The digital landscape has seen many advancements over the past 25 years, bringing with it changes to the world of media like never before. For artists and the industry as a whole, collaborating across boarders is crucial. ACTRA Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (RACS) takes advantage of this type of globalisation, strengthening relationships and strategizing with similar organisations around the world.

As part of ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society, ACTRA RACS, is dedicated to collecting and distributing equitable remuneration royalties to performers for their contribution to audio and audiovisual works. Its mission is to ensure performers receive fair compensation for their creative contributions, while advocating for their rights. These royalties are generated from the use of performers’ work, including broadcasts, public performances, and private copying. In 2024, ACTRA RACS distributed over $3 million in royalties collected from territories outside of Canada to the rightsholders it represents— ensuring that artists are compensated fairly.

Home or abroad, ACTRA RACS plays a crucial role in ensuring Canadian performers are paid for their work. Our international reach has expanded significantly over the past decade, empowering Canadian performers to further their reach and receive compensation from foreign markets. For many artists this can be significant for their livelihoods. Currently, the organisation has agreements in over 40 territories (and counting) positioning itself as a leader in global royalty collections.

A key part of that leadership is learning from others. ACTRA RACS’ relationships with other Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) worldwide are crucial. These relationships offer valuable perspectives on copyright laws worldwide. For example, in working with AIE Spain, we have gained invaluable insights on their rights around streaming. This knowledge is helping us explore how to adopt a similar framework in Canada in the future.

However, working internationally also presents nuances which can bring challenges, especially when it comes to securing proper royalty payments. As mentioned, copyright laws and royalty collection systems vary from country to country. To navigate these complexities, ACTRA RACS has established formal partnerships with collecting societies across the globe. These collaborations ensure compliance with international copyright laws while maximising royalty collection efforts. ACTRA RACS is also a member of the Societies’ Council for the Collective Management of Performers’ Rights (SCAPR), a global nonprofit dedicated to best practices in royalty collection. Alongside its international partners, ACTRA RACS works to establish consistent processes and equitable royalty distribution standards that are implemented worldwide.

“Home or abroad, ACTRA RACS plays a crucial role in ensuring Canadian performers are paid for their work.”

Step-by-Step International Royalty Collection Process

1. Identifying the Works
   ACTRA RACS maintains a comprehensive database of its members’ repertoire. Using established procedures, we register each performance and link it to its recordings. This is the data that serves as the foundation for matching to royalty-generating uses abroad.
   
2. Tracking Usage
   We then monitor the work’s usage based on reports from our worldwide CMO partners. This includes tracking broadcasts, public performances, and digital streams with the territory’s jurisdiction.
   
3. Submitting Claims
   We send a claim to the relevant CMO to verify the reported usage and calculate the payment.
   
4. Receiving Funds
   Once verified, the CMO transfers royalties to ACTRA RACS.
   
5. Distribution
   Finally, we distribute these royalties to our members. In turn, we reciprocate this process for CMOs depending on our partnership type with them.

The shift to digital media has come with complexities in tracking usage and collecting royalties, particularly from global streaming platforms. In many territories, including Canada, copyright laws haven’t kept up with the rise of on-demand streaming as the preferred way of listening to music. This is a key reason why global awareness of performers’ rights remains a priority for ACTRA RACS. Both internationally and domestically, ACTRA RACS continues to advocate for improved royalty systems that benefit Canadian performers and the global creative community.

By leveraging digital platforms and expanding their international reach, Canadian artists can harness the growing demand they’ve cultivated, amplifying their presence and connecting with diverse communities. As demand for Canadian artists grows, so does on the world stage. This is as a reminder that art transcends borders and languages, taking a universal form that resonates with audiences worldwide.

ACTRA RACS simplifies this process for performers, easing the administrative burden of managing royalties across multiple jurisdictions. This allows performers to focus on what really matters—creating art.

Looking ahead, ACTRA RACS aims to continue expanding our global network and collecting royalties more effectively in emerging neighbouring rights markets, such as India, South Africa, and South Korea. By leveraging technologies and our worldwide community, we will improve data accuracy, further streamline our processes, and continue to communicate openly with our members. We’re already seeing this with the adoption of digital tracking technologies and our participation in the Virtual Recording Database (VRDB), which enhances transparency and efficiency in royalty management.

As entertainment continues to globalise, ACTRA RACS remains essential in protecting the rights and livelihoods of Canadian artists, helping them thrive in an interconnected world.

Kortnee Borden is the Director of ACTRA’s Performers’ Rights Society (ACTRA PRS) and Recording Artists’ Collecting Society (ACTRA RACS). In this role, he oversees the collection and distribution of Use fees, residuals, and royalties — ensuring performers receive the compensation they’re entitled to for the use of their work.