Below is a list of collecting societies' initiatives based on the information shared by IMPALA members. This is subject to updates, and more information about measures taken in a specific country can be found in our country pages.
As regards best practices, nearly all societies in Europe have some form of support in place for their members. Most (not all) societies have set up an emergency fund to make non-refundable grants to their members. Other forms of support include advances on future payments, some of which are non-refundable, loans to members and reduced fees/commission rates for small members.
Austria
- Austrian authors’ collecting society has set up a €1m fund. Authors and publishers can apply for grants and loans of up to €15,000. More information here.
- A fund for performers was also set up by local performers and producers society Oestig. More information here.
Belgium
- Playright+, the performing artists’ organization in Belgium launched an emergency fund for performers: https://playright.be/en/a-playright-emergency-fund-for-performers/
-Authors’ society SABAM granted access to a reserve fund of over €18m to its members. (see here)
-Authors’ society SABAM offers a solidarity contribution to Horeca establishments (see here).
Bulgaria
- Authors’ society MUSICAUTOR are calling on Bulgarian media to play more national music on radio stations.
- PROFON, the company for collective management of related rights in music will pay 70% of the annual remuneration of performers and producers in advance from April.
- UNDP will assist with a total of about BGN 3.5 million, of which nearly BGN 1 million will be directed to Bulgarian producers and contractors.
Croatia
- HDS Solidarity fund: here
- HDS ZAMP provided public lending fees to more than 1500 writers, translators and illustrators: here
- A fund for music shops has also been created.
- HUZIP, the Croatian performers’ association has set up some measures to help its most affected members: https://www.huzip.hr/index.php?opt=item&act=blog&id=2&lang=hr
Czech Republic
- INTEGRAM, the Czech Neighbouring Rights society created a fund of 80.000 euros (only available to performers): https://www.intergram.cz/intergram-pomaha-umelcum-zasazenym-koronavirovou-krizi-2/
- The copyright society OSA distributed extraordinary support for specific composers and enabled the deferral of payments.
Denmark
- Koda has decreased live concert streaming prices (see here).
Finland
- Neighbouring rights society Gramex will pay €11m to musicians and producers ahead of time.
France
- SACEM, the French authors society, has set up a €43m rescue fund (see here):
· €6m emergency plan: grants of €1,500 to €5,000; advances; and additional support for publishers from cultural action fund.
· Up to €36 million in exceptional royalty advances.
· €1 million reinforcement of its support program for publishers.
- SACEM also announced that they will remunerate artists for their livestream performances. (see here)
- SPPF, the French independent music companies’ collecting society are making €4m advances to its members which won’t be recouped before end of 2021. (statement)
- ADAMI, the French artists society, has put in place a number of measures. (see here)
- Authors and performers societies have also contributed to the CNM emergency fund.
Germany
- Performers/producers society GVL has made advance payments to producers based on their last year pay-outs and has offered to artists a one-time payment of €250.
- Performance rights society GEMA set up a €40m crisis fund. The aid fund will be provided in a two-stage plan: in a first stage, funds will be made available to composers and lyricists who also act as performers; and in a second stage to support songwriters and composers facing “individual hardship” cases. (see here)
Hungary
- EJI, the Hungarian performers’ association is introducing emergency social support to help performers: https://eji.hu/cikk/rendkivuli_szocialis_tamogatas_eloadomuveszeknek
Iceland
- Authors’ society STEF is making more regular payments (more here).
Italy
- Authors society SIAE have opened an Emergency Solidarity Fund amounting to €500k and will buy 2,500 food packages to be delivered directly to members in financial difficulty or experiencing health problems.
- An Extraordinary Support Fund has also been launched and is available to all members. The fund amounts to €60 million.
- See other financial measures here (for a total of €110 million).
- NUOVO IMAIE, New Mutualistic Institute of Performing Artists launched a Special Fund for Artists created for the Coronavirus emergency: https://www.nuovoimaie.it/fondo-speciale-nuovoimaie-fai-domanda-online-dal-23-marzo-al-23-aprile-2020/
- SCF agreed at its AGM in April that it will give a 50% deduction in its commission for members who earned 10k euros or less as a yearly average between 2017 and 2019. This is not repayable and is effective now for all distributions in 2020.
- ITRIGHT (the competing PRO) announced an advance payment of €300 and a €5M guaranteed loan facility for a maximum of €3K for any label, when they open an account with a specific bank. This is on top of the measures announced back in April, a one time ex gratia payment to labels, for a total of €3,5M.
Latvia
- Advances - Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association (LaIPA) are opening advance payments 30% of the amount of the previous year's payment (more information here).
Lithuania
- AGATA,the Lithuanian producers and performers’ association as an information page for measures relevant to its members - Support Measures for AGATA Members
Netherlands
- Performers/producers’ society SENA has set up a special fund of €200,000 via which artists can apply for a loan in order to go into the studio and create new music. On top of this, SENA has announced a fund of €1m which will be distributed between performers and labels. The details of how money will be distributed are still under discussion, but it should take into account the proportion of revenues: https://sena.nl/nl/muziekmakers/fondsen/sena-performers-muziekproductiefonds
- Authors’ society Buma/Stemra is making € 2,75m available for an emergency fund. On top of this they will be distributing copyright earnings earlier:
· 2019 live performances will be paid in April and May 2020 instead of September 2020 (approximately € 12,000,000)
· 2019 Radio and TV in will be paid in June 2020 instead of September 2020 (approximately € 38,000,000)
· In addition, some of its yearly distributions will become quarterly distributions, e.g. for copyright earnings from live performances.
More information here.
Norway
- The local producers collecting society is setting up digital marketing support for its members but last we heard it was not in place yet.
-Author society TONO launched a podcast (see here) and published a guide on live music streaming (see here)
Poland
- Members of Polish authors’ society ZAiKS can apply for grants (non-returnable, one-off benefits for people who are in a difficult life situation), loans from the Loan Fund, as well as advance payments for future revenues. (More information here)
Portugal
- As a first response, GDA, the Artists’ Society, and Audiogest, the Producers’ society, announced a legal helpdesk for artists and labels to navigate the complex procedures with regards to governmental support.
- GDA launched a plan to Support Artists - AARTE , comprises the creation of an Emergency Fund, in the global amount of € 1,000,000.00 (one million euros): https://www.gda.pt/pt/gda/noticias/arquivo/linha-de-emergencia-da-gda-arranca-com-o-apoio-cartao-de-com
- Authors’ collecting society SPA have set up a €100,000 a solidarity fund. It is also offering advances on royalty payments to cooperator members (potentially ruling out beneficiaries, who account for the vast majority of members). More information here.
Romania
- CREDIRAM, the Romanian performers’ association is lobbying the European commission to set up a solidarity fund for performers thorugh AEPO-ARTIS and the #saveEUculture campaign: http://credidam.ro/wp/credidam-sustine-campania-saveeuculture/
Serbia
- Collecting societies will not charge small users (coffee shops, small shops) until end of the state of emergency
Slovenia
- Collective societies want to establish crisis fund for their members, but need government’s approval.
Spain
SGAE
- The collecting society launched grants (SGAE-Corona funds) of up to 3.000€ per author to cover their losses in the coming months. The grant's total is 15 million euros.
- Food delivery service for members over 70 years old living by themselves or living with a dependent
- Immediate loans of 30% of the last semester's declaration (if the amount earned is in between 3.000 and 10.000€)
More information: http://www.fundacionsgae.org/es-es/sitepages/AyudasDetalle.aspx?i=126
AIE
- The performer's collecting society launched grants of up to 2.000€ per member.
- The budgeted distribution for April 2020 was increased by 31% from 10 to 13.1 million euros and they expect to increase 2020's total distribution by 11%.
More information: https://www.aie.es/comunicado-aie-24-marzo-2020/
AGEDI
- Immediate loans of 30% of the 3 last years’ income average. The loans will not start to be repaid until 2021 and the form of payment will be the deduction of 50% of their future statements.
Sweden
- Collecting society SAMI (Swedish Artists and Musicians Interest Organisation) are making advance payments and campaigning to be able to use unclaimed sums to support their members. (see here)
Switzerland
- SUISA, the Swiss collecting society is currently examining possibilities to help members specifically with support payments in case they are facing an emergency situation because of the corona crisis
UK
- PRS for Music have announced an immediate PRS Emergency Relief Fund in partnership with PRS Members' Fund and PRS Foundation to support members during the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more here.
- PPL announced £87.6M Q1 distribution and additional measures to help the music community: https://www.ppluk.com/ppl-announces-876m-q1-distribution-and-additional-measures-to-help-the-music-community/
- On 15th April, PPL also announced that it has pledged to contribute to existing music industry hardship funds for a total of £700,000:
· £100,000 to the AIM COVID-19 Crisis Fund
· £500,000 to the Help Musicians Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund
· £100,000 to the Musicians' Union Coronavirus Hardship Fund