A key actor in the provision of cultural services is the non-profit sector, often linked to large financial or industrial corporations. The 2008 financial crisis significantly altered private-sector funding for culture, as many Cajas de Ahorro (savings banks) ceased to operate. Nevertheless, institutions such as Fundación “la Caixa”, Fundación BBVA, Fundación Mapfre, and Fundación Ramón Areces continue to implement funding programmes to support cultural activities and, in some cases, manage their own cultural centres.
There are currently eight collective management organisations authorised by the Spanish Ministry to manage usage and related rights on behalf of, and in the interest of, authors and other intellectual property rights holders: the Spanish Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (SGAE); the Spanish Reproduction Rights Centre (CEDRO); the Association for the Management of Intellectual Property Rights (AGEDI); the Artists and Performers Society of Spain (AIE); the Visual Management Entity of Plastic Artists (VEGAP); the Audiovisual Producers’ Rights Management Association (EGEDA); the Artists and Performers Management Society (AISGE); and the Audiovisual Authors’ Rights Management Entity (DAMA).
In 2024, entities managing intellectual property rights collected 630 million euros, of which 420 million euros were distributed to rights holders. The main rights management entities were SGAE (58.5%), AIE (15.1%), and VEGAP (1.6%). Rights organisations had a total of 244,027 members, with significant differences in gender representation and organisational distribution.
Professional organisations play a key role in promoting the cultural and creative industries and in safeguarding authors’ rights. In recent years, several organisations have been active in advocating for artistic and cultural rights, including:
- the Spanish Federation of Associations of Cultural Managers, founded in 1999, represents cultural management professionals through a network of regional associations. It aims to strengthen the profession, foster knowledge exchange, and contribute to the development of cultural policies in Spain. The federation has also promoted collective advocacy initiatives, including the Pacts for Culture of 2010 and 2015;
- the Spanish Association of Women Filmmakers and Audiovisual Media Professionals, founded in 2006, works to promote the equal participation of women in the audiovisual sector;
- the Coalition of Creators and Content Industries, founded in 2008, is an umbrella organisation representing authors, performers and cultural industries. It advocates for the protection of intellectual property rights and supports measures to combat copyright infringement and online piracy in digital environments.
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