Category: actors’ unions
This week we turn over our website to The Indie Caucus (IC), which Praxis Theatre is a member of. The IC (as no one has ever referred to it) is a TAPA committee formally announced at the 2007 AGM for the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA). It was created to provide a forum for companies to work together through the many challenges that face indie theatre in Toronto.
There is no formal membership to the IC. It is open to any TAPA member who self-identifies as an “indie” company. The IC makes decisions based on a consensus model that is inclusive to the desires of all who regularly attend meetings, and to date we have held three public town hall sessions to receive as much feedback as possible from the community about our proposals.
Unfortunately, the IC has been bogged down in 3 years of what can only be described as stonewalling by CAEA. Our attempts to come up with solutions to the problems posed by the myriad of problems the antiquated agreements they require us to use have sucked up a massive amount of volunteer hours thus far. The IC was supposed to be about working together to find to solutions to all sorts of theatre producing things: marketing, ticketing, outreach, budgeting, etc.
We’re really bored with this situation and are excited to move on to working through other challenges. A full chronology of our incredibly frustrating journey is available on the Facebook group created to communicate with likeminded artists on this topic: Artists for a New CAEA Agreement.
We definitely hit a wall when a 96-1 vote at CAEA’s last AGM to support our proposals was widely ignored by the organization. (They can do that?) Reform from the inside seems the only hope at this point as the desires of CAEA membership seems to be having little discernable effect on policy.
This week, ballots for Equity elections will be mailed to all members in good standing. Don’t throw that ballot in the garbage! Since there was only a 28% voter response from the general membership in the last Council election your vote can definitely make a difference.
The Indie Theatre Caucus at TAPA would like to independently endorse the following candidates for Ontario Council and CPAG:
Ontario Equity Councillor:
Chris Hanratty & Richard Lee
Ontario CPAG
Mark Brownell, Aaron Willis & Vinetta Strombergs
These are all Equity member/creators who have actively participated in Indie Caucus activities over the past three years. All understand and are publicly supportive of the issues surrounding small independent theatre in this country. We also recommend that all members from across the country check out all of the candidate statements in your region on the Equity site by clicking here:
It is quite apparent from many of these statements which candidates support indie issues and which do not. Later this week: We hear from the Indie Caucus candidates on why they deserve your vote!
The Indie Caucus
Invites any and all interested parties to:
Canadian Actors’ Equity Association Town Hall #3
Indie Caucus Candidates Revealed!
Thursday August 13th, 7:00pm @ The Theatre Centre
This is the first Town Hall since the historic 96-1 vote at the CAEA 2009 AGM to better represent the needs of member/creators.
This Town Hall is being held during the SummerWorks Festival at The Theatre Centre to reach as many independent theatre creators as possible with the latest exciting developments in how professional associations are adapting to modern creation practices.
This Town Hall will present:
- The names of the two indie caucus candidates who will be running for CAEA Council and the two candidates who will be running for CAEA Ontario CPAG in this fall’s CAEA election. Some of them will also be present at the meeting to announce their platforms.
- Important information regarding why the ITA agreement has just been extended for a single year.
- Equally important information about a new Fringe/SummerWorks Contract that is currently being drafted by CAEA.
- An update on what steps CAEA has made to fulfill the mandate set forth in the 96-1 vote for reform at the previous AGM.
This is a key moment in how the agreements we use to make art together will develop over the next decade. Come learn more this week and save yourself ten years of banging your head on the wall!
Want to know more? Check out the Facebook Page: Artists for a new CAEA Indie Agreement
The agreement, which is not technically an Equity contract, but is “promulgated by Actors’ Equity Association to allow its members to participate in productions in small theaters without the benefit of an Equity Contract.”
Members receive no salary or benefits and the performance and rehearsal schedules are limited in number. The terms of the code, created by and for the members, are designed to protect both the Equity actors and the interests of those theatres in New York City that operate under an Equity contract.
Approximately 1000 productions went on in NYC last year under this agreement, which does not forbid producers and actors coming to a sub-Equity standard agreement on pay. This code can only be used by Equity actors working in theatres with less than 99 seats in two types of situations:
A) The
Basic Showcase Code for use on independent one-time productions.
B) The
Festival Showcase Code that allows actors to work for not-for profit producers who create a season of work.
Some of the recent changes include:
- Maximum ticket prices have been increased from $20 to $25.
- Maximum rehearsal time has been increased from four to five weeks.
- Maximum budget to fall under the basic code is increased from $20,000 to $35,000.
- Performances may now be held over a six-week period.
These changes were the result of the Off-Off Broadway Committee, which is made up of members of Equity who have worked under the code and producers who have produced under the code.
Will this significant shift by AEA towards allowing its membership greater ability to leverage their labour to kick-start careers and productions have an impact in Canada?
The 2009 CAEA AGM held on February 24th in Toronto saw a massive turnout to support a Member Resolution calling for Equity to provide a Showcase-type agreement for use by its membership. The final vote in support of this motion was 96-1. The issue brought out so many members, that the minutes to several previous AGMs were passed by an assembly that had finally achieved quorum. Clearly CAEA has a mandate to come up with a new system that supports members that want to hustle to get something off the ground, but no one knows what will be proposed.
What do you think? Should CAEA adopt a Showcase-type code? Should the rules in the U.S. have anything to do with Canadian rules? Are these agreements “the thin end of the wedge” that will spell the end of reasonable protections for performers? Has that been the case in New York? Is this a good way to facilitate artists creating their own work?
On Monday February 24th CAEA held its annual AGM. Though attendance in the past has been so poor that quorum has not been achieved, members turned out in exceptional numbers this year. Debate from the floor made clear the motivation behind this unparalleled presence. The Member Resolution put forward by TAPA Indie-Caucus member Mark Brownell prompted this surge in numbers—artists came to vote.
The resolution (with minor amendments), passed with overwhelming support; only one individual voted against it.
Those who spoke in support of the resolution—which deals with member-created work —urged the audience to consider the specific manner in which the way that artists work has changed. Individual members spoke for those from across the country who could not be present, reporting that they see their impetus to create as being stymied by the association. A particular point of emphasis noted the distinction between producers and member-creators. A second distinguishing point was the necessity of making this discussion a national dialogue. The President himself could not help commenting “I am getting a strong message here.” He explained that member-initiated production has been put on Council’s work plan for the next year.
With respect to concerns about the resolution, one speaker suggested that CAEA avoid an influx of too many member-creators and make the agreements available to these artists more difficult to access.
Council meets in March. Equity by-laws place the command of this Member Resolution firmly in the hands of Council. The membership present at the AGM has voted, with quorum. Council now has the opportunity to vote and determine the future of this resolution. Attendance on Monday evening must send to Council a clear signal as to how the resolution and its outcomes might be handled.
Click here for the CAEA Council Info Page
RECENT COMMENTS