Zimbabwe Council of Copyrights (ZICCO) seeks corporate support to empower artists and fight piracy

Leonard Ncube , [email protected] 

DRIVEN by the desire to empower artistes and guard against many of them living miserable lives due to poor remuneration and piracy, the Zimbabwe Council of Copyrights (ZICCO) is appealing to the corporate world for assistance to start projects.

ZICCO was established last year as an organisation for all artistes, music composers, producers, arts associations and organisations regardless of race, gender and status.

It seeks to, among other things, to collect royalties of music on behalf of rights holders, protect their works against infringement and counterfeiting.

ZICCO’s mandate is to collect royalties for its members while safeguarding their copyrights to empower artists and alleviate poverty, at a time when many artistes, young and old, are struggling to eke out a living from their work due to a number of factors including piracy, poor remuneration, limited corporate support, lack of transparency by their handlers and others.

Some earn a living out of live performances and paltry royalties distributed by other copyright groups. However, in most cases, only big-name artistes get gigs while upcoming artists struggle to get any.

ZICCO chief executive Tafadzva Masembura said they want to set income-generating projects in poultry and agriculture for members hence the need for support.

Since its establishment last year, the organisation membership has grown to 1 000 and has managed to give cash royalties to some yesterday’s artistes.

“We encourage artistes to take music and art as a profession and business and master it to their full potential. We have seen great musicians getting paupers’ burial after death because they had no investments that would cater for their needs after retiring. Against this background, ZICCO is seeking support from like minded organisations and individuals to establish income generating projects for its members,” said Masembura.

“This will give artistes life beyond their musical career. Many yesteryear artists died and were buried paupers while some struggle to feed their families despite shaking the music industry.”He said the arts industry directly benefits more than 20 000 people in Zimbabwe.

ZICCO provides funeral cover only for members but the organisation assists when an immediate member of the member’s family like a spouse, biological child or parent dies.

Masembura said ZICCO welcomes ideas and advice to advance aspirations and expectations of the arts industry for the benefit of artistes in the spirit of working closely with young artists so that they realise their potential.

Masembura bemoaned bullying and abuse of some artists especially the upcoming ones in the industry by other established organisations.
He said ZICCO intends to organise artists into groups based on their geographical location.

To avoid clashing with other organisations such as the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, ZICCO avoids targeting already subscribed artistes and venues.

ZICCO is also working with law enforcement agents to fight piracy.

ZICCO’s operations are overseen by a nine-member board to ensure transparency, artists aspirations and set goals and to benefit a musician has to register as a member.

ZICCO works closely with prominent individuals, record labels and arts associations like Simba Arts.