COU20-0238
March 23rd, 2020

This open letter to governments internationally was issued today by the President and Vice-Presidents ofCISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers.

CALLING ON GOVERNMENTS FOR GLOBAL ACTION TO HELP CREATORSThe coronavirus crisis is posing an unprecedented threat, on a global scale, to a generation of people who
make a living and a profession as creators. We write today as the President and Vice Presidents of CISAC,
and as artists from different regions of the world, to call for action by governments on a global scale to help
creators survive the current crisis and eventually help lead it to recovery.
CISAC is the largest creative network in the world, with over 230 member authors societies representing 4
million working creators of all repertoires.
Creators of music, audiovisual works, visual arts, drama and literature are the backbone of national culturesand of economies. Even now, it is their creative works which are everywhere helping and connecting
millions of people who are having to endure a life of quarantine.
But creators are in a uniquely fragile position. The large majority of them are self-employed and dependenton royalties paid by authors societies. Today, and in the coming weeks and months, creators will be among
the worst affected by the crisis.
Authors societies are doing their best, maintaining royalty distributions and using emergency social funds
where possible. However, CISAC members from across the world, are reporting a collapse of cultural andentertainment activity, affecting concerts, festivals, exhibitions and all the main platforms where creativeworks are used.
Creators are by nature self-motivated entrepreneurs and will be an enormously positive force in helping
drive the economic recovery in the future. But they urgently need rescue measures now, and only the leverof government policy will have the impact required.
Several governments, such as France, have acted, for example with emergency funding for creative sectors;
others such as Argentina, Chile and Peru, have already identified protection for the creators (for example
via tax and social security concessions and emergency payments) as a priority.

It is imperative that governments in all countries act for creators now and ensure the highest level ofsupport possible.
We thank you for your support and for understanding the vital importance of creators in the future of ourculture and society.
Kind regards,

Jean-Michel Jarre, electronic music composer and performer
CISAC President

Angélique Kidjo, singer and songwriter
CISAC Vice President

Marcelo Piñeyro, film director, screenwriter
CISAC Vice President

Miquel Barceló, visual artist
CISAC Vice President

Jia Zhang-ke, film director, writer and producer
CISAC Vice President

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About CISACCISAC – the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers – is the world’s leading network ofauthors’ societies (also referred to as Collective Management Organisations, or CMOs).
With more than 230 member societies in 120 countries, CISAC represents over four million creators from all
geographic regions and artistic repertoires including music, audiovisual, drama, literature and visual arts. CISAC ispresided over by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and the organisation’s vice-presidents are: Beninese
singer Angélique Kidjo, Argentinean film director Marcelo Piñeyro, Spanish visual artist Miquel Barceló and Chinese
film director, scriptwriter and producer Jia Zhang-ke.
CISAC protects the rights and represents the interests of creators worldwide. Founded in 1926, it is a non governmental, not-for-profit organisation with headquarters in France and regional offices in Africa, Latin America(Chile), Asia-Pacific (China) and Europe (Hungary).
www.cisac.org | Twitter: @CISACNews | Facebook: CISACWorldwide.

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