The landscape for artist representation is changing – and Choreus is leading the way

Finding artist representation isn’t a walk in the park. It can feel like a tightly-knit world with exclusive contracts and gatekeepers manning the doors. Many will be patiently knocking on the door to no avail, or if you do get let in, finding representation that reflects your style, genre and ethos is the next hurdle.

However, thanks to the liberation of the art world through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, artists are being scouted directly by clients – without the middleman. Nowadays, the definition of who is seeking representation is broad and varied; you might be a fine artist being approached for a commercial project; you might be an artist who’s active on TikTok or Patreon; or you might be a commercial artist. You may also not need an agent full-time, and are looking for a relationship that’s a bit more ad-hoc. Either way, the landscape of artist representation is changing and it’s shifting towards more freedom and flexibility.

Powered by The Jacky Winter Group – an artist representation platform established in 2006 with offices in London, New York and Melbourne – Choreus is a platform providing a flexible model for artist representation. Traditional methods have long been built on exclusivity and, in contrast, Choreus offers artists a more customisable approach through its platform and resources, empowering them with the ability to choose the level of support they need on a non-exclusive, per-project basis. This shift gives artists the autonomy to design their own career path, and tailor it to their own requirements. So for those currently seeking or thinking about representation, or looking for expertise on pricing, licensing, negotiating and project management – all the less glamorous bits – then you have stumbled on the right place.

With 17 years’ worth of experience from the global team at Jacky Winter – who has handled over 10,000 creative projects across its tenure – Choreus couldn’t be better equipped to shed some wisdom on the topic and support for those seeking artist representation. The agency has a vast offering, for starters. Scalable commission rates means that Choreus lets artists decide on their own commission rates and determine what’s best for them. It offers on-demand consulting through a pay-by-the-minute hotline, meaning artists can call any time for portfolio reviews, career coaching and client troubleshooting. As well as a non-exclusive partnership and the option to use the platform whenever suits, there’s a directory listing which gives artists the chance to showcase their work to a wider audience free of charge. And lastly, there’s guaranteed payment terms which ensures that artists receive funds within 45 days of project completion, regardless of client terms – so no more chasing late invoices, can you believe it!

All of this is presented in a new standout identity and website designed in collaboration with the Melbourne office of Base Design studio, also located in New York, Brussels and Geneva. Featuring a dynamic logo, animations, vibrant yellow palette, clever grid system and Proto-Helvetica typeface, the result is a user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing interface that embodies the DIY spirit and grassroots approach of Choreus. “Inspired by the toolkit nature of the service model, we centred our work around the concept of the ‘reconfigurable stack’, proposing an identity as a distributed series of building blocks – one typeface, one colour, one stroke weight and a logo perpetually in-flux,” says Daniel Peterson, partner and creative director of Base Design. “Think of the brand system as an Ikea manual for artist representation but one that doesn’t need to be followed step-by-step.”

Since debuting its first iteration in 2019, Choreus has received sign-ups from a roster of global talent, including It’s Nice That favourites Haein Kim, Harry Wright, Joey Yu and Kyle Ellingson. Having launched on 14 November, the public will be able to join the revolution, too – one where artists and their needs are at the forefront.