Friday marked one year since the Met announced its closure during a musical rehearsal of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. It was only meant to be a “short intermission,” but it swiftly morphed into the pandemic juggernaut that decimated our beloved performing arts community. Not even during the pandemic of 1918 was the Metropolitan Opera closed for this long of a stretch. Not one day since then can be defined as “easy.” Even the lighter days have a heaviness to them, because so much of our futures and careers remain in flux, unknown, uncertain. What we do know is that we are fighting for a better Met and a better industry at large. We will NOT return to the same industry we left, in a number of ways. In a recent statement, AGMA wrote �... Read More -->

It is difficult to properly reflect on something we are still very much living through. Last spring brought with it change, deep loss, and isolation we never knew before. But it didn’t take away our passion or resolve. AGMA Artists gave new meaning to the word “perseverance,” enduring through the loss of work and income, changes in their location, facing the unknown, and more. Resilient and innovative, AGMA Artists have proven that powerful Art can be created from anywhere, and continually reach people who need it most, as long as there is deep meaning and heart behind the work. Yes, we are still in this heartbreaking and financially devastating standstill. Tomorrow will be one year and one day, then one year and two days...and... Read More -->

The American Guild of Musical Artists received a direct charter from the AFL-CIO this morning at the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting. Previously, AGMA was affiliated with the AFL-CIO and its Department for Professional Employees (DPE) through its membership in the Associated Actors and Artistes of America (4As). Receiving a direct charter is a distinguished honor for AGMA, as this formal association with the national federation of labor unions signifies that AGMA has earned a seat at the table alongside the other major unions fighting for workers’ rights, in the entertainment industry and across all sectors of our country.  "We are so proud that the talented Artists from AGMA have joined our federation in the fight for working... Read More -->

"Grappling with the one-year mark of the pandemic's effect on our lives and our industry is such an overwhelming thing to do. And still, we have hope in our hearts and faith in science that we will soon return to the jobs we love, though we know it won't be easy. We are dedicated to being as transparent as possible during these ongoing experiences. We know our fight for what’s right will stretch much further than the Met. Today we enter our fifth week of bargaining with the Met. Last week, we engaged in cost evaluation to understand the true effects of proposed cuts, assessing potential opportunities to improve the Met’s financial stability. We made more progress on proposals including equalizing Pension Fund payments among the ... Read More -->

March 2, 2021 - American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) have released the fourth version of the AGMA/SDC Return to Stage and Performing Arts Playbook.Major updates in Version 4 include: Levels of Reopening: Levels have been simplified and condensed from 5 levels to 3Ventilation Guidance: More specific information regarding air changes per hour, recommended percentage of fresh outdoor air, and filtration ratingsMinimum Space Requirements: New tables and worksheets included assisting in calculating the minimum space required for various levels of activity. Special Considerations for Singers: Masks and microphones as means of getting more singers back to work A new section on Worsenin... Read More -->

AGMA is happy to announce that the Winter 2021 issue of AGMAzine is here! Follow this link to view/download the PDF or flip through the pages on Issuu. In this jam-packed issue, we are honored to share with you stories of creativity and perseverance as AGMA enters "The New Frontier." Through interviews and essays, a number of AGMA Artists provide personal stories about how their lives have changed over the course of a difficult year. We hope you enjoy this special issue of AGMAzine, the official publication of the American Guild of Musical Artists. Note: Due to the pandemic, this issue is only available in digital format. ... Read More -->

We hope you are all staying safe and healthy as we near the one-year mark of the pandemic’s shutdown of our industry. We know we are all doing our best and trying to stay positive. Hard to believe, but today we enter our fourth week of bargaining with the Met. Last week, we began a detailed costing evaluation to understand the true effects of the Met’s drastic proposed cuts; we heard an appeal from Dancers to take steps to address their department’s work culture; we made significant progress on several proposals, including restructuring the contract payment schedule for soloists, and increasing access to principal artist auditions for choristers and extra choristers; and we followed up on various outstanding Committee questions an... Read More -->

Dear AGMA Artists: This marks our third “Met Negotiation Update” from the Met AGMA Negotiating Committee. We are happy to report that during this past week of negotiations with the Met, we made significant progress on several important proposals:  Guaranteed minimum number of stage managersExpanded Long Term Disability Coverage for soloistsArtists’ use of media clips for promotional and educational purposesIncreased sick leave for Staff Performers  Today we enter our third week of bargaining. This week we will keep pushing for our proposals, which include:  Artist protections and representation in all Met productionsUpdated Media Agreement to reflect streaming practicesSafety protections on air quality, suf... Read More -->

Dear AGMA Artists: We hope this message finds you all safe, healthy, and well. Last Monday we kicked off negotiations with the Met and delivered our proposals to management. Presentations were given by ALL 35 members of the Committee and each group and its function was introduced. The presentations were poised, professional, but at the same time, heartfelt and emotional. Hearing from each committee member was an experience like no other. We have all been through so much this past year and it culminated in these touching presentations. On the second day of bargaining, the Met delivered their proposals to us. We have many questions and concerns and are waiting on more clarification before we can even consider responding. However, ou... Read More -->

Feb. 11, 2021 - Today, the arts, entertainment, and media unions affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) announced their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy agenda during a digital press conference with union leaders, staff, and members. The DEI policy agenda details the legislative action the unions will urge members of Congress to support to help make their industries more representative.  “Diversity is a strength,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “Creative professionals and their unions know this, and continue to prioritize making their industries more accessible to underrepresented people. Advocating for policy changes at the national level is a natural continu... Read More -->