Joining as a Performer

As a performer, you are eligible to join the Association on your first Equity contract under a negotiated scale agreement (i.e., Canadian Theatre Agreement, Independent Theatre Agreement, Stratford Festival Addendum, Equity Second City Agreement or any of our negotiated ballet or opera agreements).

The contract must be at least 14 workdays, including free days. For shorter duration contracts, 12 workdays aggregated across multiple permit contracts may be combined to qualify for joining.

A contract under an Equity engagement policy, such as the DOT Policy, Indie 3.0, or Festival Policy does not make you eligible to join.

Am I required to join Equity?

Under certain circumstances, you may be required to join the Association. This includes:

• Working on a commercial (CTA/ITA Sector 2) contract
• Working under one of Equity’s Ballet agreements
• Working under one of Equity’s Opera agreements
• Working on an Equity contract that’s longer than 10 weeks
• Working under a contract in another jurisdiction that’s subject to a reciprocal agreement with Equity

As a member of another performing arts association or union, you may be eligible to join Equity under a reciprocal agreement, when working on an Equity contract.

ACTRA

If you are a full member of ACTRA in good standing, you may choose to join Equity by virtue of our reciprocal agreement with ACTRA, but you are not required to do so. In deciding to join, you will be entitled to a $475 discount on Equity’s $1,200 initiation fee.

AEA

If you are a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), you must join Equity by virtue of the reciprocal agreement with AEA. Depending on the initiation fee paid to AEA, you may be entitled to a discount of up to 50% of Equity’s $1,200 initiation fee and must be in good standing with AEA in order to work in our jurisdiction and benefit from the discount.

UDA

If you are a full member of Union des artistes (UDA) in good standing, you may be eligible to work under a “Courtesy Work Permit” [link] to a maximum of three permits per calendar year, exceeding which you will be required to join. A Courtesy Work Permit must be filed before you begin work. You may also choose to be contracted as a Permittee and pay the appropriate filing fees. There is no discounted initiation fee for UDA members.

– Stratford Addendum and Opera Agreement only

If you are a citizen of Canada or permanent resident of 16 years of age or older, and not a member of any professional performing artists’ association or union, you may be engaged as an apprentice performer on a production under the Stratford Addendum to the Canadian Theatre Agreement and the Opera Agreement (OPA).

• One apprentice performer credit is granted for each completed registered engagement as an apprentice performer.
• You may acquire an unlimited number of apprentice credits

The apprentice performer credit fee under the Stratford Addendum is $150. A portion of each apprentice fee ($125) is applied to the eventual initiation fee, though the engager is required to pay this fee on behalf of the artist.

The apprentice performer credit fee under the Opera Agreement is $125, of which $100 is applied to the eventual initiation fee. A portion of each apprentice fee ($100) is applied to the eventual initiation fee, though the engager is required to pay this fee on behalf of the artist.

Artists working as performers can also apply to join Equity based on their professional experience or body of work outside the Association’s jurisdiction.

The experience should be:

• At least 3 years
• In live performance or recorded media
• Professional work you were paid for, at a rate commensurate with prevailing professional fees

Work done as part of an educational program, or for a community or amateur company will not be considered as contributing towards professional experience.

To apply for membership under Professional Experience, submit a cover letter and C.V. meeting the requirements above to membership@caea.com.

The cost of joining Equity is a one-time initiation fee of $1,200, plus payment of $100 (a half-year of basic dues), for a total payable of $1,300.

A portion of the filing fees you have paid will be applied towards your initiation fee — reducing the amount of the one-time payment. Any remaining portion of the initiation fee owing, plus current basic dues, must be paid when you apply to join the Association, or you may provide the theatre with written authorization to deduct the balance of your initiation fee and remit it directly to Equity.