Services Announcement

Viscopy and Copyright Agency announce Services Agreement

Copyright Agency and Viscopy plan to enter into a services agreement which will see artists receive additional income, cut red tape and administrative fees and make it easier for organisations and businesses to license copyright material.

As part of the agreement Copyright Agency will provide back-office services to Viscopy and its members and licensees.

The agreement is an important development which will deliver significant benefits to artists and simplify the copyright clearance process for artistic works.

It will create a ‘one-stop-shop’ for any organisation wanting licence approval to use domestic or internationally created text and artistic content.

Other significant benefits of the agreement include:

• cutting administrative fees and overheads on royalties to visual artists under statutory licences
• pooling Copyright Agency and Viscopy repertoires, increasing blanket licensing coverage and increasing payments for all members
• new licensing revenue streams for visual artists
• high-quality information and training to visual artists
• principal policy advocacy for authors and artists in international and local policy making

The proposed agreement is anticipated to take effect by mid 2012 subject to regulatory approval and will be reviewed by both organisations after three years.
 

Questions and Answers

Why are Copyright Agency and Viscopy entering into this services agreement?

Copyright Agency and Viscopy have agreed to enter into a services agreement in order to reduce the cost of licensing visual artists’ copyright and increase benefits to visual artists from copyright licensing and other services such as information, training and advocacy.

The agreement will enable integration of the two organisations’ business processes, increasing licensing revenue to visual artists and cutting administrative costs.

What are the key benefits of the agreement?

The most significant benefits of the agreement are that artists will receive additional income, red tape and administrative fees will be cut and it will be easier for organisations and businesses to license copyright material.

The agreement will effectively create a ‘one-stop-shop’ for any organisation wanting licence approval to use domestic or internationally created text and artistic content.

Other significant benefits including:

• cutting administrative fees and overheads on royalties to visual artists under the statutory licences
• pooling Copyright Agency and Viscopy repertoires, increasing blanket licensing coverage and increasing payments for all members
• new licensing revenue streams for visual artists
• high-quality information and training to visual artists
• principal policy advocacy for authors and artists in international and local policy making

How will the agreement work?

It will be business as usual for Viscopy’s members who will now be serviced by Copyright Agency’s membership team.

This will involve the usual business of answering enquiries about copyright fees and resale royalties, providing information about copyright and industry developments.

Viscopy’s licensing staff will join Copyright Agency’s team to ensure continuity of services to Viscopy’s licensees.

What are the advantages for the artists represented by both organisations?

Viscopy’s members’ copyright income will increase due to expanded licensing of their works and decreased administrative fees.

Copyright Agency’s artist members will benefit from inclusion in licensing schemes developed by Viscopy, and in new licence schemes developed for all artists.

All artists will benefit from Copyright Agency’s other services, including information, training, and representation in relation to policy issues affecting their interests.

This agreement will deliver additional income for Viscopy and Copyright Agency members and it will improve the services both organisations provide.

Download the latest version of Adobe Reader