If you are using music in your event, you need a licence. There are some exceptions to this rule, but they are few and far between. It doesn’t matter if you already pay for Spotify, or if it’s your mate’s music - a licence gives you the right to use music in your production, and pays the musical artists responsible for creating those funky tunes.
At Melbourne Fringe we have licences for the Festival, but this doesn’t cover the shows. Your venue will also have their own licences, but usually these will only cover music in the foyer, or in the auditorium as audience are entering or exiting - anything that happens during your show, needs to have a unique licence organised.
This guide covers the steps you need to take to decide which licence you need, and how to obtain it. However, because a lot of this information tends to change quite quickly, we recommend your use this guide as a starting point only, prior to getting in touch with the relevant licensing bodies for clear and up-to-date information (contacts are on page eight).
Number one tip: if you’re unsure, contact OneMusic via [email protected] and they can guide you in the right direction. Even if you think you don’t need a licence, just give them a buzz to double check. It’s better to be safe than sued!
Number two tip: start this process ASAP. We recommend at least 6 weeks before your season - you don’t want to leave it to the last minute, then encounter issues that prevent you from using the music you need!
There are four main musical rights organisations you may have to deal with for live performance in a venue. They are:
OneMusic is an APRA AMCOS and PPCA joint initiative that aims to simplify the process of acquiring public performance music licences. If you’re using music at your event, whether live, recorded, or streamed, you may need a licence. OneMusic licences cover the public performance of music protected by copyright, including musical works (APRA) and sound recordings (PPCA).
Creative Commons is an international non-profit organisation that provides free licences and tools that copyright owners can use to allow others to share, reuse and remix their material, legally.
Different kinds of events require different licenses. Defining your event is the first step of finding a license. Use the questions below to help define your live event (for broadcast events see Page 9):
Is your event a presentation on the live stage that has a storyline and one or more narrators or characters?
Does your event feature music, but it’s not the main focus?