OWN IT! joins The Partnership Group and plans production arm

Publisher, agency and lifestyle brand OWN IT! has joined The Partnership Group, as the founders look to develop a production arm.

The Partnership Group, which was formed last year, incorporates Sara Putt Associates,The Artists Partnership, Sayle, Screen and Be Heard Voices voice agency, in addition to The Development Partnership, a production arm. The group has acquired shares in OWN IT! in a deal that was brokered by representatives of The Artists Partnership.

OWN IT! plans to launch a production arm with the investment to develop television series and films, though the publishing operations will remain separate and will continue to run as before the collaboration. 

Starting life as a publishing house, OWN IT! was created by Crystal Mahey-Morgan and Jason Morgan to address a lack of representation for underrepresented groups within the arts and creative industries. It also launched a talent agency arm, and now represents authors including Salena Godden, Derek Owusu, Courttia Newland, Ify Adenuga, Sian Anderson and Toni Tone. 

“We couldn’t be more excited for this new phase in our journey," Mahey-Morgan and Morgan said. "We’ve always had such huge ambitions for both OWN IT! and each of our clients, and joining The Partnership group will allow us to realise them. Joining forces in this way also enables us to launch OWN IT! Productions, a long-held goal of ours, and developing a slate for film and TV is something we can’t wait to get stuck into."

Robert Taylor, m.d. of the group, said: “We identified with Crystal and Jason that there were parts of OWN IT! that might benefit from us coming together in this way, such as the agency business and the desire to launch a production arm. Equally, there were other parts of the company that were going to flourish by being left as they were, such as the publishing side. Typically, Crystal and Jason were keen to look at a bespoke and unique arrangement, and one that allows us all to retain what is brilliant about our companies and to benefit from coming together.”