By: Aislinn

Aislinn — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 19:08:29 +0000

Thanks Vinetta. Your comment really gets to the core of the issue for me: that adults in a room can decide together how they want to work, and the reasons they want to work in that way. They certainly don’t need a paternalistic organization to “protect them” with a “we know best” mentality.

By: Vinetta Strombergs

Vinetta Strombergs — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:29:32 +0000

Great to have specific examples. I completely agree that the current process at Equity is backwards. Staff decides what agreement or contract and “gives permission” for their members to work. That scenario, by its very nature, promotes a view that members are basically not capable of deciding for themselves what is best for them. Since Equity members are declared professionals, it would be nice if the organization that represents them gave them some respect regarding their decision making abilities, especially when it comes to their own careers. There are many reasons why an Equity member might want to do a fringe show or a collective or a profit-sharing collaboration. This was demonstrated in the ITRC survey to the extent that it became onerous to actually collate a lot of the free form answers. Why should the burden of sorting through those reasons be placed on the staff? No one is twisting anyone’s arm to do a show for less money. But if you want to do it, and get the chance to own a piece of the action, why should you be prevented by the organization that is supposed to support you. Why should artists have to fit into pre-ordained boxes when true artists (especially if professional career artists) rarely like to be put in a clearly defined box. Let the adults get into a room and decide for themselves. Then file their agreed to parameters with the office and pay the insurance.

Comments on: Why it’s time to put the Equity Co-Op to bed

By: Aislinn

By: Vinetta Strombergs