Acting as Your Own Manager? Know Your Booking Agreement Basics

Quick answer: A solid booking agreement covers the date/time/location, what’s expected of your set, your pay and how you’ll receive it, who owns rights to any recording or footage, whether you can sell merch, and who’s covering expenses like travel or lodging. None of it needs complicated legal language - the best agreements are the ones both sides can actually read and understand.

Acting as your own manager means signing agreements is now on you too - specifically booking agreements, sometimes called performance or engagement contracts. These are legally binding for every live show, whether it’s a Tuesday-night dive bar set or a real festival slot, so it’s worth knowing what’s actually supposed to be in one.

The General Terms

Every booking agreement should nail down a few basics:

1. Date, time, and location - the heart of the agreement, and non-negotiable to have in writing.
2. Definition of the performance - set length, number of breaks, and anything else expected of you on stage.
3. Compensation and fees - a flat amount or a percentage of the door, plus how and when you’ll actually get paid (check on the spot, or a set date if it’s sent later).

Recording, Broadcasting, and Photography Rights

This section covers who can record or license footage of your performance - you, or the venue. Don’t assume; get it explicit. The same goes for publicity rights (use of your name or likeness in the venue’s own advertising), which you’ll typically want to grant, and who’s responsible for sound - some venues expect you to bring your own person, others don’t give you the choice either way.

Merchandise Rights

Whether you can sell CDs, shirts, or other merch at the show depends heavily on the venue. Clubs, bars, and festivals are usually flexible about this; corporate events and larger venues are much more likely to restrict or ban it outright. Confirm this ahead of time rather than assuming.

Expenses and Other Arrangements

Check whether the venue covers meals, transportation, or lodging - this varies wildly by venue type, from a corporate event covering everything to a local bar covering nothing beyond a cut of the door. If you have any special requirements (guest list spots, wardrobe restrictions at a corporate gig, language restrictions at a public event), this is the section to get them written down. A verbal agreement over the phone means nothing if it never makes it into the actual contract.

Keep It Simple

Booking agreements don’t need to read like dense legal filings - the best ones use plain language both sides can understand without a lawyer. Be skeptical of a basic contract that’s needlessly complicated, and if anything’s unclear, ask before you sign rather than after.

For more on the business side of managing yourself, see 5 DIY steps to manage your own career and how to negotiate a contract with a music manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should always be in a booking agreement? The date, time, and location of the performance; a clear definition of what’s expected (set length, breaks); and your compensation and payment method. These are the baseline terms in any legitimate performance contract.

Who owns the rights to recordings of my live performance? It depends entirely on what the agreement says - don’t assume. Clarify upfront whether you or the venue can record, sell, or license footage of the show, and settle publicity/likeness usage rights the same way.

Can I sell merch at any venue I play? Not automatically - it varies by venue and event type. Smaller venues like clubs and bars are usually flexible; larger venues or corporate events often restrict or prohibit it. Confirm this before the show, not while you’re setting up a merch table.

Whatever stage of your career you’re at, getting more shows starts with getting heard. Submit Your Music and let’s help you book the next one.