Questions and Answers for artists
Please ask if you have any questions that are not answered here. How do I apply to join the Agency? Please fill out an application form online, and then follow the instructions on the confirmation page in order to post your demo recording to us. Can I just send you a link to my website instead? You can do that also, but we still need the application form to be completed online. Why do you still need the application form? Because we have several specific questions that we consider to be very important when considering a new applicant, questions which are not always answered simply by looking at artists websites. The same is true for applicants who don't have a website but merely email a CV instead. The online form asks all the right questions and helps to speed up the whole process. 
Why do you need a demo from all applicants? As well as reading your biography and seeing your photographs, it is important that we and our customers can hear you play! Therefore, please arrange for us to receive a demo CD or some other form of electronic sound demo, such as WAV or MP3 sound files, via a tape, CD, or as links to your website, if you have one. These can submitted as email links or email attachments. I don't have a demo yet - can I still apply? In addition to a satisfactory application, some form of demo music will be required before your application is accepted. If you cannot provide a demo CD / video (or any downloadable sound / video files), your application will not be processed until the demo becomes available. You can tell us about this in the online application process. What form of media do you want the demo to be recorded in? Either or both of the following:Audio Demos - (MP3 / CD / CDR / CDRW / DVD / DVDRW) - 6 audio tracks or more Video Demos - (WAV / WMA / AVI / WMV / DVD / VDVD) - 1 or more videos
What sort of things do you want on the demo? Put on the demo exactly the sound that you will deliver in a live situation. If you are a soloist, then send in a solo CD, if a duet, then send a duet CD, etc. For example, if you are a guitar player or a violin player, please do not send in a demo that contains you playing with someone else singing, unless the singer is part of the act. In which case you will be considered a duet act not a soloist. What about mixing and overdubbing? Please do not send a demo that contains overdubbing, post-mixing or any other special effects, unless you always use those same effects as part of your regular performance and have declared this in your application. Occasionally, artists will tell us that they routinely perform with backing tracks and sequencers, (but most do not.) - Just make sure that it is exactly what the customer can expect to hear at the event on the day. Otherwise, it is misleading. When we have joined the agency, do you send out our demo CD's to potential customers? When your demo CD is on your webpage, our customers will listen to it 'online' only. We generally don't send any demos to anyone, there is too much commercial misuse by video producers and other people who pretend to be wedding customers just to get a free demo. Can the music be downloaded? We may provide a download service in the future, but this is likely to be overdubbed by our own copyright disclaimers in the form of a 'spoken voice' disclaimer pasted right across each track, every 10 seconds or so - to stop people using it for reasons other than evaluation (!)
How are enquiries advertised to the artists? With all new enquiries, we talk with the customer to ascertain their needs and gather as much information as we can about their event. We then email details of the event to all relevant artists including the date, location, times, estimated budget if known, style of music requested, etc. We ask each artist to reply "YES" if they are available for it. These replies are checked for suitability and then amalgamated as a quote that is sent to the customer. Then we email the artists who said "YES", and confirm that they have been included in the quote that was sent to the customer. We then wait to see if the customer wants to book or not. We also call the customer occasionally to check that they have received the details and answer any initial questions that they may have. Do you send demo music to the customer? If the customer cannot hear your demo on the website for any reason, we will sometimes send them some 30-second samples on a CD through the post. At the end of the day it is the customer's choice as to who they book, and they base their decision on what they read (and hear) about you, so please make sure your music and biography presents you as fully BUT as accurately as possible. Do you ever try to 'close' a deal with customers after they have received a quote but have not made their mind up either way? Absolutely not. We never pressurise customers into booking nor do we use 'hard selling' techniques. We simply let the customer know who is free, according to their desired music style and budget. We will call or email them to make sure they received the quote, but that's about it. We are busy enough as it is and prefer to keep the good reputation that we have. Who do you advertise new enquiries to? Sometimes we call you or write to you individually if it is a special request or a unique skill/genre/instrument request. Other times, we write to each artist who fits the general description of what is on offer; i.e. depending on the customers needs, we will write to all "GUITAR PLAYERS" or "SITAR PLAYERS" or "FLUTE PLAYERS" accordingly. If the requested music is a mix of different styles, we will write to everybody on our books according to the styles that the customer has requested. For popular style requests, such as Classical or Spanish Guitar, we will often send enquiries to everyone on the database, listing the fee that is on offer, and invite all artists who are interested to respond. This is because many people play Classical or Spanish styles even if it is not their main genre. However, for specialist acts such as Flamenco, we do not usually send those enquiries to everyone, instead we contact only the relevant acts. Will you tell me if you find out that an enquiry is definitely not going ahead? Yes, we will.
When will I know if I have been booked for an enquiry or not? At this point in the process, please bear in mind that this is still only an enquiry and not a firm booking. Unless you hear from us otherwise, you are requested to assume that it is NOT going ahead. What happens if they want to go ahead and book me? If a customer wants to book you, we will tell you straight away. You will consequently get a contract from us to sign and return and we will later ask you to call or email the customer to introduce yourself and to discuss the finer details of the event. At that point onwards, you are dealing with the customer directly, from a practical point of view. Will you tell me if the customer books someone else or if they are still undecided? We will do our best, but please bear in mind that we get a huge number of emails and enquires each week and a lot of customers take a long time to decide either way - or they simply do not get back to us at all. Therefore, it is not always possible to give you definitive feedback about each enquiry that you respond to. Do you give more work to some artists and less to others?
There is no favouritism on our part as to who is secured for a booking, rather it is often the choice of the customer as to who they hire. The only time we have any involvement in this decision making process is where 2 or more artists have responded to a booking enquiry, with similar repertoire and price. In this case, we would try and gather more information from each artist and describe to the customer the styles and repertoire on offer.
Are you offering regular salaried employment? No. Work is offered on a self-employed, ad-hoc basis. It is effectively a sub-contracting arrangement of musical services to the artist and the customer, with break clauses and rights for either side, the details of which are agreed in advance via a contract that is signed by both sides. What about income tax? As a self-employed artist, you are responsible for your own income tax and national insurance contributions through self-assessment returns that you must make to the Inland Revenue. What are your commission rates?
Our commission rates are 15%.
Do you charge VAT? We do not charge VAT to you or to the customer. How do the artists get paid?
Payment is made direct from the agency to the artist within 14 days of successful completion of the contract and following full and final payment by the customer.
How much do artists get paid?
Most fees are standard according to your needs, your style and your skills/abilities, along with the nature of the event the and customer's expectations & budget. Bookings generally attract industry-standard fees, so there is every chance that your first booking will pay you the current market rates according to your style, the duration of the event and including other factors such as travel or overnight accommodation that you may require.
Do you ever cater for low budget events? We occasionally accept lower than usual payments for brief performances, i.e. for 30 minutes only as the guests arrive for an event, or for less than an hour for a civil ceremony, etc. We also understand that not all artists are happy with a lower fee, particularly if the event is not local but some guitarists are ready to accept such work, especially if it is local, and equally it has to be said that not all customers have a great deal of money to spend on music, contrary to common assumptions. Unlike a dress or a cake, guitarists are an option and not an essential requirement. At weddings and hotels, our social standing is often equal to that of a waiter or waitress, despite the obvious pay differences, and a lot of customers really do treat musicians as a last minute accessory. We know this is not true of all customers, and for some, the music is utterly important. However, experience tells us that the former outweighs the latter! It is not unusual therefore, when a customer tells us that they want a guitarist on a low budget, or as an after-thought, with little notice. And in some cases, the budget on offer is insufficient to reach reasonable market rates for the style of music they seek, and we cannot help them. However, in stark contrast, some specialist acts such as Flamenco artists never get much work from us despite being on our databases for a long time, because they are used to obtaining higher than normal fees from specialist clients and they refuse to accept a market-rate booking for what is, in their opinion, paying below their expectations. Our assumption is that they must be very busy and we therefore wish them well finding work elsewhere. Do you have a standard set of contracts and booking terms like other entertainment agents? Yes, based on industry standards as advised by the Musician's Union and other similar organisations. Full terms and conditions are released with every booking contract, which you will have the opportunity to read through before signing to signify your consent. You and the customer are both required to sign and return your contracts to the agency before the booking can be confirmed for you. No work will be allocated by the agency until we have received a signed contract from both you and the customer. If you wish to accept a booking appointment that is offered to you, you will need to sign and return the contract or it will be offered to someone else whom the customer chooses. There can be no exceptions, sorry!
What if the artist needs to cancel ahead of the event date? Under normal circumstances, there is no problem in reallocating work for you when you ask us to, and this is accepted as occasionally necessary. However, if you consistently withdraw from multiple contracts over time, you may be removed from our databases. If you sign a contract but later need to withdraw for any reason whatsoever, we require 28 days notice in order to reallocate the booking to another guitarist. If you give less than 28 days notice, you will be charged a cancellation fee of £45.00 which will be deducted from your next contract. What if the artist can't make it on the day for any reason? If you fail to show on the day of the event, with little or no notice whatsoever, the agency will invoice you with a £45 cancellation fee and you may be removed from the Agency database. What if the artist is ill on the day of the event? There are exceptions, of course, such as illness and travel issues. If you are ill at the last minute, we would expect to be told the night before the event or early on the morning of the event. We will try and find a replacement and will warn the customer / venue of a possible 'no-show'. If you tell us about your illness after the event date, we will be inclined to think that you forgot about the event unless you can provide a doctor's certificate. Otherwise, the agency will invoice you with a £45 cancellation fee and you may be removed from the Agency database. What if my car breaks down on the day, or if my train or flight is delayed? What about the traffic on the M25? If you get delayed on your way to the venue, please call us straight away and call the venue to warn them also. Whilst we expect you to leave sufficient time for travel, we know that some things such as breakdowns and other delays due to accidents on the motorways and flight delays are not always avoidable. We would not penalise you in these circumstances, but if you are frequently late for appointments, you will be judged as unreliable and will be removed from our databases.
Because the majority of our customers are getting married, we expect you to treat the appointment with the highest priority and greatest attention to detail. Please allow plenty of time to arrive, set up and sound check. If you are driving, aim to arrive at the venue at least an hour in advance. Allow 2 hours for trains, and for flights, try and get there the day before the event.
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What if the customer needs to cancel in advance? We all accept that this does happen occasionally. You will be credited with a cancellation fee of £45.00 which will be credited to your next contract. Thankfully, this only equates to less than 1% of our bookings in any year. What if the event is cancelled whilst I am travelling to it or after I have already arrived at the venue? Again, this is extremely rare, but you will be credited with a cancellation fee of £45.00 which will be added to your next successful contract. Why can't I be paid the full fee considering my day is wasted by the customer cancelling at the last minute? Because we hire you to perform at events. If you have not done this because the event was cancelled, we cannot pay you for services that you have not been able to deliver, regardless of the circumstances and who is at fault. But we do promise the £45 credit which will be added to your next successful contract. "What are my legal obligations as a musician?" You need to possess the following: - PROOF OF PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE (P.L.I.) - PROOF OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY COMPLIANCE - Portable Appliance Test (P.A.T.) certificate for any amplifiers/PA that you use. "Where can I get these?" P.A.T. (Portable Appliance Testing) can be done by any local electrician. P.L.I. (Public Liability Insurance) is available through most insurance companies, banks and organisations such as Musician's Union. (It is actually free to M.U.) members.) "Why do I need P.A.T. testing?" It is now a legal requirement for musicians (Licensing Act, 2003) to have annual Electrical safety tests on their amps and PA gear. All work that we advertise comes with the following prerequisites: LEGAL CRITERIA: In order to be accepted for this booking, the artist(s) must provide this agency with advanced proof of valid P.A.T. (Portable Appliance Testing) Electrical Safety Certificates for all/any electrical equipment to be used, and also provide proof of Public Liability Insurance (P.L.I.) Artist must carry these documents to this venue and must have them ready for inspection, if requested, by the venue manager(s).
Some venues want to see the artists PAT certificates in advance - otherwise the musician will not be allowed to perform on the day. We would urge you to get PAT testing done as soon as possible. Ideally, if you can send us photocopies or email scanned images of the documents, we will hold them on file for our own records. Furthermore, our contracts state in section 2 of the terms, that it is your responsibility to hold this cover, not ours:The Artist hereby agrees to declare any fees for engagement to HM Inspector of Taxes and will for the purpose of this Contract will be deemed to be self-employed, and offers an assurance that he/they possesses Public Liability insurance and holds a current P.A.T. electrical safety certificate for all his/her equipment.
So the emphasis is on you to obtain it. If you sign one of our contracts, you are declaring these things to be in place at the time. "My PA gear is either new or not very old. Do I still need P.A.T. testing?" Probably not for the first year since purchasing the equipment as 'new'. BUT - it could be very difficult and impractical to prove it on the day of the event, and it will be highly embarrassing if you have to produce receipts and paperwork to argue the true age of your equipment with the venue manager, instead of setting it up and sound checking. You also have the customer to consider, who will be relying on you, and your fee to consider, which will be forfeited if you do not complete the contract successfully. It would be far better to get the testing done regardless, and to then keep the paperwork with you at each event, just in case you are asked to produce it. Otherwise, you could ruin the customer's big day! Best to be safe, not sorry. "Why do I need Public Liability Insurance?" Apart from being the law, it's a good safeguard, like wearing a seatbelt and buying car insurance. If someone trips over your guitar cable at a wedding and hurts themselves, or if you plug your amp into the wall socket and cause electrical damage at the hotel, or if you knock over something expensive such as an antique ornament, or if you fall down some stairs and take a guest with you in the fall, - then you are likely to get into trouble and could be sued by the venue, the guest(s), the customer, or all three, depending on the circumstances. This is not scare-mongering, it actually happens! "I've been playing for years in pubs and clubs and at weddings and have never bothered with all that nonsense! Are you serious about wanting these things?" You've obviously been lucky with regard to safety, but from a time perspective, you're running out of luck. The law has changed recently, and more venues are now beginning to ask the customers for P.A.T. and P.L.I. evidence from the artist(s) whom they intend to hire for their event. Please do not expect your application to be approved without proof of P.A.T and P.L.I. I'm going to buy a new amplifier. Do new amps need to have a PAT test? The law is usually 1 year exemption, but I would always carry proof of purchase if you take a new amp to a venue, just in case you get asked for evidence of either PAT or proof of exemption - you never know...and the potential upset to the bride and other things such as being sued for 'damages' is not worth risking if you get refused by an event manager on the day of the gig. (This has happened!) This is why the Agency has to protect itself by writing these PAT and PLI clauses into the booking contracts. It's due mainly to the Compensation Culture that we live in these days. "Do I need to post you a photocopy of my PAT certificate and Public Liability Insurance?" It's good to send the Agency copies of your PAT and PLI so that we can vouch for you if ever a new customer asks. It gives them added confidence in you as a professional artist.
Where will my web page appear?
When your web page goes live, you will be added to 2 places in the website;
1) the A-Z artists database, and
2) the style database, according to the style(s) that you have specified
What will you put in my web page?
Primarily, we will use your own application details to form the basis of the page, along with any website material, sound files and photos that you provide. We will edit it and add our own comments too.
However, we will not knowingly lie or exaggerate about your ability or experience. We depend on your honesty and an authentic application + demo. Any artist who exaggerates or misstates themselves will not be doing themselves or the agency any favours so you will be asked to review your web page carefully before it goes live and to let us know of any amendments as and when they become necessary. We cannot overstate the importance of good and accurate content. The biography, music, photos and any thank-you letters, etc. that are on your webpage are all important parts of our promotional activities. If anything else can be added to further promote your services, please send it in accordingly. Your attention to detail is very important to us, both when supplying the original content and also in your subsequent assistance with the correction of any content errors . We pride ourselves on honesty and authentic promotion, and will not accept falsified applications, suspicious content/music files, nor will we continue promoting you if we suspect for any reason that you do not match your application. How do you promote artists to potential customers?
Our customers contact us through our website, tell us their needs, and we then give them quotes based on available artists. We will market you with normal selling 'language' but we will not make wild and irrational statements about what you can deliver.
Is it possible to modify it in the future if I think of anything I would like to add, for example may I send you some other photos? Yes, of course. The more up-to-date it is, the better. ******************************************************** Please ask if you have any questions that are not answered here.
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