United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 | Apprenticeship Program

The film and TV industry is exciting, rewarding and makes a great contribution to our local economy. There are a multitude of jobs that are needed to make a production come to life. Among those jobs that are critical to making magic is the role of the scenic artist who is responsible for designing the scenery — and more broadly, the artificial environment — in which a stage, television, or film performance takes place.

Our Staten Island campus is home to a prestigious three-year scenic artist apprenticeship program sponsored by Local USA 829 as a Trust Fund. The program combines approximately four thousand hours of paid on-the-job training and classes led by working Scenic Artists, in a variety of specific craft skills as well as health and safety. Upon successful completion of the program, apprentices become full members of USA 829. Getting into the program is competitive and requires a great deal of commitment. 

The apprentices must complete seminars, homework assignments and projects, and class work — all reviewed and critiqued by the instructors and committee members. The instruction is held at a facility that Broadway Stages donated and remodeled specifically for the apprentice program.  “The work of the scenic artist is critical and we are more than happy to do our part to generate the skilled workforce needed for our competitive industry,” said Tony Argento, founder of Broadway Stages. Their hands-on instruction includes skills in creating faux stain glass windows and graffiti, among many other craft skills they need to create scenery that convince you the actors are really in a particular location. 

United Scenic Artist Class of 2024 practice their graffiti skills. 

One of the apprentices, Timothy Alex, said, “Working as an Apprentice gives me the opportunity to discover, define and refine my skills as a Scenic Artist. Having the support of the Local USA 829 community strengthens me as I navigate my way in this new career.”

These hard-working Scenic Artists are assigned to jobs within the jurisdiction of Local USA 829 over the three years in the Local’s Apprentice program. This includes movies, television, scenery supplier shops, the Metropolitan Opera, and commercials. The time the apprentices invest pays off in experience, networks, and solidarity as they each go on to further their careers in the entertainment industry.

“The benefits of working as an Apprentice have, for me, been unbelievable. I think that working in this role on a crew gives you a special bond with everyone else working alongside you. All of the Scenics I have worked with so far just want to help and teach me. I will be forever grateful for this time in my career,” said apprentice Sophia N. Nahon.

You can read more about the artists in the program HERE. And follow Local USA 829 on Instagram and Twitter for more about this great organization and its contribution to the programs you love.

Broadway Stages is proud to play a role in the development of scenic artists, and to support the efforts of USA Local 829 — to nurture top skilled professionals in the creative industry.  We offer our congratulations to the program participants and look forward to seeing them behind-the-scenes as they create the scenery magic of theatre, television, and movies.  For more information on this and other jobs in film and television, be sure to check out our Industry Resource Guide!