The Association of Danish Stage Directors / Foreningen af Danske Sceneinstruktører (FDS)
FDS is a forum for professionals and a trade union that looks after the professional and artistic interests of its members.
The members of FDS have trained at approved academies or have attained a similar standard of expertise in directing.
FDS is a trade union actively involved in performance politics and continuously striving towards a common effort of solidarity, from the various artistic groups within the stage arts, in order to maintain and improve the conditions of stage professionals and the performing arts in general.
FDS has achieved agreements, on behalf of its members, in most areas employing directors:
With Danish Radio and TV in relation to directing visuals, sound and stage transmissions.
With TIO (the umbrella organization for theatre companies), we have an agreement covering most theatres in Denmark.
For more than 25 years, we have had an agreement regarding minimum fees with the Royal Theatre, the Regional Theatres and the Greater Copenhagen Association of Theatres.
FDS actively works towards maintaining and improving the director’s copyright and thereby towards securing creative artists, its members, a reasonable share of copyright profits from Copy-Dan. In this area, we have a close collaboration with Copy-Dan and the Copyright Council.
FDS is represented through various boards, amongst others the Council of Nordic Stage Directors and the Council of Danish Artists.
FDS, along with other professional organizations, looks after the interests of its members through representation on the National Council of Theatre Professionals and the Danish Arts Council.
FDS arranges skills development courses in collaboration with the Danish School of Performing Arts.
As a member of FTF, FDS can provide its members with the best possible case procedure regarding unemployment insurance benefits from the FTF-A fund.
FDS publishes ”det postomdelte” (”postal delivery”), the professional stage directors’ quarterly magazine.
Members of FDS have the opportunity of presenting themselves on the union’s website as well as having access to the FDS closed group on Facebook.
FDS uses its share of collective copyright profits to hand out work, travel and inspirational grants to creative artists / members of FDS. The grant committee handles applications once / twice a year.