How to Get Auditions in Spain

Casting and background agencies

To start, background work (called figuración in Spain) is a good way to see a shoot from the inside.

Lane Casting

A casting agency with offices in Madrid and Barcelona and credits such as Fanático (Netflix) and Cardo. Its active Instagram account is @lanecastinges and it has online registration.

Casting de Extras Ana Durá

A background agency in Madrid, Alicante and Valencia. According to the Madrid Film Office, it did the background casting for Valeria, Santo and Jaguar (Netflix) and Now and Then (Apple TV). You register by email according to your area, with two photos.

Figurarte (Málaga)

A casting agency with its own studio in Málaga and a registration form.

Dinamic Models

A model and talent agency in Barcelona and Madrid. Its FAQ states that it does not charge you to sign up.

Madrid Film Office directory

Madrid’s film office lists three kinds of agencies (background, actor representation and casting), with their contacts and latest productions.

If you come from Latin America: work permits

Before you travel, confirm your situation with the consulate or with an immigration lawyer: the rules depend on how long the work lasts.

Immigration Law (Ley de Extranjería, BOE)

Organic Law 4/2000 says that artists who come to Spain to perform specific shows that are not a continuous activity do not need a work authorization (Article 41.1.g). If the activity lasts more than 90 days, the regulation in force since 2025 requires applying for temporary residence. Artists’ work is governed by a special employment relationship, regulated by Royal Decree 1435/1985 until May 25, 2027, when Royal Decree 607/2026 replaces it. The BOE (Boletín Oficial del Estado) is Spain’s official gazette.

Unions and rights management

The union advises you on contracts and AISGE collects your performers’ rights, even if you don’t live in Spain.

Unión de Actores y Actrices

Madrid’s actors’ union. To join, they ask for a certificate of acting studies or a contract as an actor, a professional photo and a bank account; the fee is €45 per quarter plus a €75 registration fee. There are equivalent unions in Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Euskadi.

AISGE

The entity that manages performers’ rights. Membership is free, requires at least one commercially exploited performance and is open regardless of your nationality or residence.

Where to study acting in Spain

The higher schools of dramatic art are public and have entrance exams. If you studied outside the EU, you will need to have your high school diploma validated (homologar). For beginners, the guide to becoming an actor from scratch explains what to study and how to gain experience.

RESAD (Madrid)

The Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático (Royal Higher School of Dramatic Art) asks for the bachillerato (high school diploma) or equivalent (or the entrance exam for people over 25) and passing a specific test of two exercises.

Institut del Teatre (Barcelona)

Admission is by entrance exams. Starting with the 2027-28 school year, its higher studies become degrees of the Universitat de Barcelona, and besides its own test you will have to pass the PAU (Spain’s university entrance exam).

Other higher schools of dramatic art

There are public ESADs (Escuelas Superiores de Arte Dramático) in Málaga, Valencia, Galicia, Extremadura, Asturias and the Balearic Islands, and in Euskadi there is Dantzerti.

TAI (Madrid)

A private school with a university degree in Performing Arts and Audiovisual Performance, with an official degree from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Admission is by interview.

Escuela Cristina Rota (Madrid)

It has trained actors since 1979. You enter with a free interview or, if you already have experience, with an audition of a monologue of up to 5 minutes.

Institutions

Academia de Cine

The academy that gives out the Goya Awards.

Spain Film Commission

It coordinates the country’s film offices and publishes the tax incentives for filming in Spain.

Websites and social accounts that post castings in Spain

These are the websites and accounts where calls for Spain show up. It pays to check them often, since many searches close within a few days.

• Castings on Casting and Acting: castings and auditions posted on the site, with a country filter.
• SoloActores: it has operated since 2004; viewing castings is free and the email of whoever is casting appears in the listing.
• e-TALENTA: a nonprofit European casting platform; the basic entry is free.
• Casting.es: background and acting castings; registration is free and there are paid plans.
• Clandestino Castings: reading the calls is free, but applying from the platform costs €22 per year.
• CastingsCineTV (Spain): gathers calls from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities.

How to prepare for a casting in Spain

When a call comes up, the winner is whoever answers fast and with complete audition materials. Have this ready before you write to any agency:

• Acting resume on one page, with your details, measurements, training and experience. Guide: how to make an acting resume.
• Headshots with current photos of your face, profile and full body. You can put them together at home: how to take headshots at home.
• Reel with your best scenes or, if you don’t have any work yet, a one-minute intro video. Guide: how to make an acting reel.
• Self-tape for remote castings: front lighting, a plain background and good audio. More details in what is a self-tape.

Watch out for fake castings

Reputable agencies and production companies in Spain charge the people who hire them, not the actors: joining their database or going to a casting has to be free. Be wary if they ask you for money, intimate photos or to go alone, especially if you’re a minor. We explain how to recognize them in how to spot a fake casting call.

Some platforms charge to apply (Clandestino, €22 per year) and some agencies sell photo sessions separately. Going to a casting has to be free: if they charge you for that, be wary. Before you pay for a subscription, see which casting websites are worth using and what you can do for free on each one.

Frequently asked questions

Where are castings posted in Spain?

In the databases and social accounts of the casting directors (Leira y Serrano, Veló, Arantza Vélez and Paula Cámara, among others), at background agencies such as Lane Casting or Ana Durá and on platforms such as SoloActores, e-TALENTA and Casting.es. You can also check the castings section of Casting and Acting.

How do I sign up for casting databases?

APDICE, the casting directors’ association, publishes the list of its members’ databases. Register in the ones that fit your profile, with current photos, your acting resume and your reel (videobook).

Can I work as an actor in Spain if I am Latin American?

For specific performances that are not a continuous activity, the Immigration Law does not require a work authorization; if the activity lasts more than 90 days, you have to apply for temporary residence. Check with the consulate or with an immigration lawyer before you travel. AISGE membership is open regardless of your nationality or residence.

How do I join the Unión de Actores y Actrices?

They ask for a certificate of acting studies or a contract as an actor, a professional photo and a bank account. The fee is €45 per quarter, plus a €75 registration fee.

Where can I study acting in Spain?

At the public higher schools of dramatic art, such as RESAD in Madrid, the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona and the ESADs of each region, all with entrance exams. Among private schools, TAI offers a university degree and the Escuela Cristina Rota has trained actors since 1979.

Do I have to pay to apply to a casting in Spain?

Casting directors and reputable agencies charge the production company, not the actors. Some platforms charge subscriptions, which are optional; if they ask you for money to take part in a casting, be wary.

List reviewed in October 2026. Contacts change: if an agency has stopped operating or you know one that is missing, let us know. For other countries, see the Latin America Casting Directory.