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.
Dan Beck, Trustee – Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF)
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 […]
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 […]
March 1, 2025
As we all began to escape the COVID nightmare in early 2022, reorganizing live events and reactivating community programs was a huge challenge. It took time to regain traction. Meanwhile, the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) was experiencing an upswing in annual revenue, and we were eager to find ways to distribute our grants in […]
November 29, 2024
Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District became a hub of musical inspiration and learning as Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (MSO) musicians, members of Local 579 (Jackson, MS), brought live music education to students, teachers, and local partners on October 17. Supported by Save The Music Foundation (STM) and the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), the event marked […]
September 1, 2024
Over the past 25 years, the recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) experienced an extraordinarily long fall from grace due to advances of technology that annihilated physical music products. Conversely, a steady climb from that abyss brought us full circle to the MPTF of today. As in the Rolling Stone’s refrain, “You can’t always […]
May 1, 2024
Life has been good for the recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) since streaming revenues began to arrive in early 2017. The very good news is that, in the last decade, MPTF grant distribution has increased tenfold. We have just concluded our 2023-2024 fiscal year, delivering approximately $5 million for musician performances throughout North […]
April 29, 2024
Applications for 2024 Music Performance Trust Fund scholarships are being accepted through May 31. The MPTF Scholarship initiative supports the children of musicians through Music Family Scholarships, and helps future musicians through Music’s Future Scholarships. A minimum of $150,000 will be awarded to students in the Fall of 2024 through two scholarship programs: ♦Music Family […]
February 1, 2024
Over the past five years, the recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) has enjoyed renewed revenue afforded by the more recent labor agreements between the AFM and the major labels. The MPTF has, in response, greatly ramped up the distribution of grants for admission-free performances across North America. The grant budget has grown from […]