USITT

What USITT does

USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1960 and headquartered in Liverpool, New York. It serves the U.S. live entertainment technology industry by providing professional development, industry standards advocacy, certification, and community networking for theatre designers, technicians, managers, students, and academic institutions. The organization also engages equipment vendors and manufacturers through exhibitions, advertising, and sponsorship channels.

USITT's product portfolio is anchored by the eSET certification suite (covering backstage, safety, lighting, rigging, costuming, audio, and projections), the BACKstage Exam for high school students, and the Innova online learning platform that streams webinars and courses. Live programs include the annual USITT Conference & Stage Expo, the Summer Costume Symposium hosted at academic partner institutions, and the Training Ground early-career immersive program at venues such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Supporting offerings include the TD&T professional journal, the Jobs USITT employment marketplace, the Nimble AMS-powered Community Hub member portal, and multiple scholarship and safety-focused funds.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure: recurring membership dues, conference registration and exhibitor/sponsorship revenue, unit-priced education and certification fees, journal subscriptions, advertising across print/digital/podcast channels, transaction-based job postings, and tax-deductible donations. Distribution is predominantly domestic through the usitt.org website, secure member portal, annual conference, and regional sections and student chapters. The organization collaborates with OSHA, IATSE, ETCP, and ESTA on safety and technical standards, and maintains a Board of Directors governance structure.

Name

USITT

Legal name

United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc.

Website

https://usitt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

USITT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1960 that serves the U.S. live entertainment technology industry through certification (eSET), online education, conferences, publications, and community networking for theatre professionals, students, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Entertainment Technology

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Physical Education & Athletics Equipment (Gym, Sports Gear, Scoreboards) (EDAEAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging) (THACAFAB)

Keywords

• Theatre technology certification
• Live entertainment training
• Stage rigging education
• Entertainment industry membership
• Theatre design publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership fees providing access to member services, professional development resources, networking opportunities, and industry publications including TD&T journal.
2. Conference & Events: Revenue from the Annual Conference & Stage Expo, including registration fees, exhibitor fees, and sponsorship revenue. The USITT27 conference takes place in Baltimore.
3. Education & Training: Revenue from online courses, webinars, certifications (eSET exams), and training programs offered through the Innova platform and in-person events like Summer Costume Symposium.
4. Publications: Revenue from Theatre Design & Technology (TD&T) journal subscriptions and other industry publications.
5. Advertising & Sponsorships: Revenue from advertising in publications, on the website, and during events, as well as organizational sponsorships.
6. Job Postings: Revenue from employment advertising placed on Jobs USITT platform.
7. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to various funds supporting research, scholarships, safety initiatives, and professional development. USITT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

USITT is a nonprofit professional membership organization that delivers entertainment technology certification exams, online and in-person education programs, an annual conference and stage expo, publications, and a member portal to theatre designers, technicians, students, academic institutions, and equipment vendors in the live entertainment industry. Its core deliverables include the eSET certification suite, the Innova online learning platform, the USITT Conference & Stage Expo, the Summer Costume Symposium, Training Ground early-career programs, the Jobs USITT employment board, and the TD&T journal.

Product overview

USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) is a professional membership organization and 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving the live entertainment technology industry. Its product portfolio centers on professional certification through the eSET exam suite (covering backstage, safety, lighting, rigging, costuming, audio, and projections disciplines), combined with online education via the Innova platform offering webinars and courses. The organization delivers live events including the Annual Conference & Stage Expo, Summer Costume Symposium, and Training Ground programs for early-career professionals. Supporting offerings include the Jobs USITT employment marketplace, TD&T publication, and the Community Hub member portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• eSET (Essential Skills for the Entertainment Technician) Online certification exam suite assessing knowledge and skills for entertainment technicians across multiple disciplines including backstage knowledge, safety, lighting, rigging, costuming, audio, and projections. Intended for working entertainment technicians and students.
• BACKstage Exam High school-level technical theatre assessment evaluating knowledge and work readiness of students pursuing careers in entertainment technology.
• USITT Online Education & Training (Innova) Digital learning platform offering webinars, courses, and training content across categories including architecture/engineering, business, costume, digital media, diversity/equity/inclusion, lighting, management, safety, scenic design, sound, and tech production. Intended for working theatre professionals and students.
• USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo Annual industry conference featuring educational sessions, exhibitions, networking events, and professional development opportunities for live entertainment technology professionals.
• Summer Costume Symposium Annual intensive training event focused on costume design and production techniques, hosted at academic venues such as DePaul University.
• USITT Training Ground Early-career immersive training program providing hands-on experience for emerging entertainment technology professionals, hosted in partnership with venues such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
• Jobs USITT Employment advertising platform connecting entertainment technology professionals with job opportunities in the industry.
• TD&T (Theatre Design & Technology) Professional journal publication covering theatre technology, design, and industry developments, distributed as a subscription-based periodical.
• USITT Community Hub Member portal platform providing access to membership management, event registration, online learning, and member resources.
• USITT Membership Annual and monthly membership program providing access to member services, professional development resources, networking opportunities, regional sections, student chapters, and industry publications including the TD&T journal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120 secondary schools reached with rigging safety inspections and training
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• OSHA-USITT-IATSE AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance between USITT, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) focused on promoting health and safety in the entertainment industry through training, standards development, and workplace safety initiatives.
• ETCP (Entertainment Technician Certification Program)coreTechnology or IntegrationUSITT supports and recognizes ETCP certification for entertainment technicians, offering ETCP renewal credits through its education programs. ETCP provides industry-recognized certifications for riggers, electricians, and other entertainment technology professionals.
• ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association)majorTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on technical standards development including ANSI standards such as E1.11 (DMX512-A) and E1.14 (Fog Equipment Manuals). USITT provides educational content on these standards.
• DePaul University - The Theatre SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for USITT Summer Costume Symposium 2026 at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, providing educational programming for costume professionals.
• Oregon Shakespeare FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for USITT Training Ground - an early-career immersive training opportunity for entertainment technology professionals.
• Prague QuadrennialmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSITT supports and assists with the US submission to the Prague Quadrennial, the major international exhibition of scenography and theatre architecture. Paul Tazewell served on the curatorial team for the 2027 US submission.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees): The dominant labor union for entertainment technicians in the US, co-partnered with USITT through the OSHA-USITT-IATSE Alliance — overlaps on workforce training but represents workers rather than running a membership association.
• TCG (Theatre Communications Group): National service organization for the American theatre field, focused on management, leadership, and advocacy — overlaps with USITT in serving theatre professionals but at the organizational rather than technical layer.
• NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre): National service organization for musical theatre producers and creators — adjacent theatre-industry membership body serving a related but distinct constituency from USITT's technical focus.

Direct peers

• LDI / Live Design International: Major live events design tradeshow and publication serving entertainment technology professionals — competes for the same audience and sponsor dollars as USITT's Annual Conference & Stage Expo.
• ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians): UK-based professional association for theatre technicians offering training, certifications, and industry events — the closest geographic equivalent to USITT for the British theatre technology community.
• ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association): North American trade association for entertainment technology with deep overlap in ANSI standards development and technician certification — partners with USITT on E1.11 and E1.14 standards.
• OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians): International umbrella organization for theatre design and technology professionals covering design, architecture, and technical theatre — operates at a global level where USITT focuses on the US.
• PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association): UK-headquartered trade association for the live events and entertainment technology industry, running training, standards work, and trade shows — a directly comparable membership body serving an overlapping technician population.

Regional players

• SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conference): Regional theatre conference serving the southeastern US with conventions, auditions, and professional programming — comparable in mission to USITT but geographically and operationally narrower.

Others

• NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre): Accrediting body for US theatre degree programs at colleges and universities — adjacent to USITT's academic-institution relationships and influences the student pipeline feeding USITT membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usitt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USITT