Finding the right children's acting agency can be the key to unlocking a young performer’s potential and getting them seen for the best jobs. But with so many agencies across the UK, it can be challenging to determine which one will best support and guide your child’s career. Sorting the acting agencies from wider talent agencies is another challenge: some agencies will put your child forward for, say, a clothing brand catalogue shoot and a West End musical, while others specialise in just modelling or acting. If you’re happy for your child to be submitted for both acting and modelling jobs, the good news is many agencies do both, and those that just focus on acting will generally allow your child to be with another agency for modelling work.
You should never have to pay to join a children’s casting agency, although you will have to pay the annual fee for a Spotlight membership once you have been taken on by an agent, which is currently £121.20 a year for a young performer (with a half-price discount for children with disabilities). Some agents also require professional headshots for their child actors, so factor in about another £250. Agents will then take a fee from any money made, which is usually between 15% and 25%, depending on the agency and type of work. Agents don’t widely advertise the percentage they take, but if you are offered representation by a number of agents, this might be the deciding factor for you, so make sure you ask before signing a contract.
While the best agency will vary from child to child, we’ve selected 10 of the UK’s leading acting agencies that could get your little one’s performance career off to a flying start.
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Sylvia Young is a legendary figure in the UK acting industry, known for founding the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where stars such as Amy Winehouse, Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes, and Denise Van Outen began their training. Her agency is highly respected and represents a wide range of talented young actors, not just those who are training at the school.
How to apply to Sylvia Young Agency
Apply via the website by filling out the online form. The agency asks that you record a video that includes: a short introduction telling them a little about yourself; a drama piece of around a minute in length and in your own accent (very young children can do a poem or nursery rhyme instead); any special performance skills, such as singing, dancing, playing an instrument, or gymnastics. Upload the video to YouTube or Vimeo and mark it as unlisted so that it’s shareable with relevant parties but not discoverable by the browsing public. Include the link in your application.
Mark Jermin Management is one of the leading talent agencies outside London, with a reputation for discovering and nurturing young talent. The agency is regularly recommended on Facebook groups for parents of child actors; people commend its excellent communication and regular professional development workshops with established actors and casting directors. The agency also has a child voice department, which saves finding a separate voice agency for your child.
How to apply to Mark Jermin Management
You can apply via the website with a headshot and CV. You don’t need to be based in Wales to be considered, but having a Welsh base will make the professional development workshops more easily accessible.
Brown and Mills is a popular children's talent agency that focuses on performers from the global majority. The child agency is colloquially known as BAM Kidz, and parents love its friendly communication. Child actors on its books often appear in major TV shows, films, commercials, and theatre productions.
How to apply to Brown and Mills/BAM Kidz
Fill in the Tagmin form on the website. If you are already on Spotlight, you can use your Spotlight viewing pin. Otherwise, fill out all the details of your child’s characteristics and include a link to a video of your child performing a short dramatic monologue or poem.
Set up by Michelle Kirby, herself the mother of a child actor, this agency understands parents’ priorities and is known for its good communication. Children on its books have performed in leading TV, film, radio, and theatre productions and modelled for high-profile brands.
How to apply to Daisy and Dukes
To apply, fill in the Tagmin form. If your child is already on Spotlight, use your Spotlight viewing pin and include a tape of your child performing a dramatic monologue. If the agency is interested, you will be invited to an in-person audition in London or asked to tape a performance of a specific scene.
Top Talent Agency was established in 2008 by Warren Bacci and has placed hundreds of children in top TV, film, and commercial roles, as well as securing them modelling, voiceover, and West End theatre gigs. It’s one of the larger agencies, with more than 200 children on its books, and it welcomes applications from new talent throughout the year, with audition days in February and August. It is a member of the Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA), and it works closely with the UK’s leading extra-curricular theatre schools, including Razzamataz, Stagecoach, and Top Hat.
How to apply to Top Talent Agency
Fill out the form on its website, including details of any acting experience and a photograph. If Top Talent is interested, you will be invited to audition in person on one of its audition days in London or Manchester.
DM Management is a dynamic children’s casting agency based in Manchester. It also runs drama classes for children aged 4 and up in Gatley, Didsbury, and Prestwich (known as Drama Mob) and for young adults aged 16+ under the HBA Academy. Founded by industry professionals, DM Management is committed to developing young actors’ skills as well as providing them with casting opportunities. Its dual approach ensures that clients are not only well-trained but also well-connected within the industry.
How to apply to DM Management
Fill out the online application and include photographs, details of acting experience, and an introductory video.
Affiliated with Richmond drama club Dramacube, this agency was set up by a former child actor who wanted to give talented youth theatre attendees an opportunity to pursue their acting dreams. It’s placed children in feature films, commercials, and West End theatres. The website states that as a fresh-faced agency, it’s not afraid to “break the mould and shake things up”. It always tries to provide its clients feedback from auditions and offer guidance to help them achieve their career goals.
How to apply to Rotten Orphans
The agency is particularly keen to hear from boys, children from diverse backgrounds, and kids who can sing and do accents. To apply, send the following to hello@rottenorphans.co.uk: your child’s name, height, age, skills, training, and accents. Also send a Spotlight link if they have one, and a video of a monologue of their choice, filmed in landscape and no more than three minutes long.
Purple Giraffe is a boutique children's talent agency known for its hands-on approach and personalised management. By focusing on a select number of clients, it ensures each child receives individual attention and support. It frequently lands clients in roles in commercials, TV shows, and films, including the Barbie movie and Peaky Blinders.
How to apply to Purple Giraffe
Send details of your child’s experience, a CV, a photo, their height, a Spotlight link, a contact number, and an email address to: info@purplegiraffetalent.co.uk.
Seaside Kids Casting was set up by two friends in Broadstairs (hence the name) during the COVID-19 pandemic and very quickly gained an excellent reputation. Natasha Woolford and Laura Carmichael are both mothers, each with three children who perform, so they understand the business. Although the agency started with children based in the southeast, it now has its registered office in London and reps children as far away as Scotland. The agency regularly secures prestigious work for its children (the agency takes babies from birth and represents young adults up to 24 years old). It aims to have no more than 200 children on its books at any one time so it’s able to give attention to each of its clients.
How to apply to Seaside Kids Casting
Send three photographs: a neutral headshot, a smiling headshot, and a full-length photograph. Check the specific requirements on the website's FAQ page. You will also need to fill out an online form with details of your physical characteristics and experience.
Ardent Talent was founded in 2017 by former actor Sarah MacDonnell, who is mother to a former child actor herself: her daughter Emily Carey has grown up to be a successful adult performer, playing the young Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider reboot and young Alicent Hightower in the HBO Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. It's a friendly boutique agency for performers aged 4 to 24. MacDonnell and her team like discovering talent and nurturing their careers through to adulthood. Children on its books regularly appear in West End shows, and it’s also placed clients in the film version of Matilda the Musical and Disney’s A Haunting in Venice. It also secures work for its children in touring theatre shows, TV, commercials, and animation.
How to apply to Ardent Talent
The agency is keen to hear from young talent aged 4 to 11, and experience isn’t necessary for under-16s (although it is preferred). For those 16 and older, it wants to see professional credits or training. Email contact@ardenttalent.co.uk with your name, age, height, base location, headshot (it does not need to be professional), streaming links to a demo reel or self-tape of a monologue, a musical theatre song (sent via a Spotlight, IMDb, Vimeo, or YouTube link, not an email attachment or download link), and details of any training, credits, and experience.