Actors’ Equity Association is looking to change its name to be more reflective of its entire membership.
Founded in 1913, the 51,000-member union represents not only actors and stage managers who work in live theater but recently has organized strip club dancers, planetarium lecturers and others who work in live arts and entertainment.
The union said today that it is now accepting proposals “to guide stakeholders through a process of determining a potential new name for the union, as well as for implementing a possible name change and rebranding.”
According to the union, a “chosen vendor will work with Equity member-leaders and staff in two phases. In the first phase of work, agency will advise the Change The Name Working Group in assessing name-change readiness, conducting market and stakeholder research, developing new name options and choosing a new name, while managing communications with members and the broader industry about the process. In phase two, should the union decide to move forward with a new name, the agency will assist in developing brand assets related to the new name, including but not limited to a new logo and/or logotype, tagline, visual identity etc.”
The deadline for questions is March 1, and responses are due March 15, with an award expected by the end of April. Project work will be expected to begin in May and continue into 2024. The request for proposal is open to all firms. Read the full RFP here.
The process of changing its name began with a resolution passed at Equity’s 2021 Convention, but is rooted in the union’s history. Here’s the background: