Theatre Practitioners and Organisations	Theatre Practitioners and Organisations Actors Managers and artistic directors Theatre directors and dramaturges Scenographers and costume designers Light and sound designers Theatre technicians Office staff Other organisations Actors The number of professional actors in Finland is appr. 1500. Most of them are free lancers, the number of permanent in-house actors is appr. 500. Actors are trained at the Theatre Academy, Helsinki and at the Department of Acting of the Tampere University. The trade union of Finnish actors: Suomen Näyttelijäliitto Finnish Actors' Union Meritullinkatu 33 C, 00170 Helsinki +358-9-2511 2135, f. 2511 2139 Through the membership of Finnish Actors´ Union, the actors are as well members of the International Federation of Actors (FIA) Information on individual actors, in Finnish language mostly http://www.kopiosto.fi http://www.teak.fi/rekry http://www.helsinginfreet.net http://www.tampereenfreet.net Managers and artistic directors In leading position of a professional theatre there is generally an artistic director. Administrative directors are responsible for the economy. The artistic director has usually a director´s or actor´s training. Trade union of theatre managers: Suomen Teatterinjohtajaliitto The Association of Finnish Theatre Managers c/o Kuopion kaupunginteatteri Niiralankatu 2, 70600 Kuopio +358-17-182 401 Theatre directors and dramaturges The number of professional directors and dramaturges is over 300. Most of them are free lancers. The number of in-house directors in theatres is appr. 30 and dramaturges 10. Directors and dramaturges are trained at the Theatre Academy. The trade union of directors and dramaturges is The Union of Finnish Theatre Directors, which is a member union of The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland. Scenographers and costume designers In 2006 there was 36 in-house scenograpers and 30 costume designers in professional theatres. Appr. 117 scenographers and 81 costume designers were invited for various tasks. The scenographers and costume designers are trained at the Academy of Industrial Arts, Helsinki. The trade union of scenographers and costume designers is The Union of the Finnish Scenographers and Costume Designers, which is a member union of  The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland. Light and sound designers The number of light and sound designers in theatres is appr. 80, of which in-house light and sound designers are appr. 30. The light and sound designers are trained at the Theatre Academy, the Department of Lighting and Sound Design. The Union of Finnish Lighting and Sound Designers is a member union of  The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland. Theatre technicians The technical staff in theatres consists of many professionals: stage managers, stage hands, lighting and sound technicians, hairdressers, prompters, carpenters, scenic artists, metal workers, costume crew, running crew, prop mans, property makers, stitchers, upholsterers. Many vocational and polytechnical schools give base education in these professions. Degrees can be taken in different polytechnics, e.g. in Tampere, Turku, Lahti and Helsinki. In addition the Theatre Academy and the Union of Finnish Theatre Technicians organize supplementary education. More information on technical education:  Kulissi-project (in Finnish only). the Union of Finnish Theatre Technicians has appr. 1000 members, it´s a member union of The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland. Office staff The office staff in theatres are e.g. production, press, sales, theatre and business secretaries, producers, operators, accountants, cashiers, receptionists and house managers. In bigger theatres the jobs are more specialised, while in small groups the theatre secretary or producer takes care of the economy, publicity as well as marketing. Education for the field is given in many different schools,. The Union of Finnish Theatre Administrative Employees has over 250 members, it´s a member union of The Theatre and Media Employees in Finland. Other organisations Finnish ASSITEJ Centre International association of theatre for children and young people Meritullinkatu 33 A, 00170 Helsinki tel. +358-44-0866 355 info(at)assitejfi.org Suomen UNIMA ry - UNIMA Finland Union Internationale de la Marionnette c/o Nukketeatteriyhdistys Akseli Klonk, PL 42, 90015 Oulun kaupunki tel. +358-46-811 4024 unimafinland(at)yahoo.com Finnish Centre of AITA/IATA International Amateur Theatre Association c/o FSU, Uudenmaankatu 17 B 27, 00120 Helsinki tel. + 358-9-7515 5100 fax + 358-9-648 230 fsu(at)fsu.fi FIDEA - The Finnish Drama and Theatre Education Association