Australasian Performing Rights Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) is a performing right collection society established in 1926 to administer the public performance and communication rights (often referred to collectively as performing rights) of its songwriter, composer and music publisher members. APRA represents over 57,000 music creators in Australia and New Zealand alone. In addition to representing the interests of its Australasian members,
APRA represents the vast majority of the world’s music creators through its reciprocal agreements with similar performing right societies throughout the world. See www.apra-amcos.com.au
In its NCP submission, APRA made an eloquent statement about the vitality of the arts:
The arts and their contribution to a dynamic culture cannot be underestimated. The arts are culturally, socially and economically vital. There are few industries that contribute so completely to the well-being of our nation, than the collective arts. Accordingly, strategy and policy platforms and frameworks should reflect both the intrinsic and extrinsic value of the arts.
The opportunity of the Government’s discussion framework is to rightfully position the arts as central in the evolution of our cultural identity, paramount to cross-disciplinary innovation and the platform of a creative and prosperous economy. If the true value of the arts is recognised, then it follows policies relating to cultural funding, taxation, education and export will be afforded the appropriate weight within the consideration of the wider economy.
We support and commend policies which recognise the basic rights of freedom of thought and expression, and the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights1 and other international declarations and covenants to which Australia is a signatory.
Culture should not be considered merely a commodity that is able to be traded or a commodity that is impervious to the effect of erosion through the wholesale import of foreign content.
Innovation at home requires investment at home.
A vibrant culture values and respects its creators, recognising the importance of their contribution to local cultural and economic diversity.
Opportunities:
- Position the Arts as culturally, socially and economically vital and demonstrate government support through a National Arts Day.
Education
Other organisations will provide detailed insights into the benefits and needs of music education. APRA supports the principle of a national curriculum that includes music education.
Music education should be viewed as continuous and not confined to the realms of primary or secondary school. In addition to experiencing a practical school music education, students need to be exposed to the legitimate career opportunities within the music industry. This requires an understanding by government and educators of the extent of the music industry value chain.
Music education should be considered as core in developing an innovative, diverse and culturally wealthy society. Although education is not part of the current Arts portfolio, it needs to be considered in the development of Arts policy.
Community through Music:
Music provides a unique vehicle for community building projects and the means for those projects to evolve and migrate. There is currently very little opportunity for Indigenous artists to obtain performance experience in live music venues. In many regional parts of Australia, clubs and hotels provide the primary live music venues.
There is an opportunity to bridge the cultural gap that exists between many venues and Indigenous artists and audiences. APRA, together with other industry groups, has relationships which could facilitate an Unearthed or Battle of the Bands styled series. Venues might be utilised during non-peak periods and in alcohol free mode, along the lines of the Blue Light Disco model. The series could be piloted in Darwin and then expanded to include major regional towns.
Management workshops:
A national cultural policy should address the identified need in providing skills training in music management; increasing income generation opportunities in the Indigenous music industry; and improving the music management and administration skills base. In addition to the support provided to Indigenous musicians, opportunities for professional development and employment should also target roles in music administration.
Supporting jobs in music management for Indigenous people empowers communities to create viable industries locally, and will increase the likelihood of Indigenous musicians and administrators partaking in the wider industry. Investment in opportunities for artists and creators need to be balanced with investments in enterprise development, providing a suitable business framework for long-term sustainability.
Creators’ Charter
Perhaps the most interesting suggestion in the APRA submission is a Creators’ Charter, outlining the rights of music creators. Our generation is seeing (and participating in) major changes in the value of intellectual property and remuneration for creative work.
Here is the proposed Creators’ Charter:
All music creators have the right:
1. To be recognised and respected as the owner of the intellectual property in their creative works.
2. To expect that their creative works will only be used with their permission, licence and / or in accordance with the law.
3. To receive or negotiate a fair value and be remunerated for the licensed use of their creative works.
4. To have their creative works protected from all forms of piracy, theft and unauthorised use.
5. To advocate and expect governments to provide, support and uphold robust and effective legislative frameworks to protect their rights at law.
6. To advocate and expect government to put in place measures to support cultural diversity by providing opportunities for all types of creation to be available and heard
7. To expect governments and the public to accord special recognition and respect to the importance and spiritual role of the traditional cultural expressions of our indigenous peoples.
8. To join collective rights management organisations to receive the benefit of national and international licensing, enforcement and promotion of their copyrights.
The content of this page is taken from information, provided by the credited source, and was already in the public domain through a Government website. That website has now been taken down. We have only used excerpts, with selected or block quotations, and in some cases have summarised or paraphrased the material. Please contact Alex Masso if you have any questions. Bold font is used for emphasis.
