Employment Declines by 4.5%, Earnings Down by 2.7% In Comprehensive Employment Survey

Actors' Equity Association's 2002 Annual Report, a comprehensive employment and financial survey of Equity members for the 2001-2002 season, is now online. The report was also published in December's EQUITY NEWS.

According to Guy Pace, Equity's Assistant Executive Director for National Administration and Finance, the report clearly demonstrates the long-term effects that the terrorist attacks on 9-11 had on the theatre industry. National employment, measured by actor work-weeks, declined by 4.5%, while earnings declined by 2.7%. Pace concludes however, that the results could have been "a lot worse," given the attacks as well as other factors, such as the continued economic recession, the volatility of the stock market, and a decline in public and private funding for the arts.

Among the highlights of the report:

• Total workweeks during the 2001-02 season hit 277,131, a decline of 4.5% from the prior season.
• Total earnings declined by 2.7%, to $249,228,000.00
• The top four areas of employment for the 2001-2002 season were: Production (22%); LORT (20.7%); Developing Theatres (18.2%); and Disney World at 5.1% of the total season's work weeks.
• Total membership now exceeds 45,000, an all time high, although the number of new members joining declined by 10% from last season. 62% of the members are affiliated with one or more of the other performing arts unions.
• Work weeks on the road actually increased by 1%, ending a five-year downward spiral; special touring agreements have generated 14,000 workweeks since 1998.
• Developing theatre work weeks increased by 6.8% to 50,000 work weeks, generating earnings of $23 million dollars.

Besides Broadway, the effects of 9-11 were keenly felt at Florida's Disney World, which showed a decline of 15% in work weeks and 20% decline in earnings, due to the loss in tourism.

The 2002 Annual Report is posted in the Document Library.

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