Inside the agency

Jules Beazley started her career working at the Central Illustration Agency in London for ten years. She took a step away from agenting to have a family and during this time co-founded Create-Zine a cost-effective marketing zine for artists to promote their talent. Jules has recently started agenting again, this time for MA+Group. MA is launching a new Art Division for the commercial community, adding a new dimension to their already impressive agency.

Paige Collins is an Agent & Creative Producer for internationally renowned artist representation agency, Pocko.

Based in London, Paige works on a range of commercial, publishing and editorial projects day to day, and curates the portfolio of over 30+ artists.

After graduating in Illustration at University of Edinburgh, Paige moved into working with UK bookstores to further her knowledge on the publishing industry, specifically children's picture books, whilst simultaneously working on her own publishing projects. She now collaborates on a variety of project scopes with a diverse range of illustrators across the globe.

Her favourite children's books are The Promise by Nicola Davies illustrated by Laura Carlin, Shackleton's Journey by William Grill, and The Great Realisation by Tomos Roberts with artwork by Nomoco. 

Valentina studied Literature and Art, specializing in Publishing between the University of Milan (Italy) and Barcelona (Spain). She worked as Foreign Rights Manager for Libros del Zorro Rojo, ALI Literary Agency (now called The Italian Agency), and Topipittori before starting her agency in 2014. She represents portfolios, picture book projects, and publishers worldwide, and she teaches Illustration Management at the IED - Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin. 

Lucie Luddington heads up Bright Educational, applying her 21 years of agenting experience to pair talented artists with fantastic projects and opportunities that take their career to the next level.

A force to be reckoned with, Lucie is known for going above and beyond as an agent, turning Bright Educational into one of the company’s largest, most successful divisions. Now going into its seventh year, Bright Educational is an established industry pioneer, with Lucie championing fresh, diverse, high-quality artwork and creating fantastic results globally.

Not only is Lucie passionate about elevating Bright’s artists, she is dedicated to changing the wider perception of educational illustration. 

Ella Lupo, followed her passion when she began representing illustrators in 1997. In 2013, she created Purple Rain Illustrators. Illustrators she represents have been published by the most respected brands in the world, and have been awarded by notable curating organizations in the field of illustration: the Society of Illustrators (Gold and Silver medals), American Illustration, Communication Arts, 3X3, How magazine and Daily Heller.

Purple Rain Illustrators was founded on the belief that great illustration expresses more than just great idea. We believe illustration is an art form just like a fine work of art. Our illustrators create work that can be seen in film, theater, fashion, publishing, packaging, multimedia, advertising, branding, technology, hospitality and the not-for-profit sector. We represent artists who’ll create illustration that will amaze you.We make illustration, and art, matter.

Mark has lost his hair over the past twenty years. Ironically, this coincides with his career in children's publishing! As a 1980's art student Mark had a lot of hair, arguably too much hair! Post graduation as a Fashion and Furnishing Fabric Designer, (something reflected in his taste in flowery shirts), he worked in print and then shuffled sideways, and then further sideways, until finding his natural home in children's publishing. Having settled in children's books, he has been a designer at a variety of children's publishers, including Walker Books, Egmont and Orchard Books before becoming the Art Director at Meadowside and having the ceaseless delight of seeing wonderful artwork daily. Finally meglamania brought him to establishing Plum Pudding in his back bedroom. As Mark often tells his sons, the thing that has made Daddy happiest in his life, is the ability to read. And that remains his greatest pleasure: a cup of tea, a bit of quiet and a book for a while. Oh, and his Springer Spaniel Pip! 

Richard Salzman has represented illustrators for over 38 years. He says his role is to insure that the publishers and advertisers who commission his artists do so on terms that fairly compensate the artist, based on the value their inquire skills offer, and in consideration of the usage rights granted. Richard works from his home on California's Redwood Coast where he enjoys hiking in the forest, fishing on rivers and rowing his Whitehall on open waters. 

After studying graphic design with a focus on illustration in Düsseldorf, Jörn Schwarz began his working career at the advertising agency BBDO Düsseldorf. After moving to Berlin, he continued his path there first as Art Director then as Creative Director. He worked at various agencies, most recently at Jung von Matt, for clients including Nike.

In October 2006, he and his partner Andrea Wendt founded the agency 2 Agenten, Agentur für Illustration.