SMA 5 points of principle

1. We advocate for and support stage management in all aspects of live events and theatre work: creative, practical, contractual and interpersonal. We work to maintain high standards in our work, decent terms and conditions for all stage management, and for making a positive contribution to world class live shows and events made or shown in the UK: supporting excellence in performance.
    
2. We stand up for mutual respect, open communications and fair dealing in all aspects of backstage work and provide resources and information to assist and support our members in finding work and during their working contracts. We are a PIPA partner and stand for opportunity and diversity in the workplace.
    
3. We stand for safe work places and fair pay and conditions for all stage management, who often bring years of training, skills and experience to their work. We believe that paid holiday, pension payments and sick pay should never be included in ‘rolled up’ fees, but paid automatically to all stage management workers, and that fair contract terms and conditions are our right. We work with and support trade unions and fellow associations to improve the terms of employment and pay for members. We believe that, for stage management and casts, the Equity negotiated contracts with employer’s organisations are fair and the best contracts for our members. We believe that an agreed Equity contract (e.g. the ITC/Equity contract) should be used for all stage management working on live events and shows in UK which are supported by the Arts Councils or other publicly funded bodies. We support the Living Wage Foundation and are accredited by them. An Equity contract and pay at or above the Living Wage provide the minimum terms and fees that members working on any publicly funded shows in UK should receive.
    
4. We campaign for adequate breaks during every working day to maintain physical and mental wellbeing and efficiency at work; we believe that break infringements should never be ‘bought out’ or rolled up into fees, and that the staffing of shows and live events should always allow for reasonable rest and meal breaks plus adequate overnight breaks to be taken by all staff and performers. We believe that for full length live events and theatre shows with over five performers a stage management team (normally SM, DSM and ASM) should be the safe minimum staffing standard, to protect and support cast, crew, creatives, audiences and the high standard of work we all expect.
    
5. We work to maintain the excellent standard of the very varied work of our members and bring it to wider recognition through events such as the National Stage Management Awards and International Stage Management Day. SMA represent SMs on the Theatre Safety Committee and the industry training body ; every year SMA offer a variety of practical, low cost professional development training courses for all stage managers. We attend numerous trade shows and events throughout the year to promote stage managers and their work, and we visit and speak to students on technical and stage management courses all over the country to support their transition to work.

Pipa. 
 

Skillscene

Stage Sight