Artistic work intermediaries as value producers. Agents, managers, tourneurs and the acquisition of symbolic capital in popular music

•A better understanding of cultural intermediaries, with a specific focus on intermediaries of artistic work, their activities and the way they set up the relationship between the production and consumption of symbolic goods.•A functional typology of cultural intermediaries which enables to locate them within the division of intermediation labour between cultural production and consumption.•A strong relation is shown between artists' symbolic capital and the involvement of agents, tourneurs and/or managers.•A specific use of the concept of symbolic capital that allow a better understanding of social mechanisms of value production in the artistic field.•Aiming to “develop artists”, intermediaries I focus on set up various forms of promotion and complex strategies of capitals' mobilisation and conversion to increase the artists value.

This article aims to increase our understanding of cultural intermediaries, their activities and the way they set up the relationship between the production and consumption of symbolic goods, with a specific focus on intermediaries of artistic work. Among them, in France, agents, tourneurs and managers are intermediaries of the music labour market who aim to develop artists' career. What role do these underestimated yet more and more numerous intermediaries play in achieving pop artists' recognition? Statistical data show a strong relation between the amount of symbolic capital of artists and having at least one of these intermediaries work for them. In order to analyse how they can help further the artist's access to recognition, I develop a specific use of the concept of symbolic capital that allows a better understanding of social mechanisms of value production. The analysis of qualitative data discloses the various resources and strategies intermediaries use in the artists' acquisition of symbolic capital. They do promotional work, but also take calculated risks to how to place their artists in the market, and constantly work on their social network to create opportunities.