LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — Following months of speculation, two industry powerhouses, the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) and Artist Group International (AGI), have officially announced plans to merge to form the Independent Artist Group (IAG), a new full-service talent agency.
Jim Osborne, the current president of APA, will take the helm as CEO of IAG, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the newly formed agency while Dennis Arfa, the founder and CEO of AGI, will assume the role of Chairman.
The board of IAG will consist of Jim Osborne, Dennis Arfa, and Jim Gosnell, the current CEO of APA, who will shift his focus towards exploring vertical growth opportunities for the agency while relinquishing his day-to-day management responsibilities.
The merger of APA and AGI into IAG was made possible through an agreement between APA and Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Entertainment LLC, solidifying the partnership.
“This was the natural next step in our evolution and made in the best interests of our valued artists. We have admired how Jim Osborne and their colleagues have been market leaders in creating brand expanding, non-touring revenue opportunities for their clients and we are excited to build on that success with them and look forward to integrating under the Independent Artist Group (IAG) banner,” added Dennis Arfa.
Dennis Arfa echoed Osborne’s sentiments, stating that the merger was the natural next step in their evolution and would benefit their valued artists. Arfa praised APA’s market leadership in creating non-touring revenue opportunities and expressed excitement about building upon that success under the IAG banner.
Industry veteran Marsha Vlasic has been named Vice Chair of the merged agency’s music division, which boasts a roster of renowned artists such as Billy Joel, Brian Wilson, Metallica, Def Leppard, Rod Stewart, Motley Crue, Linkin Park, Janes Addiction, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Judas Priest, Mary J. Blige, Neil Young, The Strokes, Smashing Pumpkins, Ghost, Elvis Costello, Cage The Elephant, and Five Finger Death Punch, among others.
“Over the years we have looked at many different opportunities to partner with a full-service agency, this time the people, circumstances and timing were all in alignment to best serve our artists. We believe the value each side brings to the table creates a uniquely important agency that is right for the marketplace, and we couldn’t be more excited to get started as IAG,” Vlasic said.
