Apply for your share of Payback!

“Do it. It’s almost like free money! And put the closing date in your diary so you send the form off in time. Royalties have always been a great little extra pot of cash each year that I haven’t had to work very hard for!” – Helen Cann, Illustrator

Millions of pounds in royalties are available for visual artists who have had their work published in UK books, magazines or shown on TV, through the annual Payback scheme run by DACS, the UK’s flagship visual artists’ rights management organisation.

Payback royalties come from the re-use of published artwork, such as the photocopying and scanning of work in books and magazines, or the recording or re-broadcasting of work in TV programmes. Organisations purchase a licence to be able to copy the work and these sums are channelled back to creators and publishers.

• Applications are now open for visual artists to claim their share of millions in Payback royalties – closing 4 May 2018.
• Last year 38,000 artists received a share of £4 million via DACS.
• To date more than £50 million in Payback royalties have been distributed to visual artists.
• Royalties come from collective licensing schemes that license the use of photocopying and scanning of copyright-protected works in UK books, magazines and TV broadcasts.DACS has successfully run the Payback scheme for 17 years, distributing over £50 million in total. From 15 January until 4 May 2018 visual artists can again apply for their share in collective licensing royalties via dacs.org.uk/for-artists/payback.These royalties are an important income source for visual artists. Last year, 38,000 visual artists and estates received over £4 million in Payback royalties via DACS and their individual payments – ranged from £25 to around £5,400.What do Payback Artists say:

All types of visual artists whose works are copyright-protected are eligible to apply, from fine artists and photographers to designers and illustrators. Beneficiaries of visual artists can also claim as well as picture libraries on behalf of their contributors.

The royalties come from a range of collective licensing schemes – the main one being the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA), which sells photocopying and scanning licences to business, schools and universities, and central and local government. DACS distributes a share of the revenue to visual artists, ensuring they are remunerated when their published artistic works are re-used. In 2017, DACS distributed almost 90% of the total royalties avilable to visual artists from the CLA.

For more information, please contact Joanne Milmoe, Communications Manager at DACS on 020 7553 9064 or [email protected].