ARMAUTHOR NGO

ARMAUTHOR (Armenian Author's Rights Collective Management Organization) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established on January 19, 2001 in Yerevan that collectively manages copyright and related rights for Armenian creators. It licenses the public performance, broadcast, and communication of musical and dramatic works, collects royalties from businesses that use music, and distributes them to its 1,500+ rightsholder members.

How ARMAUTHOR Works

Armenian copyright law, adopted in 1999 and last revised in 2006, grants authors exclusive rights to their works. Individual enforcement of these rights is impractical, so ARMAUTHOR acts as a centralized licensing body. The organization signs license agreements with theaters, concert halls, television and radio broadcasters, restaurants, and other businesses that publicly use copyrighted music.

Membership is free. Creators apply and, once accepted, assign their rights to ARMAUTHOR for collective management. The organization charges a 15% administrative fee on collected royalties, which covers staff salaries, operational costs, and service improvements. The remaining 85% is distributed to rightsholders based on usage data.

ARMAUTHOR also operates a copyright deposit system. Authors can deposit their works and receive a certificate, though this does not establish legal authorship under Armenian law. It serves as evidentiary documentation.

As a CISAC member since December 15, 2001 (CISAC Code 209), ARMAUTHOR has reciprocal representation agreements with more than 30 foreign collective rights management organizations. This means Armenian works performed abroad generate royalties collected by foreign societies and remitted to ARMAUTHOR, while foreign works performed in Armenia generate royalties collected by ARMAUTHOR for distribution to international rightsholders.

The organization is also developing its digital licensing capabilities. In 2019, ARMAUTHOR reached an agreement with Public Radio of Armenia to pay royalties for digital platform usage in addition to traditional broadcast. Armenian copyright law is currently undergoing its fourth revision, with proposed changes requiring state accreditation for CMOs and introducing stricter transparency and accountability standards aligned with the EU Directive of 2014 and CISAC professional requirements.

Real-World Example

An Armenian composer writes 30 songs that receive regular airplay on Armenian Public Radio and several Yerevan-based television channels. Without ARMAUTHOR, the composer would need to negotiate individual license agreements with each broadcaster, which is not realistic for an independent artist.

With ARMAUTHOR membership, the composer assigns their performing rights to the organization. ARMAUTHOR collects license fees from Public Radio of Armenia, the TV channels, and any venues that play the songs live. If the collected fees total 1,000,000 AMD (approximately $2,500 USD) for the composer's works in a given period, ARMAUTHOR deducts 15% for administrative costs and distributes 850,000 AMD to the composer.

If those same songs are performed on Russian radio, ARMAUTHOR's bilateral agreement with VOIS (Russia's neighboring rights society) means VOIS collects those royalties and remits them to ARMAUTHOR for distribution. In 2019, ARMAUTHOR held 468 license agreements with various businesses and organizations across Armenia.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are an Armenian songwriter, composer, or publisher, ARMAUTHOR membership is the only practical mechanism to collect performance royalties for your works. The organization offers free membership and free consultations. You do not need to pay anything upfront to join.

Once registered, ensure your works are properly documented with correct metadata, split sheets, and ISRC codes. ARMAUTHOR's distribution depends on accurate usage reporting from licensees, so properly registered works are more likely to be matched and paid. Submit your compositions with complete publisher data, IPI numbers, and split information.

For non-Armenian artists, ARMAUTHOR matters if your music is performed in Armenia. Your home PRO should collect from ARMAUTHOR through reciprocal agreements. However, some smaller PROs and publishing administrators do not have direct relationships with ARMAUTHOR, so verify with your PRO or publisher that Armenian collections are covered.

Armenia's copyright framework is evolving. The proposed legislative changes requiring state accreditation and enhanced transparency for CMOs may improve royalty collection accuracy and distribution speed in the coming years. Stay informed about these developments if you have works generating revenue in the Armenian market.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• Copyright - The legal framework behind royalty collection
• Neighboring Rights - How related rights differ from composition royalties
• ARMAUTHOR Official Website - Visit ARMAUTHOR for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings