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Obtaining licences for public performance

In Australia, most music publishers and composers license public performance through the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). In Australia, the major record companies license public performance through the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA).

Obtaining licences for public performance of music is fairly simple. You should go to the following websites and find the sections on licensing:

APRA-AMCOS - for a licence to play musical compositions

PPCA - for a licence to play sound recordings

If you are causing a sound recording of music to be heard in public, you usually need to get permission from two different copyright owners. In addition to the owner of the musical composition, you need to get permission from the owner of the sound recording. This is usually the record company. Even if there is no longer any copyright in the musical work, a work by Beethoven for example, you will still need to get permission from the sound recording copyright holder. The copyright owner of the musical composition is usually the publisher or composer.

These organisations do not have the authority to license performances of dramatic musical works, referred to as “grand rights works”. If you wish to perform an opera or musical theatre work that is still in copyright, you must contact the rights holders directly.

Under Australian law, the occupier of the premises where the performance takes place is ultimately responsible for ensuring copyright permissions are obtained. If you use University premises for events at which music will be heard in public, you must ensure that music licences are in place. If you hire premises from another organisation for events, you should check your hire agreement to see who is responsible for obtaining music licences and ensure that one is obtained. On the other hand, if you hire out University premises to other organisations, you should spell out responsibility for obtaining copyright licences in the hire agreement.

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