United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE and the Off-Broadway League (OBL) are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement on a new five-year contract. The collective bargaining agreement covers Designers and Assistant Designers working on productions produced by Off-Broadway League Members.
The agreement delivers significant improvements for Designers and Assistant Designers, including:
- Increased minimum compensation for Designers;
- A revised compensation structure for Designers that accounts for time spent in technical rehearsals and previews;
- A minimum hourly rate for Assistant Designers;
- Clarified and refined responsibilities of both Designers and Producers under the contract;
- Expanded provisions for the electronic capture and distribution of productions.
“This is a landmark agreement for Designers and Assistant Designers working on Off-Broadway League productions,” said USA 829 Negotiation Committee Co-Chairs Sam Kusnetz and Barbara Samuels. “It recognizes the time and expertise our members bring to every production and ensures their work is compensated and respected in line with today’s industry standards."
“We set out to secure a forward-looking contract that honors the artistry and labor of Designers and Assistant Designers,” said Carl Mulert, National Business Agent for Local USA 829. “This agreement reflects the strength of our union and the tireless work of Designers and Assistant Designers. Off-Broadway doesn’t run without the creative professionals who bring it to life.”
“We are proud to formalize an agreement that reflects the collaborative spirit and mutual respect between Off-Broadway producers and designers while also acknowledging the financial realities of Off-Broadway producing,” said OBL Negotiation Committee Co-Chairs Alma Malaban-McGrath, Casey McDermott, and Kyle Provost. OBL President Joey Monda added, “We are proud to have reached an agreement that that both strengthens protections for USA artists and helps to sustain the vitality of Off-Broadway.”
The terms of the new contract were ratified by the Off-Broadway League on May 6, 2025 and by USA 829’s membership on May 8, 2025, and went into effect on July 1, 2025.
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For more information, please contact:
Local USA 829
Press inquiries: Ahad Shahid, Director of Communications, ahads@usa829.org
Off-Broadway League
Press inquiries: admin@offbroadway.org
About Local USA 829
United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE is the national labor union and creative community of designers, artists and coordinators working across the entertainment industry. For more than 125 years, Local USA 829 has represented and advocated for its members in live performance, film, television and commercials through collective bargaining, action and solidarity.
About the Off-Broadway League
Founded in 1959, the Off-Broadway League was founded to foster theatrical productions produced in Off-Broadway theatres, to assist in the exchange of information among its members, and to serve as a collective voice of its membership in pursuit of these goals. Its members include both commercial Off-Broadway producers and general managers, as well as Off-Broadway’s many not-for-profit theatre companies. In addition to its collective bargaining efforts on behalf of Off-Broadway producers, the League established the Lucille Lortel Awards to recognize excellence in the Off-Broadway arena and to honor Lucille Lortel‘s enduring commitment and devotion to Off-Broadway. Presented annually since 1986, the Lortel Awards are produced by the League in association with the Lucille Lortel Foundation, with additional support provided by Theatre Development Fund. For more information about the Off-Broadway League, email admin@offbroadway.org or visit www.offbroadway.org.