There are not many special funds in Lithuania dedicated to supporting artists of various fields. The oldest one is the Lithuanian Musicians Support Fund, established in 1992. The Fund is a public charity organisation and publishing house, which supports the development of Lithuanian musicians’ creative activities, commemoration of musicians, promotion of music, and patronizes talented musicians and music veterans. The Fund implements 12 programmes, such as various concourses, festivals and education programmes.
The Lithuanian Writers Union Foundation aims to give beneficence to the members of LWU and support programmes that correspond to the aims of the Foundation or its subdivisions. In accordance with the Law on Charity and Sponsorship Funds of the Republic of Lithuania, the Literary Foundation supports the publishing of fiction, especially of an original type, management and publishing of the literary heritage of the members of LWU; literary events: conferences, literary evenings, commemoration of anniversaries, literary competitions, etc.; activities of the subdivisions of LWU, such as periodicals, publishing and bookshops; care of the memorials to writers and other remembrance programmes; and social and cultural programmes announced by Government.
The organisations of collective administration of copyright and related rights make payments for their members. National and international copyright is collectively administered by the Association LATGA established in 1991 and the Music Copyright Association NATA established in 2012. The collective administration of the performers and phonogram producers’ rights is performed by the Lithuanian Related Rights Association AGATA that was established in 1999. At the initiative of the performers and phonogram producers, the related rights association GRETA was established in 2013. The Association of Audiovisual Works Copyright AVAKA, established in 2008, administers the rights of the owners of audiovisual works. These organisations distribute royalties and make payments to represented right holders.
AVAKA has a Sociocultural Fund that is used to strengthen the audiovisual sector and encourage creativity through support of events, concourses, festivals, workshops, conferences and other activities, which enhance the professional competences of TV and film producers. The fund also can be used for special payments to AVAKA members in case of accidents, illness or death.
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