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The Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) has collected a record amount of £40m in one year for creators from across the world.
The £40m financial total is the largest that the organisation has ever raised in its 44-year history and £26m went to 90,000 writers in March.
“Over the course of the year, the ALCS team has processed millions of micropayments received from 55 different countries, as well as securing new agreements with organisations in countries including Argentina, Belgium and Colombia,” the not-for-profit organisation said. “In the March 2021 distribution, which is typically the bigger of our twice-yearly distributions, we paid over 90,000 writers a share of £26m - more money to more ALCS members in a single distribution than ever before.”
ALCS said the windfall has been particularly important for freelances hit by lockdown, explaining: “This record year comes at a time when many writers are still feeling the financial burden of the pandemic, after a year of lockdown restrictions and the most recent budget announcement revealing changes to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme that fall short of expectations for freelances.” The Society of Authors recently warned of authors' financial struggles which was backed up by research from The Bookseller.
Since 1977, the organisation has raised £570m in total to writers for the use of their written and visual works. It helps writers receive payments for niche uses of their work. It represents around 112,000 members overall.
Owen Atkinson, ALCS c.e.o., said: “It is fantastic that we have been able to collect this amount of income and distribute this money to our members in a year when so many writers have struggled financially. Thanks to the efforts of our staff, we have been able to operate business as usual and without disruption, despite everyone working out of their homes throughout the whole of the last year. Despite the ongoing Covid pandemic, we continue to collect licence income for members as we strive for another successful year in 2021.”
For more information, visit alcs.co.uk/register.