About ATA

Since 1937, the Association of Talent Agents (ATA) has been and remains the official trade association of talent agencies across the U.S., responsible for legislation, advocacy and negotiating agency franchise agreements with the major entertainment guilds, including SAG, AFTRA (SAG-AFTRA), WGA, DGA, and AEA. ATA’s collective voice provides strong and effective advocacy for its members in matters relating to the talent-agency business. The association’s one-hundred-plus agency members represent the vast majority of the professional working artists today. ATA provides best practices, a voice in legislation, educational seminars, networking events, conferences, news bulletins, expert opinions and day-to-day support.

The birth of ATA (originally known as Artists Manager Guild) is tied substantially to the proliferation of talent unions and guilds that formed after the Supreme Court upheld the Wagner Act also known as the National Labor Relations Act (1935). The main purpose of the labor legislation was to establish the legal right of workers to organize or join labor unions and to bargain collectively with their employers. In 1937, a group of forward-thinking representatives banded together to protect talent agents’ ability to represent artist clients by maintaining creative and economic success for the agent/client partnership. 

ATA engages in advocacy with legislators, unions/guilds and industry partners. ATA provides negotiation, interpretation, construction and advice concerning talent representation agreements. Our lobbyists, staff, elected leaders, political strategists and legislative committee members and the board represent ATA members every day.

ATA’s early pioneers, including, Paul Kohner (opened the Paul Kohner Agency 1938), Zeppo Marx (he and brother, Gummo Marx represented actors and writers), Abe Lastfogel and Morris Stoller (they joined the William Morris Agency in 1912 and 1937 respectively), Bert Allenberg (the Berg-Allenberg talent agency represented a full spectrum of actors, directors and writers), Taft Schreiber (MCA Talent Agency) and James Saphier (James Saphier Agency) were instrumental in forging a meaningful, vocal and strong base that continues to serve the agency community today.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sixteen elected and appointed Board of Directors represent all segments of the agency community. The Board members and officers each serve two-year terms. There are no term limits. Professional staff conducts day-to-day activity. 
Click here to see Board of Directors list

ATA COMMITTEES 2016-2017

ATA/CSA COMMITTEE

Annette Robinson
David Lederman
Harry Gold
Jeff Kolodny
Paul Rosicker
Sheva Cohen

ATA/CCDA COMMITTEE

Alicia Ruskin
Angela Strange
Cindy Kazarian
David Ziff
Gloria Hinojosa                                                                                                                                                                                            

2016-2017 FINANCE COMMITTEE

Jim Gosnell – Co-Chair
Tom McGuire – Co-Chair
Andrew Thau
Rick Levy
Rita Vennari
Sandy Bresler
Shelly Sroloff
Moss, Levy,& Hartzheim, LLP - Hadley Hui

2016-2017 MEMBERSHIP REVIEW COMMITTEE

Cindy Kazarian – Chair
Rita Vennari
Pearl Wexler
Scott Wine

Attorney, Greg Ryan

CALIFORNIA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Rick Levy – Chair
Sandy Bresler - Treasurer
Jeffrey Freedman
Jim Gosnell
Tom McGuire
Michael Sinclair
Sacramento Advocates/Lead Lobbyist - Barry Brokaw

NEW YORK POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Jeff Freedman - Chair
Jim Gosnell - Treasurer
Rick Levy
Glenn Salners
Michael Sinclair
Ken Slevin
Ostroff Associates/Lobbyists - Rick Ostroff/Kate Corkery