Val Denn

Creativity Coaching & Representation

The Val Denn Agency was opened in 1994 when Val began booking legendary Texas songwriter, Ray Wylie Hubbard. They had met when she and her husband had opened for Ray. In 1980 Val attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where she studied jazz guitar. While there she met her future husband James. They married in 1982. 

Val Denn Agency has grown to 10 artists with a concentration on working with singer-songwriters and also working with artists from Atlantic Canada. Val Denn Agency's offices are located in Austin, TX. and her Canada office in picturesque Upper Blandford, Nova Scotia outside of Halifax. Kelley Mickwee joined the agency as the office manager in 2008.

In 2009 Val finished out her 4 years of service on the Board of Directors for the International Folk Alliance where she was Secretary, Vice President and President. Val also plans and partners with other artists to lead coaching and creativity workshops for the enrichment of the creative/artistic process. 

Val Denn Agency is very active in the Folk/Roots/Americana/World Music community and is passionate about her artists and building their careers. She works mostly in the US and Canadian markets and is especially adept athelping her clients with export development. Val served for four years on the Board of Directors for Folk Alliance International where she was President. She also teaches and partners with other industry events to lead coaching and creativity Workshops for the enrichment of the creative/artistic process.

As a mentor at SXSW for 15 years and on numerous panels at industry events, she knows how to be successful at conferences and enjoys teaching others this skill.  In 2013/2014 and 2015 she has helped Folk Music Canada with their successful export development program at Folk Music Ontario and at FAI. She has taught webinars around the world and is available to teach.

She is also the Canadian Ambassador for The House of Songs (www.thehouseofsongs.com) based in Austin, Texas. In 2013 and 2015 she came in early for the WOMEX event conference to Cardiff and Budapest to work with the local music industry people, helping their artists prep for the World Music.

She is also the talent buyer for The Cherokee Creek Music Festival in Texas. The agency has offices in the US and in Nova Scotia, Canada where she now lives and also works on her organic farm.  Please stay connected with Val on Facebook for her upcoming events. 

TESTIMONIALS

“I highly recommend Val as a career/life coach. As a respected, knowledgeable and well-liked booking agent, I came to Val for career advice in the early days of my own agency. She is professional, kind, and has great ideas and contacts. She has a wonderful zen quality, that is calming and fun to be around. I would hire Val again for coaching, and it's great to know that I have her as a resource.”
– Cindy L.

“Val Denn's addition to the Mundial schedule was really efficient and helpful in giving our artists and artist representatives new tools to take their careers a few steps further and improve their pitching technique to buyers, agents, etc. Not only did we hear great feedback from the attendees of the workshop on new tactics they had learned, but that they had applied them with success during the event in the following few days.”
– Marigny Lee, Producer, Montreal Mundial

“Thanks for your useful and informative pitchcraft session. It was great to practice my pitch in front of the crowd and to get your feedback. I feel like I am pretty experienced at pitching my group but your session definitely helped me fine tune, and refine it. ”
– Aaron Lightstone MMT, MTA, Music Therapist Accredited