How to apply
To ensure continuing high standards and because we get many more applications for membership we can accommodate, we ask everyone to follow the same application process.
- Fill in the application form stating whether you would like to apply for Full or Associate Membership. Forms are available to download by clicking here, in person from the Centre or by telephoning or emailing the membership department on 020 7632 8003 or members@actorscentre.co.uk .
- Send it back to us along with your CV (a print-out of your spotlight cv is acceptable), passport sized photo, and a cheque/credit card details for the amount of the membership for which you are applying. (Unsucessful applicants will have their cheques or card details shredded).
- Applicants for Full or Social Membership who are not on spotlight should include a professional headshot.
- Applicants for Associate Membership should include a covering letter to the Membership Manager explaining why they would like to become a member. [See Types of membership page]
We aim to reply to all applications for membership within 10 days. When we reply we will do one of three things
- Inform you that your application for membership has been successful or
- Invite you to come in for an audition/interview to decide whether or not to offer you membership or
- Decline your application at this time, give you a brief account of our reasons and suggest steps to take before reapplying.
At present we ask over a third of people to come for an audition and say no to another third at this application stage.
The Audition/Interview process
Some people’s level of training and professional experience is immediately apparent from their CVs. But for the majority of our applicants we feel the fairest way to decide membership is by meeting them face to face and giving them an opportunity to show us what they can do.
This means that we are more accurately able to compare someone who has, for instance, no formal training but an impressive list of fringe experience with someone who may have trained at one of the less established drama schools but who has a limited professional CV.
We hold auditions roughly every 10 days so generally you will be offered an audition slot within a month of your application date. The audition/interviews are conducted by someone from our membership department, usually accompanied by another industry professional such as actor members of our Board of trustees, tutors from the centre or other appropriate members of staff. We'll ask you at this stage if you have any access needs we need to be aware of when scheduling your audition.
We ask applicants to prepare a monologue of roughly 2 minutes in length from either a film or play. We do not accept song lyrics, poetry or self penned pieces as audition pieces. After the monologue there is time for a short chat where we may ask you more about your training or experience and what you hope to get out of membership of the Centre. There is also a chance to ask us questions if you have any.
We then contact you within three days to let you know of our decision. Of those who audition, roughly a third are made full members, a third are offered provisional membership and a third are declined full or provisional membership at this time. We generally recommend waiting a year to 18 months before applying again in order to get more training or experience.
To find out more about the types of membership, click here.
To find out about the terms and conditions of membership at the Actors Centre, click here.
