Joel Cohen Elected National Executive Director of Art Directors Guild

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The Art Directors Guild has chosen Joel Cohen as their new head, taking over from departing national executive director Chuck Parker.

In the recent union elections, Cohen, who had served as associate national executive director under Parker for over two years, was elected into office. His campaign focused on several key promises: advocating for the Studio City-based labor group to gain national jurisdiction over its designated trades, bolstering protections for members against potential encroachments by AI technologies, promoting increased organizing efforts, and maintaining transparency regarding union activities with members. The results of the election were officially announced on Wednesday.

Specific data on the election results was not immediately available.

In his statement on Wednesday, Cohen emphasized that the recent victory was more significant than just an election win. It’s about amplifying our voices, standing united for equal treatment, robust safeguards, and a future where each individual has a role in shaping the decisions that impact both our work and our lives.

The Art Directors Guild serves over 3,000 professionals specialized in various artistic roles such as production designers, art directors, scenographers, graphic and title artists, set designers, model creators, illustrators, and matte artists, all working within the realms of film and television.

During the same election cycle, Andrew Stumme, the director of field and organizing for the union, was appointed as the associate national executive director. The Art Directors Council selected Mark Worthington and Oana Miller as board members, with Michael Allen Glover assuming the role of chair. In a separate election, the Artists’ Council (comprising Illustrators, Storyboard Artists, and Matte Artists) elected Matthew Cunningham as their chairman. Tim Croshaw retained his position as chair for the Set Designers and Model Makers council, while Sara Escamilla and Anastasia Sergeeva were elected as board members, with Sarah Gonzalez becoming the new chair for the Scenic, Title, and Graphic Artists council.

Each of the newly elected officers will serve three-year terms starting June 1.

According to Dina Lipton, the president of ADG, she is excited to collaborate with the freshly chosen union leaders to guide a unified team that is prepared to advance and tackle head-on the difficulties our sector encounters.

In the realm of recent union negotiations for ADG’s umbrella union, IATSE, I, as a passionate supporter, found myself in agreement with some members who penned a letter advocating a “no” vote on a proposed deal. Their reasoning? The AI provisions within the tentative agreement were deemed too lenient. Surprisingly, the deal was ratified despite these concerns lingering. Now, our newly-elected national executive director, Cohen, has expressed that the existing safeguards are not enough. He’s vowed to enhance these protections and establish specialized shields tailored for each craft.

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2025-03-26 21:54