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.
February 1, 2026
by Brian Sickles, Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund (FMSMF) Executive Director One year after devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles, the vibrant city that the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund (FMSMF) and so many in the entertainment industry call home, we have only begun the long process of healing and rebuilding. Yet, mixed in with […]
January 1, 2026
Happy New Year! We wish you and your loved ones health and prosperity throughout 2026. For those I have not yet met, I am Greg Linn, the new trustee for the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), and this is my first column for the International Musician. As we begin this new year, the MPTF is […]
November 1, 2025
The 2025-2026 Pamphlet B and Short Engagement Touring season promises to be an interesting combination of the best of last season’s Broadway hits and popular revivals to round out the schedules of prominent theaters throughout the country. One trend I have noticed in hiring of touring musicians on many of our shows is to have […]
September 30, 2025
The recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) awarded scholarships to 103 post-secondary students in the US and Canada for the new academic year. This year’s $148,000 in disbursement to Music Family and Music’s Future scholarships, represented less than 3% of the MPTF’s total annual grant distribution but had a great impact on 103 students. […]
September 1, 2025
In June 2013, I accepted the role of trustee for the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF). Two months prior, I had never heard of this organization, its history or its purpose. The MPTF was not in a good place. It had suffered through roughly 13 years of declining revenue due to the digital disruption—the canyon […]
July 1, 2025
by the AFM Diversity Committee Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are essential to organizing union workers because they strengthen the foundation of solidarity. At the heart of effective organizing is the one-on-one conversation—a strategy rooted in trust, empathy, and mutual respect. DEIA principles enhance these conversations by encouraging listening over speaking, openness over defensiveness, […]
July 1, 2025
by Gabe Kristal, AFM Organizing Services Director and Assistant to the President It has been my great honor to be director of Organizing for the American Federation of Musicians for the last year and a half. During this time, I have been able to assess organizing potential and opportunities for growth across our represented areas. […]
June 25, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of former AFM Legislative-Political-Diversity Director Alfonso Pollard on June 24, 2025. Pollard was more than just a colleague—he was a talented organizer who worked tirelessly on Capitol Hill to promote the interests of professional musicians across the country. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Alfonso’s […]
June 1, 2025
Have you ever played a Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) event? Perhaps you got paid to inspire school kids through a music education performance. Maybe you have experienced what it means for a resident of a senior center or assisted living facility to hear their favorite songs. We love to provide grants to bring the […]
May 1, 2025
On March 25, students at Bucher Elementary School embarked on a thrilling music adventure with the Music in the Schools program and Local 294’s “Around the World in 50 Minutes! A Supersonic Musical Journey with the Sensational String Family.” The program introduced the young learners to stringed instruments, showcasing the vibrant sounds and unique characteristics […]