Variety and Circus hub

Resources for UK-based variety performers, circus artists, and live entertainers, designed to help you understand and protect your rights, pay, and working conditions across a wide range of performance types.

Two street performers in colourful pirate costumes

Equity - the union for variety and circus

As the UK’s trade union for performers in the variety and circus sectors, we proudly represent a diverse community of entertainers, including: balloon artists, burlesque performers, caricaturists, children's entertainers, circus performers, clowns, comedians, contortionists, drag acts, DJs, cruise ship entertainers, holiday park entertainer, face or body painters, fire performers, hypnotists, look-a-likes, magicians, mime artists, psychics and clairvoyants, singers in pubs, clubs and holiday parks, tribute acts, storytellers, spoken word performers, street performers, variety performers, ventriloquists and wrestlers.

Contact us for help or advice

Join a network for variety or circus artists

Essential resources and guides for performers

Contact a Committee

A guide to rates and how to set your own

For artists who are booked to perform their own acts on one-off or short term contracts where the rates are negotiable and in areas not covered by Equity’s collective agreements. This includes cabaret performers, comedians, circus artists, children’s entertainers, drag artists, magicians, storytellers and street performers and the 
like.

Guide to rates

News and campaigns