Cultural and social affairs

Cultural and social activities in addition to the administration of artists’ rights

Long ago, the members of the collective rights management organisations decided to do more than simply collect and distribute royalties. In 1957, on the initiative of an English managing director (PRS), the umbrella organisation of the collective rights management organisations (CISAC) introduced a provision in the standard reciprocity contracts allowing 10% of the income to be allotted to cultural and social projects. 

The large societies express their solidarity with their smaller affiliated societies by allowing them to support their members with cultural and social means. The first measures were called for in the social area since the state support and provident care we take for granted today did not exist at that time. We have the rightholders to thank to a large extent for the promotion of culture: by foregoing a small proportion of their royalties, they are contributing to cultural diversity and to secure provident care which is ultimately also for their own benefit. The legal basis is set out in Art. 48 Para. 2 URG (Federal Copyright Law).