Sociedad Panameña de Autores y Compositores (SPAC)

SPAC (Sociedad Panamena de Autores y Compositores) is a non-profit collective management organization founded in 1972 in Panama that licenses the public performance of musical works on behalf of its affiliated authors and composers. It was established by a group of writers and composers from the tradicional Panamanian music genre who organized to protect their rights and preserve folkloric musical values. SPAC distributes royalties quarterly to its members based on usage data from radio stations, television networks, streaming platforms, and live venues.

How SPAC Works

SPAC issues licenses to radio stations, television networks, streaming services, concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, and any business that plays music publicly in Panama. Collected license fees are distributed to affiliated authors and composers based on reported usage data from broadcasters, digital platforms, and live performance set lists.

SPAC operates as a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected by its members. In September 2025, SPAC held elections with 190 eligible voting members, of which 122 participated. The winning slate, "La Nueva Era de SPAC," led by President Amable Moreno Cardenas, took office with a board of seven directors including a vice president, treasurer, secretary, and three additional directors.

In February 2026, SPAC signed an official cooperation agreement with the Asociacion Panamenista de Radiodifusion (APR), the Panamanian Association of Broadcasters. The agreement, signed on February 3, 2026, by APR President Pedro Solis and SPAC President Amable Moreno Cardenas, strengthens the relationship between authors and radio broadcasters and improves the framework for royalty collection from radio stations.

SPAC publishes an official royalty distribution calendar each year. The 2026 calendar follows a quarterly schedule with four distribution periods. Each quarter has a process closing date followed by a payment window. First quarter payments (for March) close on April 15, 2026, with payments from April 16 to 30. Second quarter (June) closes July 15, with payments July 16 to 30. Third quarter (September) closes October 15, with payments October 16 to 30. Fourth quarter (December) closes December 20, with payments December 21 to 31.

SPAC also offers school scholarships for the children of active members. The 2026 scholarship application period ran from January 19 to January 30, 2026, providing educational support to member families as part of SPAC's social responsibility programs.

Real-World Example

A Panamanian songwriter affiliates with SPAC and registers 10 songs. A Panama City radio station plays 5 of those songs regularly, and two local restaurants hold SPAC blanket licenses for background music. SPAC collects royalties from both sources.

The songwriter receives a quarterly distribution based on the radio station's reported playlists and the restaurants' license fees. If the same songs are played on radio in Colombia, SPAC's reciprocal agreement with SAYCO (the Colombian collective management organization) means SAYCO collects those royalties and remits them to SPAC, which distributes them to the songwriter in the next distribution cycle.

With SPAC's quarterly distribution schedule, the songwriter can expect payments in April, July, October, and December 2026. A songwriter with 10 registered songs receiving regular airplay on Panamanian radio might earn anywhere from $200 to $15,000 annually, depending on the scale of usage and the number of stations playing the works.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Panamanian songwriter or composer, SPAC membership is the primary way to collect performance royalties when your music is played publicly in Panama. Without it, you are not collecting royalties from radio, TV, streaming platforms, live venues, or businesses that play your music.

Register every composition with SPAC before commercial release. Unregistered works earn zero royalties, even if they receive significant radio airplay. Submit accurate metadata including song titles, writer shares, publisher information, and ISRC codes to ensure proper matching and payment.

SPAC's 2026 cooperation agreement with APR means radio royalty collection is being strengthened. This is directly relevant to independent artists whose music gets radio play in Panama. The agreement should improve reporting accuracy and royalty flow from radio stations to songwriters.

SPAC's scholarship program provides a tangible benefit beyond royalty collection. If you are an active member with school-age children, you can apply for educational scholarships during the annual application period. This is an unusual benefit among PROs and worth taking advantage of.

SPAC's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies mean your royalties flow back to you when your music is played internationally. Ensure your works are registered so international performances are tracked. SPAC's relatively small membership base means you may receive more personalized service than at larger PROs, but the total royalty pool is also smaller.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties differ from performance royalties
• Blanket License - The licensing model used by SPAC
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• SPAC Official Website - Visit SPAC for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings