Canadian booking agencies and preparing a live pitch

CAPACOA describes agents as specialists in circulating artists and works, multiplying engagements, and building recognition in Canada and abroad. In practice, scope may include buyer relationships, offers, routing, negotiation, contracting coordination, and market strategy; confirm the exact territory and responsibilities for each relationship.

A useful pitch makes the live proposition easy to assess: a short positioning statement, strong current performance video, representative music, recent live history, audience and market evidence, configuration, technical requirements, location, routing availability, and one reliable contact. Keep files accessible through links and tailor the opening to the agency’s actual roster and markets.

Before contacting an agency, inspect its current official roster, geography, venue scale, genres, and recent routes. A directory can help identify candidates, but the agency’s site is the current authority for representation and contact policy. Avoid treating a historical roster or an unverified email address as current.

Discuss territory, exclusivity, commission base, expenses, who can confirm offers, contracting and deposits, settlement, data access, cancellation handling, term, and termination. Also ask what level of current demand the agent needs before taking on a project and what the artist remains responsible for.