Pop music chain table presents plans for paying fair pay at CPFE Congress

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9 October 2023

Pop music chain table presents plans for paying fair pay at CPFE Congress

Photo: Ben Houdijk

The gap between commitment and earnings of pop musicians

At ESNS 2023, after a year of mutual consultation, the Pop Music Chain Table presented an analysis of the income gap between current fees and an appropriate and fair fee (fair pay) for pop musicians. Conclusion of the analysis: €7.8 million more is needed per year for fair pay. The analysis and accompanying report, The gap between commitment and earnings of pop musicians, were conducted by consulting firm Berenschot. Berenschot also concluded that the amount in question cannot be raised within the pop sector itself or from higher public revenues. Thus, the chain table pondered the question: how can we structurally finance that 7.8 million? At the Congres Podia Festivals Events 2023 (CPFE) of the Vereniging Nederlandse Poppodia en -Festivals (VNPF) and the Vereniging van Evenementenmakers (VVEM) on September 18, this question was answered.

Is that 7.8 million above water yet?

During the CPFE panel discussion “What’s the state of Fair Pay? Is that 7.8 million above water yet?” program manager Noud van de Rhee, Jolanda Beyer of Patronaat, Will Maas on behalf of the Kunstenbond and Rita Zipora of BAM! Pop Authors presented the chain table plan to fund fair pay for performing musicians at pop venues and festivals. The initial proposal is to increase the income of pop musicians through a percentage surcharge on all performances. The aim is to pass this surcharge on to the service charges, which will be passed on in ticket prices. This means that ultimately the audience will pay for fair pay. The extra income that comes in through the increased service charge will be remitted by pop venues and festivals to an umbrella fund, yet to be established. Finally, the fund will redistribute the money to pop musicians.

“Pop musicians’ income is increased through service charges”

Feasibility study on raising service charges and establishing fund

To determine the extent to which raising service charges and setting up a fund is realistic, Berenschot is conducting a feasibility study. This will record, among other things, which roles should be fulfilled in funding fair pay in the pop sector:

  • Audience: from whom does the money come?
  • Ticket sellers: through whom does it come in?
  • Administrator: with whom is it managed?
  • Distributor: by whom is it redistributed?
  • Pop musicians: to whom does it belong?

A modest amount

Before suggestions will be made for parties to participate, legal research will be conducted on the legal possibilities of the above system. Here it is also important to determine what criteria should be set for the managing party and the distributing party.

At the conclusion of the CPFE panel discussion, a few questions were raised from the well-filled room. The most pressing question: isn’t that 7.8 million understated? To this end, the panelists explained that indexing has yet to take place. In addition, only music venues and festivals affiliated with the VNPF are included in the report The gap between effort and income of pop musicians. Thus, the 7.8 million euros concerns a modest amount. The feasibility study will therefore pay extra attention to the number of pop musicians whose income needs to be increased. The study is expected to be completed in a few weeks.

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