Record figures indicate our increasingly pivotal role in the arts, as more artists and estates benefit from royalties than ever before.
Artists and estates receiving royalties hits an all-time high
The figures in our latest Annual Review reveal that in 2017, over 38,000 artists and artists’ estates benefitted from a total of £15 million of royalties; the highest number of beneficiaries in DACS’ history.
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Payback saw a record number of claims this year as DACS distributed shares of over £4.2 million, nearly 90% of the total royalties available from the CLA.
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Alongside the distribution of over £10 million in Artist’s Resale Right royalties, artists and estates also received their share of £400,000 which we recovered from previously unpaid resale royalties, as part of our Compliance Campaign.
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A growing international demand for British artists saw the Copyright Licensing royalties we paid out rise by 6% on the year before, to over £1.5 million. We now represent over 70,000 artists and estates worldwide.
Since being founded in 1984, we have distributed over £100 million in royalties through
Artist’s Resale Right (ARR),
Copyright Licensing,
Artimage,
Payback and
Dutch Public Lending, to our worldwide network of over 100,000 members.
“DACS has such an important presence in the art world”
2017’s record figures point to the resilience of DACS and support of its members during a particularly difficult year of political, social and economic uncertainty. As a not-for-profit that campaigns for and helps sustain artists’ livelihoods, these figures also point to DACS’ vitally important presence.
As artist Emma Bennett said: “It’s so rare to find an organisation that is actually standing up for artists’ rights and doing something to support artists. The royalties are really useful as they go straight back into my studio rent and materials.”
The creative industry is currently the UK’s fastest growing economy, which makes it all the more important to protect the rights of the creators. Seeking wider ways in which to support artists and estates, 2017 saw us engage in new partnerships, expand our public programme of events and education and invest in new areas of research and innovation.
Pogus Caesar said: “DACS has such an important presence in the art world. I like being with them not only because they make it all easy, but also because it’s great being part of such a brilliant, worldwide network.”
Read our 2017 Annual Review
These record figures in our latest Annual Review are accompanied by outreach highlights from throughout the year. From news of our Artist’s Resale Right campaign to our collaboration with Turner Contemporary on Venice Agendas, we have also continued to safeguard at-risk cultural assets through our independent charity, Art360 Foundation.
Read DACS’ Annual Review 2017
Related links
Read DACS’ Annual Reviews from previous years
Join DACS: Learn more about our services for artists and artist estates
Image: Girl on ‘Spacehopper’, Byker, 1971 Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen. © Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen. All Rights Reserved, DACS/Artimage 2018.