Vickie Robert is the CEO and Founder of Vickie Robert Hospitality, an Artist Management and Hospitality company. She is also an Artist Manager and an avid AML reader. She is based in Ireland and contacted me about an epidemic within Ireland’s entertainment industry specific to Nigerian/African artists i.e. the terrible treatment by Promoters of artists and their managers. The promoters she refers to are (according to her) “Perod Foundation, Shoemuzik, (and) IAMA organiser- Yinka Bold.” Below is what she had to share with the AML community and she hopes it, at a minimum, creates awareness about this issue.
I have talked about artists manager agreements and promoter agreements in the past. None of you should be doing business with anyone without a basic agreement in place. People take you more seriously when you take your business seriously. Also, it is just easier to sue for breach of contract and get a remedy when you have it in writing. You need not run to Superior court (the bigger court), you can look within your countries for the equivalent of a small claims court and sue there. If you have ever watched Judge Judy or The People’s Court, you have seen a small claim’s court.
Below is what Vickie Robert has to say.
What exactly is the issue with the way promoters behave towards managers and artists?
Promoter’s in Dublin do not expect artist to move up, in terms of having a manager. They disregard the managers and speak to the artists directly, booking them for unpaid/paid shows and managers purchasing tickets to attend these events. Let me bring this to your knowledge as well, no ARTIST IN IRELAND has ever been paid to perform at events! Not even APPRECIATION FEE! And most of these artists have their own family to look after. At the end of the performance, we end up looking after the dancers!
What should be the standard in the industry?
The standard in the industry should be as follows: promoters should observe all protocols, book artist through an artist manager even if the performance is going to be for free. An artist is entitled to have a free pass for his/her manager and dancers.That is the least request and that would not have a huge impact on the profit they intend to make from the show. Managers shouldn’t be the one introducing the artist to international artists e.g KAS, DOTSTAR etc. and asking these artists to take photographs with our artists just to boost their profile or image. I believe it’s the duty of the promoter to arrange a meet and greet session befor the event rather than carrying our artists to them and introducing them to the Nigerian artists!
This standard should remain the status quo because it will not only give the promoter a good image and add value to their events it will also help boost the image of our artists
PROMOTERS should go through artist managers to book an artist for their events and come to an agreement, even if the performance is going to be for free. (Also) the artist manager and dancers usually( 2) should be able to go in for free.
AML Commentary
I am surprised, especially at the statement that artists have never been paid. Promoters, artists, managers in Ireland, I’d like to hear from you. Please feel free to add to this discussion by Vickie Robert. Certainly if the promoters eat, artists and managers gotta eat too. This is music business not a charity event.
-Uduak
@uduaklaw
