What does a booking agent do? 
Typically, what % of an artist’s fee does an agent receive? 

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Artists work with agents – sometimes called live agents or booking agents – on their live activity, ie gigs, concerts, festivals and tours. 

The agent looks for opportunities for the artist to play live. That includes getting the artist booked to play other people’s shows and festivals, and finding and negotiating with concert promoters that want to work with an artist on their own headline shows and tours. 

Agents usually charge a commission – so they take a percentage of the fee an artist receives for performing a show. Most agents charge a 10% commission – so they receive 10% of whatever fee the artist is paid. 

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

‘The Live Music Business’ by Andy Reynolds
Chapter Three – ‘Booking Agents’

‘Music – The Business’ by Ann Harrison
Chapter Ten – ‘Live (Agents & Promoters)’

LIVE is an organisation that brings together trade bodies from across the UK live music industry