cultural commons collecting society.
Cooperative Society. 02/2010 - 04/2015.
The C3S is rethinking collective management. The project of the Cultural Commons Collecting Society started out to improve the financial situation for non-established artists. Most of us at some time had been or still are musicians. Moreover, the whole team of C3S SCE is tech savvy. In 2010, from our perspective it was clear that implementing entirely digital licensing workflows would be more efficient and more fair towards artists than traditional approaches. 5 years later, the concept became mainstream with Kobalt’s AMRA.
All across Germany and other European countries, artists and users alike were unsatisfied with existing collecting societies. Many people moaned, and most didn’t act. That is why we decided to take the bold step forward by founding a European Cooperative Society (SCE).
The implementation phase of C3S SCE started after two highly successful crowdfundings supported by the Federal State of North-Rhine Westphalia. Although, for a goal like ours the funding was just a drop in a bucket.
For the foundation, we were joined by artists like Dr. Motte, Zoe.Leela, Danny Bruder, Singvøgel and singer/songwriter Roxanne de Bastion (FAC) as founding members. More supporting artists included Bruno Kramm (Das Ich) and Luci van Org (Üebermutter, Lucilectric, Meystersinger).
position.
- initiator
- founder
- executive director
- member of administrative board
tasks.
- business development
- marketing
- partner management
- crowdfunding
- funds management
achievements.
- gaining more than 900 members in first two years
- developing prototype for part of workflow
- raising public awareness for independent musicians and Creative Commons
- causing impact on German collecting society GEMA
- international partnerships and presentations
- receiving 185.000 € from founders and two crowdfundings within 6 months
- supported by additional EU/NRW grants
partners.
press.
- C3S-Generalversammlung: Der weite Weg durchs Patent- und Markenamt
- musikmarkt. Das Branchenmagazin.
- Die Situation für die Urheber allgemein verbessern
- musikmarkt. Das Branchenmagazin.
- Da ist Musik drin
- brand eins
- Alles oder Nichts? Manches...
- KEYS
- Special: Cultural Commons Collecting Society. Die Alternative zur GEMA.
- Zillo. Das Musikmagazin
- Neue Freiheiten
- Visions
- Wehrt Euch endlich!
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
"There's competition ahead for GEMA!" - Alexander Cevolani, KEYS 09/2013, p. 36
"The task appeared complex, yet feasible--still standing on the building's steps Senges said to Michalke: 'Now we have to start', and he said: 'Yes.'" - Holger Fröhlich, brand eins 07/2014, p. 98
"Ideally, the C3S as a collection society is supposed to represent the entire European cultural domain." - m.eik michalke, Executive Director C3S SCE and artist, musikmarkt September 35|14
"Just one month prior to the foundation of the C3S [..] all of a sudden the GEMA announced plans to launch a pilot considering Creative Commons licences. Which is essentially what [suggested by the initiators of C3S] only few years ago had been strictly declined. The mere prospect of an alternative seems to cause the collection society giant [GEMA] to move in a way that hasn't been possible before." - Holger Fröhlich, brand eins 07/2014, p. 99
"Never before the approach to establish an alternative to GEMA has been [undertaken] as promising as by the C3S." - Bruno Kramm, Zillo 11/2013, p.112