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MySabam
Become a member
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Give your creations the value they deserve

When your work is used, you want the income it generates to reach you. Sabam ensures that your copyrights are managed and that you receive the royalties you are entitled to, both in Belgium and around the world. That way, you can focus on what you do best: creating.

Join Sabam as an author

Why join Sabam?

Your creations can generate income

Is your work streamed, broadcast, published, or performed live? Register your works, and we’ll make sure the revenue they generate goes to you.

More than 50,000 creators by your side

You are part of a strong community of authors and publishers. Together, we help shape how copyrights are managed and what the future of creativity will look like.

Belgium and around the world

No matter where your work is used, we monitor your copyrights through an international network of partner organizations.

Opportunities for growth

As a member, you’ll have access to support, guidance, development opportunities, and grants that will help you further develop your talent, projects, and career.

A voice for creators

Sabam advocates for the interests of creators and publishers. In this way, we help ensure that creative work continues to be recognized and properly compensated.

When should you join?

As soon as your work starts reaching an audience.
Is your music being played, your text being published, your work being shared online, exhibited, broadcast, or performed on stage?
Then it’s time to have your copyrights professionally managed.

How much does it cost to join as an author?

As an author, you pay no annual membership fee.

You only pay:

  • a one-time administrative fee of € 75
  • a share in Sabam

You choose the option that best suits you:

  • Full share - € 124
    You have voting rights and can help shape Sabam’s direction
  • Partial share - € 31
    You can attend the general meeting, but do not have voting rights
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Become a Member in Just a Few Clicks

Sign up for one or more disciplines

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Music
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Audiovisual
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Visual Arts
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Theater & Dance
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Literature
Publisher
Do you manage works by one or more authors?
You are entitled to a share of the revenue.
I'm joining as a publisher
Heir
Are you the heir of a Sabam member?
You can continue managing the estate and collecting the proceeds.
I'm joining as an heir

We'll help you get started

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What conditions do I need to meet to join Sabam as an author?

You can join Sabam if you are the author or co-author of at least one original work. This can be a work in music, audiovisual creation, theatre and dance, visual arts, or literature. An adaptation or translation for which you have obtained the necessary permission may also qualify.

In addition, your work must be used publicly. For example, when it is:

  • performed live or staged;
  • broadcast on radio or television;
  • streamed or shared online;
  • published, exhibited or reproduced;
  • sold publicly, as is the case for certain visual art works.

Sabam can then monitor the use of your work and ensure that the copyright royalties it generates are paid to you.

Membership is personal
Membership is always personal. If you are part of a band, collective or any other group, each author or composer must join individually.

What if you are only a performer?
Are you a musician, singer, actor or actress, but do not write or create works yourself? In that case, your rights fall under neighbouring rights, and you can turn to PlayRight.

Are you both an author and a performer? Then you can join both Sabam and PlayRight. The two memberships complement each other.

What if your work is not yet being used publicly?
If your work is not yet being performed, broadcast, published, exhibited or otherwise used publicly, there is usually little benefit in joining Sabam at this stage, as there are no copyright royalties to manage or distribute yet.

However, you can already register your work free of charge through OnlineDepot. This allows you to establish the creation date of your work and gives you proof that you created it at a specific point in time.
How can I prove that my work is being used?

Depending on the creative field you work in, there are several ways to demonstrate that your work is being used publicly. You can find an overview of the types of evidence that may be accepted here.

You may also ask a user of your work to complete this declaration form as proof of use.
Does Sabam protect my works?

No. Your work is automatically protected by copyright as soon as you create it. You do not need to be a member of Sabam for this protection to apply.

Copyright arises automatically when you create an original work and fix it in a tangible form, such as a text, illustration, photograph, musical composition or screenplay.

What does Sabam do then?
Sabam does not provide legal protection for your work, but it manages the copyrights associated with it. This means that we collect royalties when your work is used, performed, broadcast, reproduced or otherwise exploited. We then ensure that these royalties are distributed to you.