Sabam

Sabam is the Belgian association of authors, composers, and publishers, dedicated to managing and protecting the rights of its members across various artistic disciplines, including music, audiovisual works, literature, theatre and dance, and visual arts. Established in 1922 by a group of authors, Sabam has grown to represent thousands of creators from diverse fields, such as composers, lyricists, publishers, playwrights, choreographers, directors, screenwriters, translators, novelists, poets, cartoonists, illustrators, journalists, sculptors, painters, videographers, photographers, and graphic artists. This multidisciplinary approach makes Sabam virtually unique worldwide. (sabam.be ) As a private collective management organization, Sabam operates as a limited liability cooperative company (CVBA) and is not affiliated with any governmental or semi-governmental bodies. Its primary objective is to collect, distribute, administer, and manage authors' rights in Belgium and in other countries through reciprocity agreements with sister associations worldwide. (sabam.be ) Sabam's mission is to connect creation to value, ensuring that the creative works of its members are appropriately valued and compensated. The organization's vision focuses on understanding, effectively communicating, and clearly explaining the value generated by the various uses of its members' creative work, both now and in the future. Sabam proactively contributes to the global realization of this value for the benefit of all stakeholders, ensuring that a fair share is obtained by and shared with its members in an efficient, prompt, transparent, and sustainable manner. The organization embraces an open culture of collaboration, where the personal development of its staff and the success of Sabam go hand in hand. (sabam.be ) The core values guiding Sabam's operations include respect, team spirit, professionalism, customer orientation, integrity, and responsibility. These principles ensure that Sabam and its employees appreciate each individual's personality and background, foster a collaborative environment, offer tailored solutions to meet identified needs and expectations, provide prompt and thorough service, act in accordance with ethical standards, and fulfill obligations towards shareholders and society responsibly. (sabam.be ) In recent developments, Sabam has significantly increased online rights for authors through new technology and a partnership with BMAT, demonstrating its commitment to adapting to the evolving digital landscape and enhancing the value it provides to its members. (sabam.be ) Sabam's dedication to supporting cultural initiatives is evident through its Sabam For Culture program, which supported more than 1,000 local cultural initiatives in 2025, including events, projects, federations, donations, grants, and training sessions. (sabam.be ) For those organizing events or playing music in their business or workplace, Sabam provides licensing services to facilitate the legal use of music, ensuring that creators are fairly compensated for the use of their works. (sabam.be ) Sabam's commitment to its members and the broader creative community underscores its role as a pivotal organization in the Belgian and international cultural landscape.