What Does A Booking Agent Do? | How To Find And Work With A Booking Agent

In this video, we explain what booking agents do and why they are so important for a music artist’s career. We outline how to find booking agents, why they choose their artist clients and how you can increase your chances of finding a booking agent for yourself.
We also explain how artists and booking agents work together, along with the role played by promoters in the live music industry, and the booking contracts and invoicing involved.

[@wesley.saylor]

i have a call with a booking agent in about an hour, i’ve been gigging and putting out music for awhile but i’ve never had talks with an agent.
this shed some light on what i should look for and how to go about the conversation with them!
thank you!

[@theartistguides]

You're welcome. Sounds exciting. Good luck with the booking agent and your music. Let us know how you get on!

[@thefunkgodeloheem2278]

Really great information & explanation... Thank You.

[@theartistguides]

You're welcome! Thanks for your kind words, we very much appreciate it, all the best

[@jamestheinstitute5906]

Could not agree more with this - great information!

[@theartistguides]

Glad you liked the video, thanks for commenting

[@sanelesibisi8160]

I really appreciate your precise explanations and examples.

[@theartistguides]

Thanks for commenting. Hope the video is useful to you. All the best

[@smdmusicagency]

Really well explained, and useful. Thanks!

[@theartistguides]

Appreciate you commenting and very pleased you liked it, cheers!

[@KoryYinger]

This is the info I needed this morning. Thank you for a concise explanation of the process. Not knowing what or how to do is debilitating for any artist. I know because this is the wall I'm currently up against. If I were in the UK I would seek you guys out for guidance, I can appreciate your approach. Thank you again, cheers

[@theartistguides]

Very happy to hear you found it useful. Thanks so much for your kind comments. All the best to you

[@jemohchief1530]

Very insightful

[@VioletRobots]

Very good video mate.

[@theartistguides]

Glad you like it. Thanks for your kind words. Cheers!

[@lynnlockamy4665]

Sir if a promoter brokers the deal for $50,000 but tells the artist the fee is $25000 can't the promoter still exploit the artist collecting the $25000 off the books and an additional $2500 in agent's fees? How to ensure as an artist that you are fully aware of the deal that was brokered by your agent?

[@theartistguides]

If the agent brokers a deal (a legal agreement) between the promoter and the artist, then the artist should receieve a copy of the gig contract. In this scenario the invoice is also issued to the promoter in the artist's name, and the artist should also have a copy of this. Therefore, the artist should have at least two separate documents which state the total fee being paid for the gig.

[@lexxtrifecta7151]

how to get the uk booky from america?

[@theartistguides]

It will be the same in any country. If a booking agent thinks they can sell tickets to your shows, then they will be interested in working with you. Therefore, you need to demonstrate your audience, or potential audience to them.

[@stenkolive4848]

thanks a lot for the video! i will follow your channel, im actually a football agent, but im also thinking in booking some gigs for artists. I got a question, in the brokering arrangement example: the artist issues an invoice to the promoter for the performance fee but the payment is made to the booking agents account, then the booking agent pays the artist 90%. The agent received 100% of the amount, let's say 1000 euros for the artist's performance fee, and passed on 900 euros to the artist. For accounting purposes, to pass on the 900 euros to the artist and keep the 100 euros, does the booking agent have to issue an invoice to the artist of 10%? How does this work? and also, how is the booking agent protecetd in tax terms from the receipt of the 1000 euros? Because in any case, his account was used to pass on money from the producer to the agent, which document does he have to keep to prove this operation?

[@theartistguides]

I'll try and answer for you, but I'm not a lawyer, accountant or tax advisor. But, yes, the agent will usually invoice the artist for their 10% commission fee. With regards to holding money for third parties, then there are usually ways to do this. I don;t know what country you are in but often some type of "escrow bank account" is used. Therefore, the EUR1000 is not paid into the agents own bank account, but held in a specially designated bank account (which the agent controls). There are usually strict laws in most countries relating to acting as an agent or employment agent, and you will need to investigate this and adhere to the rules and laws. Usually, the agent hasn't issued the EUR1000 invoice so it is not counted towards their tax liability. The agent only issues the EUR100 invoice. Hope that helps.

[@Brister]

Very informative!

[@theartistguides]

Thanks for commenting, much appreciated

[@mattnelson5012]

Talent buyers promoters are a bug joke

[@matshephoproductions]

it was useful sir enjoy

[@theartistguides]

Thanks for your comment. All the best

[@sinfulxsociety]

Promoting in Texas

[@theartistguides]

Hope the video was helpful. All the best

[@jemohchief1530]

We are building a booking agency right now in Zambia and we really needed this information like yesterday. Many times when people are used to a certain system, they tend to feel like you are reaping them off without considering the amount of work involved

[@theartistguides]

Thanks for your comments, and kind words. Hope the video was useful. All the best with your booking agency!