Equity “Where’s the Beef?” Cross-Country Tour
Where's the beef? * Fringe Waiver has been replaced by the Festival Agreement.
by Michael Wheeler
CAEA is about to change how it interacts with indie and self-producing artists in Canada.
Before this goes down, CAEA Executive Director Arden Ryshpan is engaged in a cross-country tour to get feedback on what this new agreement should look like.
The snarky part of me wants to cite the numerous concrete suggestions and even a model contract that has undergone extensive public consultation ALREADY, forming the basis for not one, or two, but three overwhelming votes by membership at AGMs to reform the way indie theatre is contracted, as well as the great work done by the Independent Theatre Review Committee. But let’s let bygones be bygones. If moving forward to the agreement membership wants means pretending none of this happened and now is the time to make suggestions, so be it.
Any Equity member in good standing who makes theatre in or around Toronto and has thoughts on this will be able to speak to Arden directly on Sunday May 6th at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Doors at 6:00pm, meeting begins at 6:30 sharp. Light refreshments will be served. Bring your Equity card.
If you are a CAEA member and don’t want to complain for another decade about a confusing array of prejudicial contracts that make it impossible to create your own work, please organize your schedules accordingly. Last chance to make an impact. Your voice is required (again).
Don’t live in Toronto? Here are the other tour dates:
VANCOUVER, BC
Date: Monday, May 7, Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (PT)
Doors open: 6:30 p.m. (PT)
Location: Revue Stage on Granville Island – 1601 Johnston Street, Vancouver, BC
CALGARY, AB
Date: Sunday, May 13, Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CT
Doors open: 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Lunchbox Theatre – 160 115 9 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB
Special instructions:
Additional Information: Socializing at the Auburn Saloon will follow the meeting
EDMONTON, AB
Date: Monday, May 14, Time: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. CST
Location: Second Playing Space at the Timms Centre for the Arts (University of Alberta campus in Strathcona).
WINNIPEG, MB
Date: Sunday, May 27, Time: TBA
Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange (Unit Y300 (3rd floor) – 393 Portage Avenue, Portage Place, Winnipeg, MB
SASKATOON, SK
Date: Monday, May 28, Time: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. CST
Doors open: 6:15 p.m. CST
Location: The Refinery Arts & Spirit Centre – 609 Dufferin Ave., Saskatoon, SK
MONTREAL, QC
Date: Sunday, June 3, Time: TBA
Location: TBA
OTTAWA, ON
Date: Monday, June 4, Time: TBA
Location: TBA
HALIFAX, NS
Date: Sunday, June 10
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
Actually Michael, when you pull the survey answers apart you find that there are a significant number of practical things which were not answered. Additionally, there are a certain number of conflicting answers. So the survey doesn’t actually contain as much information in some areas as it might seem to someone who isn’t quite as familiar with it all as I am. It’s not as simple as just throwing something together as the scope and “edges” of each agreement and policy are organized so as not to overlap or infringe on the scope and edges of another agreement or policy. Once you make a change in one area, you have to be aware of the possible impact on other areas. So, I could guess at what the members really want in some areas or I can do what I am doing and get out there and try to ask the questions I need answers to so that I can actually craft something that works. You can rest assured that I have no interest in travelling the country every weekend for five out of the next six weekends if I didn’t feel there was some good reason to do so! As well, this is an opportunity to answer any questions the members may have about the changes to the CTA, so I am afraid I must disagree with you about the reasons and the value of these meetings.
Hi Arden,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and clarification here.
There has been alot of organizing over the past five years including numerous eblasts, Facebook posts and blogging about an ESSENTIAL MEETING TO SAVE INDIE THEATRE.
But there always seems to be one more. The people I have talked to about this issue are seriously fatigued, they don’t understand why all the votes they cast over the course of 3 AGMs and multiple surveys they have filled out haven’t impacted any change.
Your comment helps clarify the purpose for many members I expect. That this is a forum to discuss conflicting answers from the ITRC data as well as how a new indie contract will impact existing ones.
Thanks again for taking the time to visit this forum and clarify the purpose and motivations to the tour.