New Applicants

If you are a skilled and dedicated professional interested in becoming part of arena here are some tips when applying:

Send a good photo and CV with a letter explaining your interest and why a co-op is right for you. Without this your application can go no further. We would much prefer your application to be sent to us by post, but we will also accept email applications, as long as a good quality photo is attached along with your CV.

Do enclose details of any current work with your application (eg flyers for the show you are in, dates of TV broadcasts etc). Give us plenty of notice so someone can try and cover your work. If you want your photo and details returned please enclose an SAE of appropriate size.

What we are looking for in you as a person

As well as being a talented actor/actress you must also be capable of working in an office/acting agency environment. Office and phone skills are important, as is being computer literate, but most skills can be learned and we do train new members. You should consider carefully whether you have or can develop the skills required to look after and manage the careers of other actors/actresses as well as your own.

We operate a ‘no-clash policy’ at the agency, which means if you are too similar to an existing member your application will go no further. We look for London based professionals.

Time commitment

The commitment required from members is one office day per week. Our office hours are 10am till 6pm. Attendance at the monthly meetings - 6pm to whenever, as well as covering the work of existing members, and seeing the work of new applicants is also part of the commitment. In essence you are buying into a business and 'part timers' need not apply. The more you put into Arena, the more you will get out of it.

Financial commitment

The financial requirement is £100 at the start of your three-month trial, and a further £100 when you qualify as a full member of the agency ie £200 to buy into the business. There is also a £10 per month charge to cover running costs and promoting and publicising you and your work. The upside is that the agent's commission taken from your work is less than that charged by most conventional agents.

Needless to say when you are working on an acting project and paying commission you will not have to do your office day.

The application procedure

Once we have reviewed the details sent in by new applicants, if we feel there is room for you at the agency, we will endeavour to see your work if you are in something. We may ask for a showreel of your work. Do not supply us with a showreel if it does not show you in a good light, or is too brief for us to get a measure of your ability. Some applicants have hindered their chances by supplying us poor quality material.

You may also be invited in for an interview at one of our monthly meetings or for an informal chat during an office day.

We often ask key questions at the meetings, and it does help if you do some homework before interviews:

We are interested in how you see yourself cast;

• what sort of roles you are right for;
• your realistic playing age as well as your real age;
• what acting work you would and wouldn’t do;
• what you are currently doing to find work;
• what sort of non-acting work you do when needs must to support yourself, given the office day commitment required by Arena;
• what skills you might bring to the agency;
• as well as what your expectations are.

Should you be successful, you will be invited in for three trial office days. This is as much an opportunity for new applicants to get to know Arena, as it is for us to get to know you.

Do be patient with your application as decisions are discussed by all members and this can take a bit of time.

Good luck.