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.
November 1, 2024
by Gabe Kristal, AFM Director of Organizing Though many members will receive their copy of International Musician after the election results are in, we wanted to highlight the importance of voting and our efforts, right up to the last minute, to help ensure we get out the vote. The AFM understands the 2024 presidential election […]
Read MoreNovember 1, 2024
Traveling Musicians Thrive in a Nomadic Lifestyle Performing on a national Broadway tour in different cities across the country sounds like an exciting and rewarding job. According to the four diverse musicians who travel with the Back to the Future: The Musical (BTTF) tour, it is indeed those things—but it also presents unique challenges. Things […]
Read MoreNovember 1, 2024
by Michael Epperhart, Theatrical Trade Negotiator, AFM Theatre/Touring/Booking Division As the newly appointed AFM theatrical trade negotiator, I wanted to provide the backstory of how I came into this role. In addition, I would like to outline my work, goals, and current focus in our AFM community. I spent 15 years on the road with […]
Read MoreNovember 1, 2024
As you may have read by now, the AFM and HUB International have partnered to offer a wide range of insurance products for AFM members and locals. For working musicians, insurance can be a lifeline—providing critical protection against various risks that musicians face. Whether you freelance full-time or perform regularly with a larger ensemble, business […]
Read MoreNovember 1, 2024
These days, feeling under the weather can raise all sorts of alarm bells. Is it COVID-19, a cold, or seasonal allergies? Determining the exact cause can be tricky because they share some of the same symptoms. Doctors are reporting a surge in COVID-19 as children return to school. Clearly not pandemic-level sickness, but new variants […]
Read MoreOctober 30, 2024
The faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) overwhelmingly voted to approve Cleveland Federation of Musicians, Local 4 (Cleveland, OH), as their exclusive bargaining representative. The election was conducted September 25-26, under the rules and regulations of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “CIM, following Cleveland Ballet and Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, represents the third […]
Read MoreOctober 30, 2024
NBCUniversal (NBCU) and American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) are jointly requesting information, pursuant to a settlement agreement in the above-referenced civil action, pertaining to incomplete tracks used in one of the following programs from March 1, 2020 through October 1, 2024 (“Claim Period”): The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, […]
Read MoreOctober 30, 2024
Tom Morello of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) was awarded the 2024 Woody Guthrie Prize for his longstanding commitment to social justice and human rights. For nine years, the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has awarded the prize to artists who exemplify Guthrie’s spirit and work by speaking for the less fortunate through music, […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2024
by John O’Connor, Executive Board Member, Local 380-443 (Binghamton, NY) At the 2023 AFM Convention, a resolution was passed designating that the AFM advocate, educate, and organize for health care justice and a single payer system that will make health care a birthright for everyone in the United States. The centerpiece of the resolution, which […]
Read MoreOctober 1, 2024
Baroque Performance Recreates the Authentic Sounds of 18th-Century Music The small midwestern Canadian town of Morden in southern Manitoba seems like an unlikely place for nurturing a love of playing baroque music for a living. But, as violinist Cristina Zacharias of Local 149 (Toronto, ON) explains, it all came about quite naturally. “My sister and […]
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