Design and Artists Copyright Society

Who we are

About DACS

Established by artists for artists, DACS is a not-for-profit visual artists’ rights management organisation. Passionate about transforming the financial landscape for visual artists through innovative new products and services, we act as a trusted broker for 100,000 artists worldwide.

Founded over 30 years ago, DACS is a flagship organisation that campaigns for artists’ rights, championing their sustained and vital contribution to the creative economy.

We collect and distribute royalties to visual artists and their estates through Payback, Dutch Public Lending Right, Artist's Resale Right, Copyright Licensing and Artimage. Since we were founded in 1984, we have paid over £100 million in royalties to artists and their estates – a significant source of income supporting artists’ livelihoods, their practice and legacy. 

Payback

Payback is an annual scheme run by DACS to distribute the money owed to visual artists by various collective licensing schemes.

Payback is open to visual artists and estates for all types of published artwork, from fine art and photography to design and illustration. The royalties come from collective licences which allow ‘secondary reproductions’ of artwork, such as photocopies of photographs in magazines and books or the repeat broadcast of TV programmes featuring artists’ work.

In 2016, 35,000 visual artists, artists’ estates and their representatives claimed a share of £5.5 million in Payback royalties.

Artist’s Resale Right

The Artist’s Resale Right (ARR) entitles artists and estates to a modest share of the sale price each time their work is resold on the secondary market via an auction house, art dealer or gallery. DACS collects and distributes royalties to eligible artists and beneficiaries for sales taking place in the UK and also in Europe through our network of sister societies.

In 2016, DACS paid £9.2 million in ARR royalties to 1,700 artists and estates.

Copyright Licensing

For over 30 years, DACS has been a trusted broker for artists and estates for copyright licensing. Each year DACS works with a diverse range of customers including museums and galleries, publishers, auction houses, advertising agencies, production companies and games developers who want to use works by artists whom we represent. These uses range from e-books and film sets, to computer games, mobile apps, exhibition merchandise and billboards.

In 2016, DACS paid £1.5 million in Copyright Licensing royalties to 1,300 artists and estates.

Artimage

Artimage is a digital image solution dedicated to sourcing and licensing exceptional modern and contemporary art. Launched in 2014, Artimage is a service by DACS and offers a streamlined service for all publishing, merchandising and advertising needs. Over the past few years, Artimage has grown to showcase more than 16,000 images by over 150 leading international artists including, Francis Bacon, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

DACS Foundation

DACS Foundation is dedicated to the physical and intellectual preservation of the UK’s cultural heritage, making artists’ works and archives accessible for present and future generations. The Foundation champions a new and encompassing perspective on the value of visual art and artists to society through public participation in education, events, publications and research opportunities.