Związek Artystów i Kompozytorów Scenicznych

ZAIKS (Stowarzyszenie Autorów ZAiKS) is Poland's oldest and largest collective management organization for copyright, founded in 1918 in Warsaw. It represents approximately 3,000 members across music, literature, drama, visual arts, and other creative fields, collecting and distributing royalties for the public performance, broadcasting, streaming, and digital use of its members' copyrighted works.

How ZAIKS Works

ZAIKS operates as a non-profit membership organization governed by a Board of Directors elected from and by its members. The organization holds a unique position in Polish copyright management, having been the sole legal copyright collective in Poland for decades until the market opened in 1995 under new copyright legislation. It remains the dominant CMO in the country.

The organization represents creators across multiple artistic disciplines: composers, lyricists, screenwriters, playwrights, translators, visual artists, choreographers, and other creators, as well as music publishers. Music publishers were granted full membership rights in 2018 under the collective management act, a change ZAIKS describes as a return to its pre-World War II roots when it was known as the Association of Authors, Composers and Publishers.

ZAIKS collects royalties from several sources: broadcasting (radio and television stations), digital platforms (streaming services and VOD), live performances (concerts, festivals, theater), general licensing (restaurants, cafes, retail stores, hotels), and international collections through reciprocal agreements with foreign societies. The organization protects over 97 million Polish and foreign works and represents over 4.5 million foreign authors and publishers in Poland.

Membership is open to any person who holds copyright to creative works. Members can be ordinary members (with full voting rights) or extraordinary members. As of the end of 2022, ZAIKS had 2,993 members (1,709 ordinary and 1,284 extraordinary), with approximately 23,100 rights holders having assigned their rights for collective management. Approximately one in four assigned creators is under 35 years old.

In 2025, ZAIKS achieved a record year, distributing 677 million PLN (approximately $170 million) to its creators. Of that total, 120 million PLN came from internet sources, reflecting the growing dominance of streaming and digital platforms in royalty collection. The organization also operates a Creativity Support Fund that distributes millions of zlotys annually to support arts and cultural initiatives across Poland.

ZAIKS has taken a strong position on AI and copyright. In early 2025, it published a "reservation of rights" for text and data mining (TDM), declaring that works in its repertoire cannot be used to train AI systems without a licensing agreement. This opt-out leverages the EU Directive 2019/790, which allows rights holders to reserve their works against TDM. ZAIKS has stated that AI-generated content does not qualify as "works" under copyright law because it lacks human authorship, and that it will not pay royalties for portions of works generated by AI.

The organization is headquartered at the "House Under the Kings" in Warsaw, the former seat of the historic Zaluski Library. Members also have access to five Houses of Creative Work in scenic locations across Poland (Zakopane, Krynica-Zdroj, Sopot, Ustka, and Konstancin-Jeziorna) for creative retreats.

Real-World Example

A Polish composer writes music for a television series that airs on a national broadcaster and is later picked up by a streaming platform. They register the compositions with ZAIKS and assign their rights for collective management.

The television station pays licensing fees to ZAIKS for broadcasting the music. When the series moves to a streaming platform like Netflix or HBO Max, ZAIKS collects digital royalties through its agreements with VOD services. If the series is distributed internationally, ZAIKS's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies (such as GEMA in Germany or SACEM in France) mean those societies collect performance royalties and remit them back to ZAIKS for distribution to the composer.

With ZAIKS's 2025 distribution of 677 million PLN across approximately 23,100 rights holders, the average annual payout was roughly 29,300 PLN ($7,300). However, actual distributions vary widely based on usage frequency and territory. A composer whose music appears regularly on Polish television and streaming platforms might earn 100,000 PLN or more annually, while a composer with limited airplay might receive only a few thousand PLN.

If the same composer uses AI tools like Suno to generate a portion of a song, ZAIKS will register the work but will not pay royalties for the AI-generated portion. Only the human-authored elements qualify for royalty distribution.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Polish songwriter, composer, lyricist, or publisher, ZAIKS is the primary collective management organization for collecting your performance and digital royalties. While other CMOs exist in Poland, ZAIKS remains the largest and most established, with over a century of operation and the broadest repertoire coverage.

To join, apply through the ZAIKS website. You must hold copyright to at least one creative work. After admission, you assign your rights for collective management, allowing ZAIKS to license and collect royalties on your behalf. Membership includes access to the five Houses of Creative Work retreats and eligibility for the Creativity Support Fund.

Register your works with complete metadata: titles, co-writer information, publisher shares, ISWC numbers, and ISRC codes for recordings. ZAIKS uses this data to match usage reports from broadcasters, streaming platforms, and venues to your compositions. Inaccurate or incomplete metadata is the most common reason for missed or delayed royalty payments.

If you use AI tools in your creative process, understand that ZAIKS will only pay royalties for human-authored portions of your works. You must disclose which elements were AI-generated during registration. ZAIKS's position aligns with the broader EU legal framework, which requires human creative control for copyright protection.

For international reach, ZAIKS's membership in CISAC, BIEM, and GESAC means your royalties are collected in over 100 countries through reciprocal agreements. If your music is performed or streamed outside Poland, those royalties flow back to you through ZAIKS. Ensure your works are registered before international release to avoid missing collection windows.

ZAIKS also advocates for creators' rights in legislative discussions, particularly around AI regulation and copyright reform. The organization's 2025 TDM opt-out means your works in ZAIKS's repertoire are protected against unauthorized AI training, giving you legal recourse if AI companies use your music without permission.

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Territory Covered

ZAIKS collects performing rights royalties exclusively within Poland. The organization licenses music users operating inside Polish borders. This includes radio and television stations, digital platforms (streaming services and VOD), live performance venues (concerts, festivals, theater), general licensing (restaurants, cafes, retail stores, hotels), and any business playing music publicly in Poland.

For royalties generated outside Poland, ZAIKS relies on its 100+ reciprocal agreements with foreign societies. ZAIKS represents over 4.5 million foreign authors and publishers in Poland and protects over 97 million Polish and foreign works. Major partners include GEMA (Germany), SACEM (France), PRS for Music (UK), ASCAP and BMI (US), SIAE (Italy), and STIM (Sweden). In 2025, ZAIKS signed a new reciprocal agreement with DACS (UK), bringing DACS's sister society network to 38 organizations.

How to Join ZAIKS

ZAIKS offers two levels of engagement: rights holder (OP, Ochrona Praw) and association member.

Step 1: Sign a Collective Management Agreement (Rights Holder)

1. Any person who holds copyright to creative works can sign a collective management agreement with ZAIKS.
2. This agreement authorizes ZAIKS to license and collect royalties on your behalf.
3. You must register your works with ZAIKS, providing titles, co-writer information, publisher shares, and ISWC numbers.
4. ZAIKS uses this data to match usage reports from broadcasters, streaming platforms, and venues to your compositions.
5. There is no minimum earning requirement to sign a collective management agreement.

Step 2: Apply for Association Membership (Extraordinary Member)

1. Submit a membership declaration (Deklaracja czlonkowska) to ZAIKS. This can be done in person, by mail, or electronically.
2. Indicate which Section of the Association you wish to join (based on your primary creative field).
3. Present information about your creative activity and portfolio of works.
4. Declare that you have not engaged in activities contrary to the goals or interests of ZAIKS in the 3 years preceding your application.
5. If you do not have a collective management agreement with ZAIKS, attach a list of your created works with information about their distribution.
6. The Section Board reviews your application and admits you as an extraordinary member.

Step 3: Become an Ordinary (Full) Member

1. After 2 years as an extraordinary member, you can apply for ordinary membership.
2. Ordinary members have full voting rights at the Members' Meeting.
3. Ordinary members can be elected to the Board, Audit Committee, and Peer Court.

For Music Publishers

1. Must be based in an EU or EEA member state.
2. Must have a collective management agreement with ZAIKS.
3. Submit a membership declaration with information about publishing activity.
4. Music publishers were granted full membership rights in 2018 under the collective management act.

Required Documents

• Membership declaration (Deklaracja czlonkowska)
• Portfolio of creative works
• For publishers: publishing contracts and company registration documents
• Declaration of no conflicting activities in the past 3 years

Membership Fees and Overhead Rate

Fees

• Joining fee: None. Membership is free to apply.
• Annual membership fee: None for extraordinary members. The organization operates as a non-profit.
• Collective management agreement: Free to sign. No fee for rights holder registration.

Overhead Rate

ZAIKS does not prominently publish its overhead rate as a single percentage. The organization is a non-profit (not for profit) entity whose statutory purpose is to collect and distribute royalties. Administrative costs are deducted from collected revenue before distribution, consistent with Polish copyright law (Ustawa o zbiorowym zarzadzaniu).

In 2025, ZAIKS distributed a record 677 million PLN (approximately $170 million) to creators. Of that total, 120 million PLN came from internet sources. The organization also operates a Creativity Support Fund that distributes millions of zlotys annually to support arts and cultural initiatives across Poland.

ZAIKS does not generate profit for shareholders. Any surplus is distributed to rights holders or allocated to the Creativity Support Fund and member welfare programs. Members also have access to five Houses of Creative Work in scenic locations across Poland (Zakopane, Krynica-Zdroj, Sopot, Ustka, and Konstancin-Jeziorna) for creative retreats.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

ZAIKS operates multiple distribution frequencies depending on the type of royalty source:

Monthly Distributions

• Live performances (concerts, stage performances, cabaret, circus, philharmonic and symphony orchestra performances)
• Simultaneous distribution with public performance
• Rental and lending

Quarterly Distributions

• Mechanical reproduction on sound carriers (CDs, vinyl, digital downloads)
• Mechanical reproduction on audiovisual carriers
• Public display of audiovisual works

Semi-Annual Distributions

• Certain point-based distributions for specific usage categories

Annual Distributions

• All remaining point-based distributions
• International collections from reciprocal agreements (timing depends on when foreign societies remit to ZAIKS)

The multi-frequency distribution system means that live performance royalties are paid within approximately 1 month of the performance, while mechanical and broadcast royalties follow quarterly or annual cycles. International royalties typically arrive 6 to 18 months after the actual usage, depending on the reporting schedule of the foreign society.

Reciprocal Agreements with Foreign Societies

ZAIKS maintains over 100 reciprocal agreements with foreign collective management organizations worldwide. ZAIKS is a founding member of CISAC (1926) and a member of BIEM (1929) and GESAC (European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers).

Major reciprocal partners include:

• GEMA (Germany): Major European partner
• SACEM (France): Major European partner
• PRS for Music (UK): Major European partner
• STIM (Sweden): Nordic partner
• SIAE (Italy): European partner
• ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC (US): Major international partners
• JASRAC (Japan): Asian partner
• OSA (Czech Republic): Central European partner
• DACS (UK): New reciprocal agreement signed in 2025 for visual artists
• RRA (New Zealand): New reciprocal agreement signed in 2025

ZAIKS co-founded CISAC in 1926. Members of ZAIKS's board have served on CISAC's governing bodies, including Kazimierz Wroczynski, Jerzy Boczkowski, Jan Brzechwa, Karol Malcuzynski, and Walery Jastrzebiec-Rudnicki.

Notable Members

ZAIKS's membership spans multiple creative disciplines including music, literature, drama, visual arts, and other fields. Several notable figures have been associated with ZAIKS:

• Julian Tuwim (1894 to 1953): Poet and co-founder of ZAIKS in 1918. One of Poland's most celebrated poets. Known for "Kwiaty Polskie" and contributions to Polish cabaret.
• Jan Brzechwa (1898 to 1966): Poet, lawyer, and co-founder of ZAIKS. Known for children's poetry including "Akademia Pana Kleksa." Served on CISAC's governing body.
• Antoni Slonimski (1895 to 1976): Poet and co-founder of ZAIKS. Leading figure in Polish literary life. Known for satirical and philosophical poetry.
• Kazik Staszewski (born 1963): Singer-songwriter and frontman of Kult, founded in 1982. One of Poland's most influential rock musicians. Launched one of the first Polish rap albums in 1991.
• Marek Hojda (born 1964): Composer, vocalist, and arranger. Former Vice President of ZAIKS. Member of bands De Mono, Emigranci, and Surzyn Band. Board member of Music Export Poland and President of SPACe (Society of Polish Audiovisual Composers).
• Pawel Lukaszewski (born 1968): Composer and conductor. Known for sacred and choral music. President of the Musica Sacra Institute. Professor at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. Multiple composition competition laureate.
• Anna Huszcza (born 1986): Composer, arranger, and educator. Doctor of musical arts. Chair of ZAIKS Section A (Music Section) since June 2022. Her compositions have been performed in Poland, Lithuania, Croatia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Sweden, Belgium, and Japan.
• Zbigniew Penherski (1935 to 2019): Composer. ZAIKS member since 1961. Known for orchestral and chamber music, radio works, and operas. Honorary member of the Scottish Society of Composers. Studied at the Institute of Sonology in Utrecht.
• Wojciech Urbanski: Music producer and composer. Known for film music including the series "Rojst '97." Guest on the ZAIKS Akademia podcast. Collaborated with Tymek, Brodka, and Zbigniew Wodecki.

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