Career & Development
Our industry is constantly evolving. If you’re thinking about how to keep up with the changes or want to take the next step in your career, we hope you’ll find our information and resources helpful.
Keep an eye on this page for updates on how Actors’ Trust can help you to achieve a long and sustainable career.



How We Can Help
Actors’ Trust Retraining Grant
We aim to help actors and stage management get back to work if a health issue or life event is getting in the way, but we know from experience that it’s not always possible. If you are unable to continue working as an actor or in stage management due to a long-term health issue (such as cancer, degenerative illness, or physical trauma), we may be able to support you with a grant to help you get started in another profession. Enquire through the link below, or call us at 0303 223 1110.
Resources:
Career Development and Support for Actors and Stage Management
Equity Members get free training via the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU Training).
Kindly funded by Jonathan Caldicot and designed to support members of the Stage Management community with their continuing professional development, The Theatrical Guild will work in partnership with The Stage Management Association to offer hardship grant funding for a range of up-skills training opportunities. Please contact the SMA for course details & eligibility criteria: T&Cs Apply.
Grants for Actors to Retrain
Grants for Stage Management to Upskill or Retrain
Creative Grants for Development Within the Industry
Non-theatrical Retraining Grants

Try our Benefit Calculator
Enter your details, and you will receive an estimate of your entitlement to benefits.
You may find it helpful to collect information about your income, savings, pensions and any existing benefits you are entitled to. If you have a partner, you may wish to do this for them too, before using the calculator.
See how to use the calculator for more tips.
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Useful articles

Read how research, member feedback, and the Boards vision informed our repositioning in our Chair and CEO's letter.

Today, were lifting the curtain on a new chapter of support - with new mental health and wellbeing resources, preventative initiatives to help with finances, career, and health on their way, plus an expanded grants programme.

Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya? WE do!Were thrilled to welcome Paul Chahidi, Celia Imrie and Danny Sapani as our new ambassadors.

Actors' Trust and BAPAM are delighted to bring you a series of free webinars with therapist Heather Turkington to help you support your wellbeing.

We're excited to announce Maxine Peake as our newest Ambassador, joining Christopher Eccleston and Ruth Jones. Together, they will help us to raise awareness and help many more actors and stage managers." - Alison Wyman (CEO)

Obituary of the esteemed actor, Brian Murphy, who served as a Trustee of Actors' Trust (formerly known as the Actors' Benevolent Fund) for over 30 years. This obituary was written by Amanda Holt, an actor and member of Actors' Trust.

Our CEO's brief round up of 2024 highlights a significant increase in support and exciting developments.

We're thrilled to announce Christopher Eccleston & Ruth Jones as our new ambassadors for Actors' Trust.

The trustees and staff are excited to unveil the charity's new strategy, Acting for Impact,'. Acting for Impact aims to help more actors and stage managers in more ways to achieve meaningful and sustainable change. Drawing from research and industry expertise, we have developed an evidence-driven plan to address the needs of our community and maximise the charity's impact.

We are very pleased that in May 2024 the Charity Commission concluded and closed the regulatory compliance case into the Actors' Benevolent Fund (now known as Actors' Trust).

"It has always been difficult for actors and stage managers to earn a full-time living from their craft, and a cost-of-living crisis has made that even tougher. We support people who are unable to work and it would be a tragedy if AI is another factor contributing to that."