Policy Work

Working Conditions

Performers form a highly skilled, flexible, and mobile workforce. They often put up with demanding working conditions, including intensive rehearsal schedules, long and atypical working hours, frequent travel, unconventional venues, physically challenging moves, multilanguage environments and audiences, hampering props and costumes, etc.

Whereas some performers have permanent employment opportunities, most of them work on short assignments, for multiple and successive engagers/employers as well as on a production basis. Despite the fact that a subordinate relationship can clearly be established for an overwhelming majority of them, short-term contracts are often characterised as self-employment by engagers and are seldom challenged by performers who effectively find themselves working as service providers. Whilst self-employment may bring some tax benefits, it frequently snatches substantial labour protection from performers and dispossesses them of fundamental social rights. In addition, an overzealous interpretation of competition law may erode core trade union rights and seriously inhibit collective bargaining.

Precarious work is rising among performers, challenging their ability to make a living and forcing many to embrace other professional options, undermining freedom of expression, cultural diversity and the delivery of quality professional content.

Trade unions play a fundamental role in securing them decent terms and conditions of employment and FIA is determined to support their endeavours by sharing experience, providing technical expertise and conveying the solidarity of its worldwide membership to support its members in need.

Dance Passport

The European Union Solidarity Network for Dancers Abroad has been relaunched and specific resources, articles and contacts are now accessible online on a dedicated website

...

European Social dialogue Texts database:

European social dialogue refers to discussions, consultations, negotiations and joint actions involving organisations representing the two sides of industry (employers and workers). This takes place at cross-industry level and within...

OIRA Tools in Live Performance and Audiovisual

OIRA stands for Online Interactive Risk assessment Tools. These are occupational health and safety tools made for assessing risks to prevent accidents and ill-health in the workplace. Workplaces in the live...

Green Production in TV and Film in Europe

Green Toolkit Film and TV is a free access platform that gathers practical guidance and shares sustainability practices and tools implemented across Europe for Film and Audiovisual production. It is...

Blog: Future of Collective Bargaining and Atypical Work in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector

This blog is an initiative of the trade union federations in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector. Reflecting on the situation “atypical workers” in the sector raises questions like freedom...

Equality and Diversity in the Audiovisual sector in Europe

On this website you will find all the results produced and resources collected by the European social partners in the Audiovisual sector in the context of their cooperation in the...

Gender Equality On & Off the Stage

This website and resource center is the outcome of the European Project: ‘Gender Equality on and off the Stage: A Mapping Project of the European Live Performance Sector’ carried out...

Creative Skills Europe

What skills do audiovisual and live performance professionals need to enter and remain in employment? How to accompany the evolution of the professionals’ practices and of their careers? How to...

Dance Passport
European Social dialogue Texts database:
OIRA Tools in Live Performance and Audiovisual
Green Production in TV and Film in Europe
Blog: Future of Collective Bargaining and Atypical Work in the Media, Arts and Entertainment sector
Equality and Diversity in the Audiovisual sector in Europe
Gender Equality On & Off the Stage
Creative Skills Europe

Explore Working Conditions Topics

Health and Safety

The health and safety of performers is a key priority for FIA.

Mobility

Performers often travel abroad to seek new employment ...

EU Social Dialogue

FIA is part of the workers’ delegation in two European ...

Status of the Artist

What defines the status of artists is the consideration that society holds...

Dancers, Singers, Circus artists & Child performers

Certain categories of performers face...

Scroll to Top