Exciting news in the talent representation world! The Agency for the Performing Arts and Artist Group International are joining forces to create Independent Artist Group, or IAG for short. With APA President Jim Osborne at the helm as CEO and AGI founder Dennis Arfa as Chairman of the Music Division, this full-service agency is set to take the industry by storm. And with a client roster that includes music legends like Billy Joel, Metallica, and Rod Stewart, it’s no wonder they’re making waves.
This merger has been in the works for a while, and it’s all thanks to an agreement between APA and Yucaipa Entertainment. The two agencies have been collaborating closely, and this merger is a natural progression. In fact, AGI’s President Marsha Vlasic is even joining the team as Vice-Chair of the IAG Music Division.
Of course, with any big change comes some restructuring. APA recently laid off several agents in its music/touring department, including Head of Music Bruce Solar. But with the addition of AGI’s talented team, IAG is poised for success.
This is just the latest in a series of mergers and acquisitions in the talent representation space. Agencies and management companies are scaling up to stay competitive, and IAG is no exception. In fact, APA has been on an agent hiring spree over the past year, bringing in 21 new agents and signing over 300 new clients.
But at the end of the day, it’s all about the talent. And with clients like Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson, Mary J. Blige, and Lauryn Hill on board, IAG is sure to make a name for itself. Plus, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and Atlanta, they’re well-positioned to serve clients across the country. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Independent Artist Group!
