What is ACTober?

ACTober is a month-long campaign uniting the six Actors’ and Entertainers’ Benevolent Funds from across Australia and New Zealand. It’s an opportunity to celebrate a vibrant and crucial industry, and to shine a spotlight on the people who make it special.

ACTober celebrates the storytellers and the makers. The entertainers and the crews.

It is time to reflect on the importance of the performing arts, and the role they play in all our lives.

2020

In 2020, the entertainment industry couldn’t be more vital. Through lockdown and home isolation, the arts has kept us enthralled, distracted and carried us through: from streaming video to audiobooks; concerts to performances on Zoom. ACTober is a chance to celebrate the efforts of those who entertain us.

Across Australia and New Zealand, and indeed the world, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating, especially so for the performing arts industry. Thousands of events, productions, festivals, performances and concerts have been cancelled or postponed, leaving countless out-of-work and out-of-pocket.

Across Australia

ACTober is the time to acknowledge the struggles of an industry, and the people within it, inordinately affected by the ongoing crisis.

Above all, ACTober is the perfect way for you to support the performing arts.

ACTober Unites

ACTober unites six Australasian not-for-profit organisations dedicated to assisting performing arts workers.

Each year, these organisations collectively assist hundreds of performers, creatives and crew through tough times.

Whilst each Fund may do this in its own distinct way, their common goal is the same: helping performing arts workers in need.