EXCLUSIVE: Spark & Opus And Umbrella Announce Impending Merger

Respected artist-management, PR and events company Umbrella has announced that it will be merging companies with contemporary organisation Spark & Opus, in one of the most significant management-company mergers in recent memory.

Umbrella's existing management roster includes the likes of The Rubens, Cloud Control, Andy Bull, Urthboy and Fishing, while Spark & Opus brings to the table artists such as Elizabeth Rose, PVT, Cub Sport and Franky Walnut, creating an eclectic and esteemed mix of performers falling under the newly merged company's purview.

Having known [Umbrella's] Greg [Carey] and Joel [Connolly] for many years, I couldn't be more pleased to be joining the Umbrella team," Spark & Opus director Briese Abbott said of the unification in a statement. "We all believe in building artist careers, ethical artist representation, and promoting genuine talent as well as local and culturally significant brands and events."

Also adding to the merger's value is the PR clout that Spark & Opus carries, Abbott bringing with her a boutique company that counts among its publicity clients Young Henrys and Gang Of Youths. Obviously, with an expanded scope comes expanded responsibilities and needs, and so the newly combined organisation has announced that it will be appointing PR guru Chris Chalmers as Head Of Publicity.

Chalmers comes to the company from a position at Sony ATV, and after time running his own freelance publicity company, Mordare, for the better part of the past seven years, with a specialty in digital content for artists and record labels, and for non-traditional means of exposure. Umbrella already has an exciting next few months lined up, with publicity events planned for Gang Of Youths' debut LP The Positions as well as US indie label Felte. Plus, keep an eye out for details on their planned Young Henrys' Small World and Sydney Craft Beer Week, as well as new goodies from The Rubens, Fishing, Elizabeth Rose, Cub Sport and Winterbourne.

"We are so excited to be welcoming Briese and Chris to Umbrella," Connolly said in a statement. "Briese is one of the best managers in Australia and we have long admired her approach to artist management, and her impeccable taste in music.

"Chris is an exciting up-and-comer and we can't wait to see what he does with our growing PR company."