DACS has begun to roll out the payment of almost £4.7 million in Payback royalties to over 25,000 artists and estates. As usual, we expect most payments to be made just in time for Christmas.
Payback royalties an important lifeline
This year has seen more artists and estates benefit from
Payback royalties than ever before, with individual claims ranging from £25 to around £3,770 and the average claim value being £275.
The royalties are collected from a range of collective licensing schemes covering the re-use of artists’ UK-published work – for example, the photocopying of artwork published in books and magazines, or the repeat broadcast of TV programmes featuring artwork.
All types of artists can benefit from Payback royalties, including fine artists, photographers and illustrators, as well as the
estates of artists still in copyright.
Photographer Kevin Cummins said: “Knowing that DACS is prepared to work on your behalf and to get money from sources that you didn’t even know exist is reassuring. Payback is a nice bonus. The royalty comes as a lump sum just before Christmas – the right time for a lot of people.”
Read the full interview.
Sarah Taylor Silverwood, artist and Board Director at DACS, said: “There is a real demand for Payback royalties, as many visual artists and their estates are seeing their incomes squeezed due to the pressures of financial austerity and public funding. Payback is vitally important as it contributes to helping artists to have sustainable, independent careers. I’m delighted to see so many artists benefiting from Payback royalties this year.”
Daniel Rudd, Head of Artists’ Services, DACS, said: “Collective licensing revenue is an important lifeline for artists, with Payback royalties contributing to the cost of regular expenses such as studio rent, materials and equipment, tax returns and anything in between. With this in mind, DACS continues to work tirelessly to ensure these important royalties are safeguarded for artists over the coming years.”
Find out more about Payback 2016
DACS retains a percentage of the money we collect for Payback to cover our administrative costs. Although we have been reducing this percentage by 1% year on year, it was held at 18% during 2014 and 2015 when the future of Payback royalties were under threat. This was due to a dispute with the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) during which DACS incurred increased costs to safeguard the scheme.
Read more.
For 2016 we have reduced the percentage we retain to 16%, whilst striving to further reduce this in years to come.
DACS continues to make efficiencies and costs savings and we intend to continue to build on our more than 30 years’ experience of safeguarding and increasing royalties to visual creators and their representatives. DACS will therefore remain the most efficient, reliable and trustworthy broker of royalties, for all visual artists, in sustaining their practice and livelihoods.
Payback will re-open for application in summer 2016.
If you would like receive notifications about when it will open next year, please
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Learn more:
Is your work published in the Netherlands? Apply for Dutch PLR royalties by 6 January 2016.
Image: Kevin Cummins, photographed for DACS by Brian Benson © Brian Benson, 2015.