Check Out the SAG-AFTRA Foundation

By Diane Villegas
SAG-AFTRA New Mexico Local Board Member

As a relatively new union member, I am continually discovering fantastic benefits of belonging to SAG-AFTRA, and my latest discovery is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. If you are not familiar with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, it is a goldmine of free resources geared toward supporting actors across the country and it serves the public through its children’s literacy programs. If you are in L.A., you can catch the events live, but here in New Mexico, you can access the event via livestream or watch the video later on the SAG-AFTRA Foundation website. Oh, and I did I mention, they are all free?

Some of the main programs the foundation offers are: 

Casting Access Online Workshops - Casting directors and associates from the Casting Society of America and representatives from the independent casting community lead workshops that offer actors a wide range of educational and professional insights, from approaching the text to the auditioning process to casting etiquette.

Educational Seminars - Established entertainment industry professionals share information and offer valuable insights on the business side of acting. 

Conversations Program - Features inspiring Q&As and career retrospectives with well-known actors who explore the process and profession of acting with an audience of fellow performers. 

Financial Assistance Programs - Designed to help actors weather the ups and downs in the performing arts.

Children’s Literacy Program - SAG-AFTRA members make a difference through the Foundation's children’s literacy programs, reading to children in public schools and online, and contributing even further to spreading creative knowledge and inspiration while giving back to our communities.

For more information or to explore the vast library of resources and to see a schedule of upcoming events, go to SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

Enjoy!