Independent Artist Group

Independent Artist Group (IAG) is an entertainment talent agency representing creative professionals, performers, touring artists, writers, producers, directors, showrunners, authors, speakers and other rights holders. The company was created in 2023 through the merger and rebranding of Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) and Artist Group International (AGI), combining APA's broad representation and packaging business with AGI's music and touring operation. Its headquarters and principal offices span Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Toronto and London. The agency's business is organized around multiple entertainment disciplines rather than a single medium. Its divisions include alternative and factual programming, scripted literary representation, talent, intellectual property, branding partnerships, comedy and live podcasts, global touring, physical production, theater and speakers. Through these groups, IAG works across film, television, streaming, theater, publishing, live performance, music touring, commercial partnerships and related entertainment rights. The company's principal predecessor, APA, was established in New York in 1962 by former MCA executives David Baumgarten, Roger Vorce and Harvey Litwin. APA developed an early reputation for representing major music and screen performers, including The Doors, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Steve Martin, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Rosemary Clooney and Liberace. It later expanded into motion-picture and television packaging, literary representation, nonfiction programming and production-related services. Its television and film packaging work was associated with projects including Home Improvement, Roseanne, Away, The Dublin Murders, All Rise and For Life. APA also represented creators and executive producers connected with factual and unscripted television, including programs such as Dance Moms, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, Dr. Pimple Popper, Unidentified and Blown Away. Its intellectual-property practice represented authors and estates whose work could be adapted for film, television, streaming and Broadway, including Gregory Maguire, Lee Child, Charlaine Harris, Brandon Sanderson, C. J. Box, James Rollins, Patrick O'Brian, Neal Shusterman, the Truman Capote estate and the Richard Wright estate. The merger with AGI gave the combined agency a substantial touring and music representation platform. Its reported music clients have included Billy Joel, Metallica, Mary J. Blige, Def Leppard, Rod Stewart, Mötley Crüe, Ghost, Sleep Token, Disturbed, Neil Young, BigXthaPlug, Ne-Yo, The Strokes, Cage the Elephant, Daryl Hall, Norah Jones, The Smashing Pumpkins and Elvis Costello. IAG also represents comedians and live performers, including Ronny Chieng, Josh Johnson, Mike Epps, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Izzard and Ms. Pat. IAG is privately held and is not presented as a publicly traded company. Leadership announced at the formation of the agency included Jim Osborne as chief executive officer, Dennis Arfa as chairman of the Music Division and Kyle Loftus as president, with all three serving on the board. The agency's current public status and leadership may evolve as the merged organization develops.

Independent Artist Group is the result of the 2023 merger between Agency for the Performing Arts and Artist Group International. The combination joined a long-established general entertainment agency with a major music and touring representation business, creating a multi-market agency operating across screen entertainment, music, live performance, publishing and commercial partnerships. APA's origins date to 1962, when former MCA executives David Baumgarten, Roger Vorce and Harvey Litwin founded the agency in New York. Its early roster included influential musicians and entertainers such as The Doors, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner, Steve Martin, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Rosemary Clooney and Liberace. Over time, APA developed beyond conventional representation by packaging feature films and television programs and by expanding into literary, nonfiction, production and brand-related activities. The predecessor agency's television and film work included packaging or representation associated with projects such as Home Improvement, Roseanne, Away, The Dublin Murders, All Rise and For Life. APA was also active in unscripted and factual programming, with involvement connected to shows including Dance Moms, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, Dr. Pimple Popper, Unidentified and Blown Away. Its representatives worked with executive producers behind programs such as Nailed It, So You Think You Can Dance, Let's Make a Deal and Pyramid. APA's literary and intellectual-property practice represented authors, storytellers and estates whose material could be developed for film, television, streaming and stage. Examples cited in reference material include Gregory Maguire, Lee Child, Charlaine Harris, Brandon Sanderson, C. J. Box, James Rollins, Patrick O'Brian, Neal Shusterman, the Truman Capote estate and the Richard Wright estate. This activity complemented APA's representation of actors, directors, writers, producers and showrunners. In January 2020, APA signed the Writers Guild of America's new franchise agreement and reorganized its television and motion-picture departments under an APA Scripted Literary banner. Later that year, financier Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Companies made a non-equity financial investment in APA. The agency also faced public controversies, including allegations against former agent Tyler Grasham, employment-related allegations by a former agent and litigation concerning the screenplay for Darkest Hour. These matters belong to the history of APA, the principal predecessor of IAG, rather than necessarily reflecting conduct by the post-merger organization. In 2023, APA and AGI merged and rebranded as Independent Artist Group. The new organization retained APA's broad representation platform while adding AGI's music and touring capabilities. Its divisions now cover alternative and factual programming, scripted literary representation, talent, intellectual property, branding partnerships, comedy and live podcasts, global touring, physical production, theater and speakers. Leadership announced at formation placed Jim Osborne in the chief executive role, Dennis Arfa as chairman of the Music Division and Kyle Loftus as president. IAG's offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Toronto and London support a client base and business model that operate across North American, British and international entertainment markets.

1. 2023APA and AGI merge into Independent Artist Group

   Agency for the Performing Arts and Artist Group International merged and adopted the Independent Artist Group name.

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2. 2020APA signs the WGA franchise agreement

   APA signed the Writers Guild of America's new franchise agreement and brought its television and motion-picture departments together under APA Scripted Literary.

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3. 2020Yucaipa makes a non-equity investment in APA

   Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Companies made a non-equity financial investment in APA.

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4. 1962Agency for the Performing Arts is founded

   David Baumgarten, Roger Vorce and Harvey Litwin founded APA in New York after working at MCA.

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A multi-disciplinary, independent entertainment agency combining traditional talent representation with music touring, literary rights, packaging, production services and brand partnerships.

• Talent RepresentationProfessional representation

  Representation for actors, performers, directors, writers, producers and showrunners across film, television, streaming and other media. The division is part of the agency's core screen and entertainment business and includes both established and emerging creative talent.

• Global TouringMusic and live entertainment

  Touring representation and related career services for musical artists and live performers. The practice is associated with artists ranging from major rock and pop acts to contemporary touring musicians and supports the international live-entertainment business.

• Scripted LiteraryFilm and television representation2020

  Representation and packaging for scripted film and television writers, producers and showrunners. The practice grew from APA's literary and packaging operations and was formally consolidated across television and motion-picture departments in 2020.

• Alternative & Factual ProgrammingUnscripted television

  Representation and packaging for nonfiction, factual, reality and alternative programming creators and executive producers. The predecessor agency was associated with projects including Dance Moms, Dr. Pimple Popper, Blown Away and Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.

• Intellectual PropertyPublishing and adaptation rights

  Representation of authors, storytellers and estates whose books, characters and other intellectual property may be adapted for film, television, streaming, theater and other media. The practice covers rights strategy, adaptation opportunities and related creative representation.

• Branding PartnershipsCommercial partnerships

  Partnership development connecting entertainment talent, intellectual property and luxury or lifestyle brands with commercial opportunities across media and consumer-facing channels.

• Physical ProductionProduction services

  Representation and services related to the physical production of film, television and other entertainment projects, complementing the agency's talent, literary and packaging businesses.

• 2023APA and AGI combine to create Independent Artist GroupM&A

  APA brought broad film, television, talent, literary and production representation, while Artist Group International contributed a music and touring platform.

  What changed. The two agencies merged and rebranded the combined business as Independent Artist Group.

  Aftermath. IAG became a multi-disciplinary agency with offices in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and divisions spanning screen entertainment, music, live performance, intellectual property and commercial partnerships.

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• 2020APA consolidates its scripted representation practiceStrategy

  APA operated across television and motion-picture representation and was responding to changes in agency-client relations under the Writers Guild of America's new franchise framework.

  What changed. The agency signed the WGA franchise agreement and integrated its television and motion-picture departments under the APA Scripted Literary banner.

  Aftermath. The move presented APA's scripted literary operation as a unified practice before the agency later became part of Independent Artist Group.

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• 2020Darkest Hour screenplay litigationControversy

  Screenwriter Ben Kaplan sued APA president Jim Osborne, actor Gary Oldman and other parties, alleging that portions of an original Winston Churchill screenplay were improperly used in the development of Darkest Hour. The litigation also named NBCUniversal, producer Douglas Urbanski, Working Title Film Group and Focus Features.

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• 2017Allegations against former agent Tyler GrashamControversy

  Several current or former child actors and other individuals accused APA agent Tyler Grasham of sexual assault. Finn Wolfhard, who was represented by Grasham at the time, left the agent and APA. Following an investigation, APA terminated Grasham's employment.

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• 2017Employment-related discrimination and harassment disputeControversy

  A former APA agent accused the agency of sexual discrimination, harassment and assault. APA said a private investigation found that the claims had been fabricated to obtain money. APA pursued arbitration under the employment agreement, and the former agent brought a related California lawsuit; APA succeeded in compelling arbitration.

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• 2023APA and Artist Group International merge to form Independent Artist Group

  Agency for the Performing Arts and Artist Group International combined their operations and adopted the Independent Artist Group name, creating an agency spanning screen talent, music, touring, literary rights and related entertainment services.

  M&ALeadership changeOther
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• 2020APA signs the Writers Guild of America franchise agreement

  APA became one of the leading packaging agencies to sign the WGA's new franchise agreement and consolidated its television and motion-picture departments under an APA Scripted Literary banner.

  Regulation
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1. Independent Artist Group