American Guild of Musical Artists

American Guild of Musical Artists The American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO is the union of singers, dancers, and staging staff wo Performing Arts Labor Union

Our new three-year agreement with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre was approved by AGMA members and ratified by AGMA’s Board of...
06/17/2026

Our new three-year agreement with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre was approved by AGMA members and ratified by AGMA’s Board of Governors on June 1, 2026.

This new agreement delivers meaningful wage increases, stronger health and wellness protections, expanded career transition support, and important improvements to scheduling and working conditions. It also eliminates the New Dancer rank, creating a stronger pathway into the company with significantly higher starting pay, increases the guaranteed size of the company, and establishes new protections around the use of artificial intelligence and dancers' likenesses.

Thank you to the negotiating committee and congratulations to all PBT Artists! https://www.musicalartists.org/agma-ratifies-three-year-agreement-with-pittsburgh-ballet-theatre/

06/16/2026

In this excerpt from AGMA’s State of the Union, which focuses on the 2026 and Beyond Strategic Action Plan, AGMA Western Region Vice President Sally Mouzon discusses the challenges facing the performing arts industry and AGMA’s efforts to help shape a more sustainable future.

As arts organizations contend with reductions in public funding and shifting philanthropic priorities, AGMA’s Future of Arts Funding initiative is taking a proactive approach to strengthening support for artists and the institutions that employ them. Through dedicated subcommittees focused on public funding and private philanthropy, AGMA is exploring new opportunities to collaborate with signatory companies, engage with government funding initiatives, and build relationships with foundations that invest in cultural work.

This plank of the strategic plan recognizes that securing the future of the arts requires more than responding to challenges as they arise. It requires proactive planning, strong partnerships, and making sure that artists remain at the center of conversations about the future of arts funding.

Watch the full State of the Union now on AGMA’s website and in the MyAGMA portal.

Needed a few days to catch our collective breath! Still buzzing from our time at the 30th Constitutional Convention in ...
06/15/2026

Needed a few days to catch our collective breath! Still buzzing from our time at the 30th Constitutional Convention in Minneapolis, where AGMA had the opportunity to help elevate the voices of arts workers on a national stage.

AGMA President Ned Hanlon addressed delegates on the importance of the arts during this critical moment for working people. He also testified on the unique health insurance challenges facing AGMA artists as delegates considered a resolution on workers' health and safety.

AGMA Dancers Vice President Antuan Byers led "A Movement Break for the Movement," inviting attendees to reconnect with the body as a site of memory, strategy, grief, dignity, and possibility. Throughout the Convention, images of AGMA members flashed across screens and were seen posted to walls. AGMA also helped organize a musical program that closed out the convention's third day, bringing together performers from SAG-AFTRA, Actors' Equity Association, and Twin Cities Federation of Musicians, as well as community organizations Singing Resistance Twin Cities and StreetSong Minnesota.

A special thank you to the AGMA leaders who represented our union throughout the convention alongside President Hanlon: Soloists VP Andrew Stenson, Western Region VP Sally Mouzon, and Antuan Byers. We are proud to stand alongside our sibling unions across the labor movement in the fight for workers' rights and a thriving future for the arts.

In today’s Pride Month Spotlight, we share an essay by AGMA Chorister Daniel Shigo about a pivotal moment in the fight f...
06/15/2026

In today’s Pride Month Spotlight, we share an essay by AGMA Chorister Daniel Shigo about a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Years before marriage equality became law nationwide, Daniel worked with then-AGMA National Executive Director Alan Gordon to ensure same-sex partners of New York City Opera artists could access employer-provided health insurance. Through a combination of advocacy, legal protections, and union action, 11 couples gained coverage that had previously been unavailable to them. Daniel’s story highlights how unions can help turn civil rights advances into meaningful workplace protections and demonstrates the real-world impact of standing together for fairness and equality. His full essay is now published on AGMA’s website: https://www.musicalartists.org/pride-month-spotlight-a-chorus-member-a-union-leader-and-a-fight-for-equal-benefits/

In today’s Immigrant Heritage Month Spotlight, we share an essay by AGMA Chorister Dr. Wagner Mauricio Pastor. Wagner re...
06/11/2026

In today’s Immigrant Heritage Month Spotlight, we share an essay by AGMA Chorister Dr. Wagner Mauricio Pastor. Wagner recounts his journey from Quito, Ecuador, to a career as an opera singer in the United States, reflecting on the challenges and rewards of life as a migrant artist. Through memories of family, culture, and the music that shaped him, he explores how art can preserve identity while creating new opportunities. He also highlights the importance of mentorship, representation, and expanding access for emerging artists. Wagner's story is a powerful reminder of the resilience, sacrifice, and hope that often accompany the immigrant experience. His full essay is now published on AGMA's website.

"Each time I sing Se va con algo mío, the text gains deeper meaning. I think about eating mote con chicharrón on street corners after high school, sharing chochos con tostado with friends, drinking jugo de mora or jugo de caña, and walking through Quito beside my brothers, cousins, parents, and grandmothers. I remember hearing pasillos echo through the streets and markets, hearing guitars and requintos accompany stories of love, loss, migration, and hope. Those sounds became part of my emotional memory long before I understood that music could become my profession."

https://www.musicalartists.org/immigrant-heritage-month-spotlight-reflections-of-a-quiteno-migrant-artist-in-the-united-states/

A December 1991 article of AGMAzine examined how dance companies were weathering what was described as a “current financ...
06/10/2026

A December 1991 article of AGMAzine examined how dance companies were weathering what was described as a “current financial crisis.” Federal and state funding cuts, budget restrictions, and economic uncertainty were creating real challenges across the field, and some companies were proposing salary freezes, reductions in work weeks, or other concessions, while others were finding ways to stabilize operations.

AGMA maintained a balanced perspective, acknowledging the difficult financial realities facing many AGMA signatory companies while also highlighting the Union’s responsibility to protect artists and negotiate the best possible contracts. Alongside reports of struggling companies, the piece celebrated successful negotiations, contract improvements, increased benefits, and stronger protections.

Reading it today, there are obvious parallels. The performing arts continue to face financial pressures, and many companies are navigating deficits, changing audience habits, and an uncertain future of arts funding. Yet AGMA members continue to secure meaningful gains through collective bargaining! Very recent agreements at Cincinnati Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Ballet Idaho demonstrate that even during challenging times, artists can make progress on wages, working conditions, job security, and workplace protections.

The article serves as a reminder that financial uncertainty and successful bargaining are not mutually exclusive. For decades, AGMA members have faced tough moments with the same goal of protecting the future of the art form while making sure that the artists who make the art possible are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

To celebrate AGMA's 90th Anniversary, the Membership and Member Relations Committee is producing a special print edition...
06/09/2026

To celebrate AGMA's 90th Anniversary, the Membership and Member Relations Committee is producing a special print edition of AGMAzine, scheduled for late Fall 2026. This issue will explore AGMA's past, present, and future through amazing archival pieces and the experiences, perspectives, and creativity of our members. Whether you've been a member for decades or joined recently, we invite you to share words, photographs, artwork, or other creative work with us.

Submissions are due July 13, 2026. As you develop your piece, consider how it connects to AGMA's 90 years of solidarity and the future of our union. For full details, tips, and submission guidelines, please visit: www.musicalartists.org/AGMAzine90

AGMA Dancers are invited to attend a Dancers Caucus meeting on June 22 at 2pm ET. Joining the Caucus for a discussion ab...
06/09/2026

AGMA Dancers are invited to attend a Dancers Caucus meeting on June 22 at 2pm ET. Joining the Caucus for a discussion about Collective Bargaining will be AGMA’s Director of Collective Bargaining, and dancer, Tracy Jones.

The goal of this meeting is to foster an open conversation about collective bargaining in dance companies and share strategies for achieving the strongest possible collective bargaining agreement. This meeting is open to all AGMA dancers, but is especially recommended for delegates, negotiating committee members, and anyone interested in serving on a negotiating committee in the future.

Dancers currently negotiating a 2026–27 CBA or anticipating entering negotiations soon will receive a survey from their staff representatives in the coming weeks. This survey will provide an opportunity to submit questions to Tracy Jones that may be answered live during the meeting. All submitted questions will remain anonymous. There is also an additional opportunity to submit questions through the Zoom registration form.

https://www.musicalartists.org/agma-dancers-caucus-meeting-collective-bargaining-discussion/

06/09/2026

In this excerpt from AGMA’s State of the Union, which focuses on the 2026 and Beyond Strategic Action Plan, AGMA Midwestern Region Vice President Cameo Humes highlights the union’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility throughout the performing arts industry.

Grounded in AGMA’s constitutional commitment to dignity, respect, and justice in the workplace, this plank reflects the Union’s efforts to address structural inequities both within AGMA and across its signatory companies. Over the past several years, that work has included the creation of the AGMA Black Caucus and AGMA Pride Caucus, the Union’s first demographic census, the adoption of equity-focused national bargaining priorities, and the implementation of policies and strategic goals designed to advance accessibility and inclusion throughout the organization.

Looking ahead, AGMA is building on this foundation through a comprehensive review of its equity work, engaging nationally recognized consultants to assess progress, gather feedback, and help guide the next phase of the union’s I.D.E.A. efforts.

Watch the full State of the Union on AGMA’s website and in the MyAGMA portal.

In today’s Pride Month Spotlight, we share reflections from AGMA Soloist Claire DiVizio. Claire’s essay, “Transitioning ...
06/08/2026

In today’s Pride Month Spotlight, we share reflections from AGMA Soloist Claire DiVizio. Claire’s essay, “Transitioning with the Support of My Union,” originally published in the Winter 2024 issue of AGMAzine, recounts their experience transitioning while working as a singer with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Faced with uncertainty about how hormone therapy would affect their career, Claire found steadfast support from AGMA reps, who worked to make sure they could navigate the process without sacrificing their profession. Claire's journey ultimately helped establish a new framework for supporting transgender singers in unionized ensembles, demonstrating the vital role unions can play in fostering dignity, inclusion, and workplace security.

"As a trans person, and especially a non-binary trans person, I am used to there not being policies in place to support me. Most of the time that means that I have to just 'deal with it,' accept that I’m going to be uncomfortable in certain situations, and not expect much…However, as a member of AGMA, the revelation that there wasn’t an existing policy to deal with my situation meant that the Union decided that my particular case was going to be used as a blueprint for a new policy to support trans singers in the future…The process of transition as an adult is already terrifying, and is even more harrowing to consider as a classical singer, but thanks to Scott Uddenberg and AGMA, I was able to navigate this transition within my life and my profession, with the kind of workplace support that everyone deserves. I am proud to be a member of a union, and these last two years have given me a real, personal reason for that pride."

Thank you, Claire DiVizio, for sharing your story again. Read the full essay on AGMA's website or in AGMAzine: https://www.musicalartists.org/pride-month-spotlight-transitioning-with-the-support-of-my-union/

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