Last month almost 13,000 visual artists enjoyed a share of a record £3.8 million of Payback royalties through DACS.
Payback is an annual service provided by DACS, which distributes millions of pounds of royalties to visual artists whose work has been reproduced in UK books and magazines, and on certain television channels.
A wide spectrum of visual artists benefited from Payback in 2010 including photographers, illustrators, fine artists, cartoonists, craftmakers and sculptors.
Photographer Betsie van der Meer says: “Getting my royalty from DACS felt great. It came just before Christmas. I was really surprised by the amount and I have put the money towards my projects.”
“This was a record breaking year for Payback.” says Nik Watkins Wright, DACS Payback Manager. “We paid a share of over £3.8 million in royalties – the most we have ever distributed to visual artists through this service. Visual artists are working in a tough economic climate and with the cuts to arts funding these royalties are more important than ever.”
Payback royalties come from revenue generated through collective licensing schemes. Collective licensing is used in situations where it would be difficult or near impossible for visual artists to licence their rights on an individual basis, for example, when an individual wishes to photocopy a page of a book which features their work.
DACS’ Payback campaign runs from June to September each year; it is during this period that visual artists submit their claims. Each December DACS distributes Payback royalties to successful claimants just in time for Christmas.
The next Payback campaign will launch in June. Visual artists who wish to claim Payback for the first time in 2011 can register their details with DACS by emailing payback@dacs.org.uk
For more information, please contact Joanne Milmoe, Communications Officer at DACS on 020 7553 9064 or joanne@dacs.org.uk.
Image by Simon Howden on Freedigitalimages.net
