2023 Impact 50: Lucy Dickins

PARTNER & GLOBAL HEAD OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC AND TOURING
WME

Lucy Dickins relocated to Los Angeles last year. The past 12 months have seen big changes for the co-head of WME’s contemporary music and touring division, who traveled halfway across the globe for her move from London. She left ITB, the company her father Barry Dickins founded, to join WME in 2019. After starting as the head of the company’s music division in London she quickly rose up the ranks.

Dickins represents major clients including Adele, Olivia Rodrigo, Mumford & Sons, SAULT, James Blake, Hot Chip, Bryan Ferry, Laura Marling, Rex Orange County, Mabel, Reneé Rapp and Katie Gregson-MacLeod. 

“Our clients had so many big wins this year, which is how we measure our own success,” Dickins says. “We booked 40,000 shows this year in a huge rebound from the pandemic, which I’m so proud of. The artists we’ve signed this year show our hunger for growth in up-and-coming genres and our commitment to find acts that continue to connect with a global audience.” 

Dickins says her biggest challenge is finding available venues for her artists. She emphasizes it isn’t a bad problem to have and that it simply shows just how much the demand for live has gotten in recent years. The solution for it is also straightforward: book acts further out in advance.

“I believe that demand for live events will absolutely continue to grow,” she says. “We’ve seen entirely new markets opening for our clients to explore in recent months, which points to the expanding globalization of music. From the charts to festivals, it’s clear that fans are craving a diverse array of music from around the world.”

Acknowledging that ticketing is a major issue for her artists, Dickins is actively working toward solutions. 

“We are doubling down on protecting our clients and their work through FAIR Ticketing reforms — deceptive ticketing practices are a huge concern for us,” Dickins says. “And we’re committed to getting more tickets in the hands of fans by working with ticketing companies who share the same commitment.”