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists. Members can join through various eligibility pathways including the Motion Picture Industry Experience Roster and Commercial Experience Roster.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Directory Online searchable directory of guild members including art directors, production designers, illustrators, set designers, model makers, scenic artists, and graphic artists. Members can filter by job title, skills, and location experience to find and be found by employers and collaborators.
• Availability List Service allowing guild members to indicate their availability for work, connecting members with employment opportunities in film, television, and other entertainment projects.
• ADG Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in production design across film, television, and other entertainment categories. The 30th annual ceremony (2026) honored productions including 'Frankenstein,' 'One Battle After Another,' and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' for films, and 'Andor,' 'Severance,' and 'The Studio' for television.
• Portfolio Review Service providing guild members with portfolio review opportunities to showcase their work and advance their careers in the entertainment industry.
• Collective Bargaining Services Union services negotiating wages, working conditions, and benefits including health and welfare, retirement benefits, minimum wage scales, and workplace grievance protection on behalf of covered employees through collective bargaining agreements with entertainment industry employers.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)coreOthersArt Directors Guild is Local 800 of IATSE, operating under the international union's collective bargaining framework. The guild negotiates wages, working conditions, and benefits through collective bargaining agreements on behalf of its members.
• Contract Services Administration Trust FundcoreOthersManages the Industry Experience Roster and Commercial Experience Roster for placement of qualified guild members. Administers eligibility requirements including 30 days of work for signatory companies within 365 consecutive calendar days.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Costume Designers Guild (IATSE Local 892): Another IATSE local representing design and craft professionals in entertainment. Operates under the same collective bargaining framework as ADG with parallel membership services, awards programs, and benefits administration.
• Affiliated Property Craftspersons (IATSE Local 44): IATSE local representing property craftspersons in film and television production. Comparable peer as a sister local with overlapping jurisdiction, similar craft representation, and shared collective bargaining infrastructure.
• United Scenic Artists (IATSE Local 829): IATSE local representing designers, artists, and craftspeople in scenic, costume, lighting, and related entertainment design fields. Directly comparable membership organization with similar advocacy and collective bargaining functions.
• Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild (IATSE Local 706): A peer IATSE local representing craftspeople in another entertainment production department. Directly comparable in structure, governance, collective bargaining model, and member service offerings (directory, awards, benefits).
• Directors Guild of America: Labor organization representing directors and team members in film, television, and commercials. Comparable peer with similar governance, collective bargaining model, member benefits, and advocacy for creative professionals in entertainment production.
• American Society of Cinematographers: Professional honorary society for cinematographers in motion picture, television, and documentary production. Comparable as a peer craft guild with similar member recognition, awards programs, and industry advocacy for entertainment technical artists.
• IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees): The parent union federation under which ADG operates as Local 800. IATSE is the most directly comparable peer as it sets the collective bargaining framework, benefits administration, and political advocacy apparatus that ADG operates within.
• American Cinema Editors: Professional honorary society for film and television editors. Comparable peer craft organization with parallel membership recognition, awards ceremonies, and industry advocacy for post-production creative professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Writers Guild of America: Entertainment industry union representing writers in film, television, and new media. Comparable as a peer entertainment union with parallel collective bargaining structure, though operates in a different creative discipline than ADG's art department members.
• SAG-AFTRA: Much larger entertainment industry union representing actors, broadcasters, and recording artists. Comparable as a peer union with parallel collective bargaining, awards programs, and benefits administration, but operates at significantly larger scale than ADG.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ADG800
• Facebookfacebook.com/ADG800
• Instagraminstagram.com/adg800
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/art-directors-guild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Art Directors Guild