Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
April 1, 2025
Harmony and Dissonance: Music, Marriage, and Eastern Music Festival Contract Negotiations It’s not uncommon to find couples working in the same orchestra, and most orchestras in the US can count at least one such partnership among their ranks. Rarely, an existing couple will win auditions for jobs in the same orchestra. More often, they meet […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2025
After more than 30 years of service to both the local and international Federation, Local 94 (Tulsa, OK) Secretary-Treasurer Tammy Kirk announced her retirement. Upon election as secretary-treasurer in 1991, the flutist became the first woman ever elected to office at the local. Nationally, Kirk has served on several AFM Convention committees, including the Finance […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2025
An Advocate for Autism Awareness Stuart Ross Carlson, a violinist and violist of Local 625 (Ann Arbor, MI), is a wunderkind of sorts. At 28, he’s already established a name for himself in the world of classical music. He’s a member of Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and a regular performer and soloist with the Michigan Philharmonic. […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2025
–by Matteo Costanzi, author of The Athletic Musician: Integrating Sport Strategies for Better Practice and Performance Most people think of music and sports as two very different worlds. One is about artistry and emotion, the other about strength and endurance. But in reality, they share a lot—dedication, discipline, and the need for smart, structured training. […]
Read MoreMarch 31, 2025
This year, the AFM had a strong presence at the Folk Alliance International (FAI) conference, the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry. The event took place at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, February 19-23. The comprehensive conference featured tailored business opportunities and hundreds of showcase performances celebrating a diverse range of […]
Read MoreMarch 31, 2025
Musicians of Local 433 (Austin, TX) leafleted the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival on March 14 and 15 to raise awareness about exploitative working conditions and to inform musicians about the musicians’ union. Local 433 members braved the heat to have productive conversations with attendees as well as musicians at the festival. They handed out […]
Read MoreMarch 8, 2025
AFM members of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) and Local 7 (Orange County/Long Beach, CA) traveled to California’s capital, Sacramento, with more than 100 entertainment and guild members of the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC) to advocate for increased film and TV jobs across the state. The group attended an Assembly Budget Subcommittee Hearing that focused […]
Read MoreMarch 6, 2025
Local 342 (Charlotte, NC) has filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge and placed Eastern Music Festival (EMF) and its executive director on the AFM’s International Unfair List. The organization violated federal law when they unilaterally shut down the 2025 festival season with no warning or bargaining with musicians of the local. Eastern Music Festival’s faculty […]
Read MoreMarch 5, 2025
Musicians of Local 802 (New York City) who work for the Argyle Theatre in Babylon, New York, have won a first-time union contract, achieving a wage increase of 17%, job security, pension contributions, a prohibition on virtual orchestra technology, and more. The newly renovated and historic Argyle, which dates back to 1921, opened in 2018 […]
Read MoreMarch 1, 2025
If there’s one thing Kristin Wilkinson’s decades-long musical life proves, it’s that self-confidence backed by a can-do attitude on the spur of the moment can be the basis for launching an entire career. Wilkinson, a violist, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and longtime member of Local 257 (Nashville, TN), started on the violin but says she always […]
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