Working Terms & Conditions

Traditional working terms and conditions do not apply to any activities under the Festival Policy. However, Artists working under the Festival Policy are still entitled to a respectful, healthy and safe environment, and working conditions that are consistent with regular Equity standards.

Please note, Equity members undertake activities under the Festival Policy at their own risk as Equity does not guarantee any fees or working conditions on a Festival Policy activity.

Respectful Workplace Requirements

Equity is committed to raising awareness of everyone’s right to a respectful workplace and to promote zero tolerance for acts of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.

A key component of this initiative is Equity’s Not in OUR Space! Program — a collection of resource materials to educate and empower both Artists and Engagers.

Learn more about the Respectful Workplace program

Respectful Workplace Policy

Artists working under the Festival Policy should be provided with an Engager’s Respectful Workplace Policy that affirms a commitment to maintaining a respectful workplace, as well as clear procedures for reporting and investigating allegations of unprofessional conduct or inappropriate behaviour.

Create your own Respectful Workplace Policy

Elect a Liaison

Equity members working under the Festival Policy MUST elect a Liaison to represent the Equity members in matters related to the activity/production.

Equity must be informed who is elected as the Liaison.

Equity must be informed who is elected as the Liaison. A member (most often the Stage Manager) can submit a Liaison Election form through their myEquity account.

Learn more about the role and responsibilities of a Liaison

Inclusive process

Artists working under the Festival Policy must be committed to ensuring an inclusive work environment without racial and cultural discrimination or misrepresentation.

To that end, where a production deals with identity-specific content, or characters outside the lived experience of the creative team, the production is encouraged to consult with appropriately knowledgeable Elders or individuals from those cultures or communities to ensure informed and respectful choices are made relating to representation (including hair, makeup, wardrobe or use of culturally- or identity-specific items in the production).

Such consultation should be conducted with sufficient lead time to enable useful integration of any learning into pre-production, rehearsal and production.

General Provisions, Health and Safety

Working conditions under the Festival Policy should be consistent with regular Equity standards. Equity members must not rehearse or perform in any venue (traditional, site-specific or non-traditional) that is not deemed to be safe and sanitary.

Rehearsals

Equity advises participants to limit work hours in a week to a maximum of 42 hours, including rest breaks, meal breaks and overnight rest periods appropriate to the production. Artists are advised to agree to a preliminary schedule, prior to the beginning of rehearsals.

Recordings

Audio and visual recordings and still images may be used for archival, publicity, or promotional purposes. Any further use of recordings is prohibited without the written permission of Equity, and subject to any conditions which Equity may require for such usage.

Artists are collectively responsible for the control and use of all recorded material and must use best efforts to ensure that the material cannot be copied or downloaded.

Artists must be given 24 hours notice prior to any recording. No artist is obligated to participate. A recording must be made during regular rehearsal or performance hours.

No Artist may be required to make a nude recording.

Outside of cosmetic changes, Artists must approve a recording in which their image has been altered, or placed in a context unrelated to the original use.

(A) Publicity

A maximum of 10 minutes of performance or rehearsal may be presented on a current affairs program during the current run of an artistic activity/production or on the company’s website or on a current affairs website. Production photographs may be taken and used for publicity for the same time period.

(B) Promotional and Archival Recordings

The company may make a recording of actual performance or rehearsal for the express purpose of demonstrating the nature of its work, and the work of the Artists for promotion to potential sponsors, funders, donors and performance presenters.

There may be no broadcast, including on the Internet, of a promotional recording. The names of all Artists in the artistic activity/production must appear in the recording.

(C) Use of Recordings by an Artist

With the consent of all Artists, an individual Artist may use recorded material for their own individual souvenir or personal use.

Program and website notice

The following must appear in all programs and on the collective’s website (if applicable): “This is a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association production under the Festival Policy.”

Workers Rights

Every person employed in Canada has the right to a safe work environment. The Occupational Health and Safety Act or equivalent in your jurisdiction entitles all workers to three essential rights:

The right to know about health and safety matters.
The right to participate in decisions that could affect their health and safety.
The right to refuse work that could affect their health and safety, and that of others.