Selected conferences, interviews, & guest lecturing
HowlRound Theatre Commons Book “Essays and Conversations from the First Ten Years”
One of my essays is included in the new HowlRound Theatre Commons book “Essays and Conversations from the First Ten Years.”
Theatre Communications Group Conference 2022 in Pittsburgh
I was invited to speak on a panel titled “Field of Dreams: Producers’ Visions for Artist Pay Equity” at the Theatre Communications Group conference. The panel has hosted by Adam J. Frank and included panelists Chiara Klein and Snehal Desai.
Association of Art Museum Curators’ Conference 2022 in NYC
I was invited to speak on a panel titled “Changing the Day” on labor issues in the arts at the Association of Art Museum Curators’ Conference. The panel was hosted by Angie Brice Thomas and included panelists Mia Locks, Andrew Rizzo, and Rachel Adams.
HowlroundTV & Wingspace Salon: Pay Equity in the Theatre Industry
I coordinated and moderated a HowlroundTV & Wingspace Salon on pay equity on July 22, 2021. The roundtable discussion with Elizabeth Wislar, Wu Chen Khoo, and Kimie Nishikawa centered on how theatre workers can embrace the shared responsibility to hold institutions accountable and advocate where individuals have agency.
USITT & Lift the Curtain: Breaking the Business of Unpaid Internships
I joined employment lawyer Shelley Attadgie, Costume Professionals for Wage Equity co-founder Elizabeth Wislar, and Jenna Snyder from Lift the Curtain on a panel about pay equity and unpaid internships in the theatre industry in June 2021. The panel discussion was hosted by USITT and Lift the Curtain.
Society of British Theatrical Designers
I was interviewed by the Society of British Theatrical Designers in 2021 about my advocacy and activism work in pay equity and theatrical design.
Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s Learning Lab: Roadmap to Enacting Pay Equity & Transparency
The Arts and Business Council of Chicago invited me to lead a Learning Lab session on pay equity and transparency in the arts in August 2023.
Collaboraction’s Crucial Connections
Crucial Connections is a monthly panel discussion program about art and social justice from Collaboraction. The discussion is hosted by Dr. Marcus Robinson and Anthony Moseley.
I was on a panel with Lauren Sivak of 2nd Story in August of 2020, talking about the steps non-profit theatre companies can take towards pay equity.
The Price of Pay Activism
The Price of Pay Activism was part of the HowlRound Series Design (in a Time of Reckoning), curated by Katherine Freer and Porsche McGovern in 2021.
“The following is a conversation facilitated by Wingspace Theatrical Design between arts activists Genevieve Beller, co-founder of Costume Professionals for Wage Equity, and Elsa Hiltner, co-founder of On Our Team. The two organizations recently collaborated to bring wage transparency to the online job boards at Playbill and Broadway World and have since turned their attention to Backstage.com.”
Pay Equity 101
I presented Pay Equity 101 on Collaboraction’s Becoming in April 2020. The episode also features case studies from Free Street Theatre, 2nd Story, and Collaboraction sharing how they began their pay equity work and what system they use within their organizations.
Crucial Connections: Fair Pay is Fair Play
I co-hosted Collaboraction’s Crucial Connections in April 2022 for their episode “Fair Pay is Fair Play: Why Pay Equity is Good for Business.” The episode featured leaders from Free Street Theater and 2nd Story, as well as Collaboraction on how pay equity benefits their artistic businesses.
The Smartist Podcast
The Smartist podcast is hosted by Melissa Peck of Smartistry.org and focuses on the business of art, including the challenges and opportunities creatives face in today’s marketplace.
I talk about my work on labor and pay equity in the theatre industry in this 2020 episode.
Dirty Laundry: Unpacking the Costume Closet
Dirty Laundry is hosted by Johanna Pan, and is a new and much anticipated podcast about costume design and social issues.
I was a guest on their inaugural episode in 2021 on feminized labor and how our society’s gendered views of garment work affect costume workers.
The Merritt Awards Round Table
I was invited to be in a round table discussion hosted by The Merritt Awards titled Women in Design, Production, and Technology in 2018. I spoke about my work on labor equity and the support and pay disparities within theatrical design.
Movement Memos: Hope Is Not a Given. We Must Cultivate It Together.
Tanuja Jagernauth interviewed me about activism, organizing, and hope for a three-part series for Truth Out’s Movement Memo podcast, hosted by Kelly Hayes.
Listen to “Hope is Not a Given. We Must Cultivate It Together.”
Movement Memos: Navigating Grief and Cultivating Hope at the End of 2022
Part 3 of the Truth Out: Movement Memos series Tanuja Jagernauth interviewed me for about activism, organizing, and hope, hosted by Kelly Hayes.
“Elsa Hiltner reminds us that if you’re doing cultural work, we need to remember that it’s going to take time. Elsa says, “There’s nothing easy about this, and you know there’s a reason why it hasn’t been done already.” Elsa works in the theater industry and is organizing for equitable pay for artists. And this work really requires Elsa to have laser focus on the narratives that are being perpetuated by the industry and folks that work in the industry.”
Listen to “Navigating Grief and Cultivating Hope at the End of 2022.”
Guest Lecturing & Presenting
I have guest lectured and presented for university classes and for industry groups about pay equity, transparency, and labor equity.
Want me to talk with your students or group, or appear on a panel or podcast?
Contact me.
info@elsahiltner.com
