Equity in the News Funding

"The National Endowment for the Arts supports jobs in every Congressional district in the country. While we advocate primarily for the actors and stage managers we represent, we applaud that NEA funding also drives economic growth in restaurants, hospitality, tourism and beyond. This increase will mean more jobs and a stronger economy for everyone," said Kate Shindle, president of Actors' Equity Association.

The effort comes at a time when small community theatres are struggling in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Introduced by Senator Anthony Portantino (D – Burbank), Senate Bill 1116 was cosponsored by Actors’ Equity Association and the Theatrical Producers of Southern California.

Two senators, one assemblymember, artist labor leaders, several social justice advocates, and activists as well as actors of every stripe gathered at Boston Court Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 8. But when the curtain rose on a rally exhorting Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign SB 1116 into law, all of them were simply theater kids.

The Arts and Music in Schools measure seeks to increase funding for arts and music education in all PreK-12 public schools in California.

Advocates for the creative economy — from the head of a performing arts center to a venue owner, an actor and an Actors’ Equity exec — lobbied Congress today to shore up the industry before it’s too late amid an ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

A new survey of arts agencies across the country finds their grant-making practices directly contribute to a lack of diversity on stages.

Just 9.4 percent of the 4,500 state and local agencies that fund performing arts projects require that institutions carrying out funded performances must pay their actors a living wage, a report by the Actors' Equity Association found.

The report offers recommendations for changes arts agencies can make to improve inclusion.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and fellow Democrats responded to strong lobbying from small nonprofit theaters to support their reopening.