What is the role of a representative?
A representative is a professional sales agent working on behalf of
artists and their work. The representative's job is to promote a given
artist and help develop their portfolios, as well as provide
constructive feedback about their skills and career. In this role, the
agent will make sales calls to current and new clients, gain assignments
for the artist, negotiate fees and contracts, and bill and collect
money.
What is typically the financial arrangement between an artist, agent,
and client?
The agent usually receives 25% of any work commissioned through the
agency. The client will pay the agent, and the agent will send on to
the artist their portion of the money earned. Expenses incurred in
producing a project may or may not be covered by the client. The agent
should negotiate how this is handled with the client in advance.
Who is considered the employer in this arrangement?
The artist is technically a freelancer in this arrangement, in that
there is no salary, benefits, fixed hours of work, guarantee of volume,
or income. The artist provides a fundamental service to the agent and
ultimately the client, so it is the artist and the client who drive the
agent's business and not the reverse; the agent's role is to bring the
artist and client together. The client is the one who "hires" the
artist via the agent. The agent often is the one who has the lead in
determining whom they will represent, and the client plays the lead in
choosing which representative and by extension which artist they will
utilize. So in reality all partially play the part of employer, in the
loosest sense of the word, and all three parties have equal power in
determining when a relationship will end.
How is an agent-artist relationship typically governed?
All agent-artist relationships should be defined and established by a
written contract. There are certain aspects of the contract that can
fluctuate based on the relationship, and others that should be fixed
based on industry standards.
The agent is typically responsible for assembling portfolios and
keeping them updated. The artist is responsible for providing samples.
The arrangements of covering these costs can vary. Sometimes the
artist will bear all portfolio costs and other agents will contribute a
percentage to the maintenance. In all cases the portfolio should remain
the property of the artist and should be returned to the artist in the
event the relationship is terminated.
Expenses related to promotion, for example mailings, directory
advertisements, and web postings, are usually divided between the agent
and the artists, with the artists bearing the greater part of those
costs. Office overhead is usually borne entirely by the agent and is
covered by the commission they receive. At no time should an agent ask
for money up front for anything except portfolio maintenance and
promotion expenses. Agents should always provide receipts for all
expenses charged to the artist as these are tax-deductible.
When should I consider looking for an agent?
Most professionals will not be interested in representing an artist
until that talent has spent several years working professionally,
developing clients, experience, and a knowledge of the industry. The
experience you gain working independently, which includes marketing and
business skills, will serve you well in every stage of your career. So
after you have developed a basic core of clients over a several year
period, you can consider looking for an agent.
What should an artist look for in an agent?
It is important to conduct research to find an agent who is suited to
your needs. Consider factors such as how many artists
a rep already
handles, what markets they work in, how the artists' styles the rep
covers compare with yours, based on that, how many artists from that
agent will be directly competing with you, and which is trustworthy and
has a good reputation in the industry.
How does one go about finding a representative?
There are many high quality artist directories such as American
Showcase, Creative Black Book, Creative Illustration, RSVP, as well as
numerous regional directories which have lists of artist
representatives.
What should I do when I identify representatives that I would like to
contact?
Choose a few pieces of your work that will give the rep an idea of
skill and style, and send high quality copies of those with your
current marketing material. Be sure you select the best of your work.
Include a brief letter explaining why you are contacting that
particular representative and what you feel you can add to their
business. Also send along a list of current and past clients who would
speak well of you. Be sure all the materials you submit are thoroughly
professional, and well presented. Also, take the
time to personalize your material for each agency, researching names,
and type of businesses served. This attention to detail will
distinguish you from others and leave a positive impression with the
agent. Finally, make sure all packages are mailed out neatly and sent
via first class or priority mail.
What type of follow-up is appropriate?
Within ten days it is appropriate to begin contacting the list of
representatives that received your material to confirm that it arrived and
to ask for feedback. If possible, schedule face-to-face appointments
with the agent. In all instances, regardless of whether the response is
positive or negative, you should ask for feedback about your portfolio,
touching on quality and presentation. Also ask for any tips or leads
they may have for you. If the agent says they are not taking on any
more artists right now, ask if there is potential for a future
relationship, and ask if they would like to receive updates on your
work.
What do I do when I find an agent that is willing to rep me?
It is appropriate to ask to speak to some of their current artists.
Also check with your clients to see if they have had any experiences
with this particular agent.
What are questions to consider before I sign on?
Will the relationship be exclusive or non-exclusive?
What will the commission be?
Can you maintain house accounts (accounts already established or accounts you procure yourself)?
How will expenses be handled?
Final consideration:
Be sure that all agreements are put into writing.
If you have any questions that were not covered in the above sections,
do feel free to contact Shannon Associates for feedback.
