Beyond the Booking: What Do Agents Do?

Agents do much more than confirm dates: they decide which artists to take on, shape how careers are positioned, maintain business relationships and have a unique overview of the whole ecosystem. Most of their work is invisible - including to their own artists. This 90-minute session will expose the operational reality of the role, from what goes on inside an agency to how they interact with promoters on the other side of the table. This session will deconstruct what actually happens inside an agency and explore different agency models. It will also explore the various approaches to work including how agents choose artists and build healthy working relationships. The session will teach how agents can position themselves and develop their own tastes, networks and goals. Participants will leave with a clear picture of where the agent sits in the electronic music ecosystem, where their own work sits alongside it, how to build an agency and what they should be asking next.