If you have travelled in the last year to the United States of America to stage shows and festivals, or if you have knowledge that your works were performed there then the International Affairs Department at SAMRO is speaking to you.

If you answered yes to the above, then you are a participant in the ASCAP AWARDS, where you have the opportunity to receive royalties for the performances of your works in the United States of America. You’re probably telling yourself that you have not entered for any ASCAP contest or competition, so this does not apply to you. This definitely applies to you, read on and see how easy it is to receive royalties for your performances.

 

What is an ASCAP Award?

As you are aware that ASCAP (American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers) distributes royalties to all its affiliates. SAMRO being one of them receives royalties from ASCAP on behalf of its members. So if your works have been surveyed in the USA you will receive royalties from SAMRO via a distribution. If you’re of the opinion that you’re already receiving your royalties, so what makes the ASCAP Awards different?.

Here’s what the difference is:

Let me begin by telling you more about the ASCAP Awards Program.
The ASCAP Awards is an annual program that was introduced by the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) to compensate members of affiliated Societies for the performance of their works in public performance establishments in the United States of America, licensed by ASCAP but not included in the society’s distribution surveys.

ASCAP recognises that there are affiliated writers, like yourself, whose works that are licensed by ASCAP in the United States are substantially performed by media not surveyed by the society. The unique International Awards Program, addresses the needs of such writers by providing them the opportunity to apply for annual cash awards.

Although ASCAP funds this program all determinations are made solely by distinguished members of the music community who are neither members nor employees of ASCAP, and whose decisions are final.

The Awards Program is not a contest or competition, in which any specific work is critically evaluated. In fact it is the actual performance of works licensed by ASCAP in the United States and this serves as the primary basis for the Panel’s determinations. Awards are made annually.

 

What do you have to do to earn your cash award?

All you need to do is provide the International Affairs Department at SAMRO with information about your performances and they will do the rest.

 

What performance information does ASCAP require?

  • Date/s of your performances
  • Titles of the works (songs) performed
  • Name of the performer’s
  • Location of the performance (venue where the performance took place)
  • Important : Please submit supporting documentation
 (eg. Printed advertisements, news paper clippings, reviews, letters of confirmation, any additional information to support your application). These will be reviewed by the Panel who determines your qualification.
  • All information reported should reflect activities that have taken place over ASCAP’s current fiscal year, i.e. 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012.
  • Please do not send scores or recordings as these items will not be reviewed and cannot be returned.

 

If you qualify according to the information submitted when will you receive your award?

The closing date for all submissions is 15 January 2013. Your award will be sent to SAMRO together with ASCAP’s distribution to SAMRO in August 2013. Upon receipt of the distribution SAMRO will effect the Award payment directly into your account (the awards will not form part of SAMRO’s foreign distribution – the royalties awarded to our members are paid immediately upon receipt).