Bridges is a consortium of 11 professional actors in Scotland who formed a cooperative in 2008 to collaborate, share resources, and increase their profile and work opportunities. With help from Cooperative Development Scotland, the actors established a cooperative structure that allows them to work together while maintaining their independence. Pooling their skills and referrals has helped each member increase their annual income and secure additional acting roles.

1. Bridges: The Actors’ Agency
A positive contribution
to performing arts
Consortium co-operative case study
MAIN BUSINESS
Creative Industries
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
11
ANNUAL TURNOVER
£50,000
WEB ADDRESS
www.bridgesactorsagency.com
The members of Bridges:
The Actors’ Agency have attracted increasing interest and work from theatre companies, broadcast producers and casting agents since starting their consortium co-operative with help from Co+operative Development
Scotland (CDS).
Bridges is a consortium of professional actors who work in theatre, radio, television, film and corporate production. It was set up in 2008
by a group of professional actors
who wanted to collaborate and
share resources. The consortium
is now a unique grouping in
Scotland, although there are actors’
co-operatives in England.
“There is a genuine spirit of
co-operation among us,” said
Carrie Mancini. “We always knew
a co-operative was the type
of business we wanted to set up,
but without CDS’s specialist help,
we would have felt overwhelmed.”
The Actors are all professionally
trained members of the performers’ union Equity and feature in Spotlight, the annual casting publication
for actors. They are: Nick Cheales,
Lois Creasy, Lisa Denver, Margaret Fraser, Keith McLeish, Carrie Mancini, Fiona Morrison, Keara Murphy,
Stanley Pattison, Mat Urey and
Justine Wortsman.

2. Co+operative Development Scotland is a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise working
in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
As actors, we are all individuals vying for different roles, but as a co-op we look out for parts that other members might want to undertake.
Stanley Pattison,
Bridges Actors
HOW CDS HELPED
The idea of setting up a co-operative
was first discussed in 2006 by a group of professional actors who wanted
to pool their skills and resources.
They approached CDS, who assigned
a specialist business adviser.
The adviser recommended setting
up a consortium co-operative, which would allow the members to work together while retaining their
individual identities and independence. Bridges member Carrie Mancini said: “We always knew a co-operative was the type of business we wanted to set up, but without the adviser’s specialist help, we would have felt overwhelmed.”
The CDS adviser provided Bridges with a draft memorandum and articles of association, required when registering the co-operative at Companies House. The adviser also provided a draft member’s agreement, which sets out the aims of the co-operative and how the members agree to work together.
FUNDING
All founder members made a stakeholder donation towards start-up
costs including office rent and legal fees. New members buy into the business with the same contribution. Running costs are funded by the commission members pay to the co-operative from acting work.
THE CHALLENGES
Banking – Bridges found it hard
to get a bank to understand their
co-operative and non-profit
structure, with each member
carrying equal status.
Communication – with members based at different locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, meetings
and decision-making can take time. A web forum, where topics can be discussed and voted on electronically,
is being considered.
MEMBER ENGAGEMENT
Office cover – each member takes
turns covering the office at Edinburgh’s West End, handling calls and dealing with bookings on behalf of the
other members.
Co-op meetings – meetings are held once a week and decisions minuted.
As many members as possible are encouraged to attend.
Phone and email contact – those looking after the office send out a daily note to all other members about the day’s activities, appointments, correspondences and meetings.
THE BENEFITS
Mutual support – professional
actors can feel isolated when there is little work. The co-operative offers a regular forum to meet and discuss activities. “There is a genuine spirit
of co-operation among us,” said
Carrie Mancini. “The acting profession can be very hard and lonely, but
in the co-op you feel supported
by a group of like-minded people.”
Increased profile and credibility – forming the co-operative has created a new brand in the marketplace and increased the profile of its members. Theatre producers, directors and casting agents now take Bridges
seriously and are keen to follow
its progress.
Profit sharing – a percentage of fees for professional acting work is
retained by the co-op for reinvestment.
Income growth – by working together, each member has increased their income by securing additional work. Stanley Pattison said: “As actors,
we are all individuals vying for different roles, but as a co-op we look out
for parts that other members might want to undertake.”
Independence – each member
retains their professional identity
and repertoire.
For more information or advice on starting your own co-operative, please visit www.cdscotland.co.uk
or call us on 0141 951 3055.
SE/3241/Sep10
CDS 4 x Case studies 2