About PACT

PACT is a national service organization that serves over 170 member companies of the English-speaking professional theatre sector in Canada. PACT’s membership is diverse, ranging from the largest performing arts organizations in Canada, to smaller independent theatre companies that serve audiences in a wide variety of communities from coast to coast to coast: from rural to urban, commercial theatres to charitable-not-for-profits, theatre for young audiences, culturally-specific companies, and everything else in between. Member-theatres of PACT’s are commonly represented by their respective leadership team. 

PACT services member organizations in a number of areas:

CONNECTING: We convene and facilitate points of exchange including regional and caucus meetings, town halls, conferences, and peer-to-peer sessions, creating opportunities to share knowledge and discuss issues impacting our sector.

LABOUR: We negotiate various labour agreements with partner organizations such as Canadian Actors' Equity Association, the Associated Designers of Canada, L’Association des professionnels des arts de la scène du Québec (APASQ) and Playwrights' Guild of Canada. 

LEARNING: We offer programming and professional development for both artistic staff and arts administrators to enhance the work of theatre-making and grow sectoral knowledge and capacity.

ADVOCACY: We are highly engaged in federal advocacy to advance shared priorities and policies relating to the concerns and issues of our members. We do this by engaging with the Department of Canadian Heritage, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts, among many others.  

ADVANCING: We address strategic priorities impacting the broader sector through knowledge sharing, resource generation, and capacity building among our membership. This is often the work of committees, working groups, and focused projects.  

To learn more about how you can benefit by joining PACT please visit our Membership Benefits or Colleague Benefits pages.

PACT is a member-led organization and supports a diversity of practices, opinions, and priorities in common, while seeking to advance a mandate on shared issues directly connected to the sector.

View PACT’s Terms of Use pertaining to our policies around social media and public statements.

Professional Theatre

The definition of professional will be different for each organization within its community, regional, and disciplinary context. Typically, this references organizations that produce theatre involving a majority of professional theatre artists who receive compensation. Professional artists commonly have specialized training in their field, the recognition of their peers, a practice of public presentation, and the intent to make a living from their craft.  Professional theatre companies vary in their size and scope and can be not-for-profit or for-profit organizations.