In this post, I get under the bonnet of the dreaded VAT as it applies to bands and the deals we strike. There are not many people who are fascinated by the intricate workings of VAT – but truth be told – booking agents need to have a reasonable understanding of VAT so they can quote their artists correctly and spot a settlement that’s been worked out incorrectly.

What it says on the tin! In this post we go through the five most common types of deals that music booking agents strike with promoters. Agents need to know when to use each type of deal and understand what they mean for their artists’ income.

In this post I’ll take you through the process of taking a one-off show through from its beginning to its end. It could be a festival, a ticketed show or a private event. It could also be a workshop.

As an agent, you will frequently find yourself pitching to talent buyers. More often than not this will start with an email. In this post we look at good practice when it comes to writing pitch emails and how we can attract attention.

Different agencies offer differing degrees of service to the artists that they represent. So when an artist joins an agency, whether it is for the first time or from another agency, it is really important that they understand what services the agency offers and what the artist and their management need to organise themselves.

Our general contract template doesn’t work perfectly for all types of shows. It’s important to be sensitive to purchasers’ needs and understanding whilst at the same time insisting that contracts are signed and adhered to. To address this we have developed a number of different types of contract templates.

This post mostly deals with the cancellation clause. It’s a biggy and probably the one that most promoters go to first.

This post wades through the next clutch of clauses. Highlights are what happens with respect to tax for foreign artists and how national advertising contributions are dealt with.

In this post we continue our journey through our contract clauses, focussing on some key, yet somewhat obvious clauses.

The contract clauses are generally the same for all performances. They highlight specific conditions that apply to all or most show. By highlighting certain conditions and obligations they remove doubt from the contract. This makes it easier to identify a breach in contract which may result in cancellation and or loss of deposit.