Studio Beat
Adapt or Die
AFM president Tom Lee recently requested input regarding the most important issue facing the AFM: member recruitment and retention. This local and the AFM have experienced an alarming decrease in membership over the years. This issue has been a constant theme at South Florida Musicians executive board meetings.Keeping the AFM relevant with the musicians of today and tomorrow means adapting to a changing global music and entertainment industry. It may also mean providing assistance and services that had not been considered in the past. The choices we make in steering the direction of this organization could determine our survival. This undertaking requires vision that union leadership alone cannot provide; your ideas, energy, and participation are vital to our success.
The first priority is your satisfaction with the AFM and local 655; we want to hear your opinion. If there’s something you’re unhappy about, let us know. Tell us your needs, even if they’re not usually associated with a union. What kinds of services, information, and support would your “ideal” union provide?
When considering recruitment, we must envision an organization that is pertinent to musicians of today and tomorrow. Should our definition of a potential member be expanded? Increasingly, music is created with non-traditional methods. Will this union embrace people who may not customarily be considered “musicians”?
We need to give young musicians compelling reasons to join the union. For many people, “you should join” is not a convincing argument. Offering immediate and undeniable benefits will motivate more musicians to become members as they begin their career. Can we define and provide them the help they need to succeed, such as career development, marketing assistance, networking opportunities, and other related services?
How can we redefine our role in areas where we’ve lost some of our influence, such as freelance gigs and independent recording?
Please participate in this discussion. Feel free to write me at steve[at]afm655[dot]org, or take part in our blog. It’s up to us to keep building this union toward a stronger future.
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