Since 1973 Autor, then DJBFA, has focused on helping to ensure the best possible conditions for bringing forth new music and lyrics in Denmark. Autor offers a wide range of members activities, all of which are aiming to help the creation of new music.

Furtermore, Autor is working politically on behalf of the country’s composers and songwriters. For example, in an ongoing dialogue with political parties in the Danish parliament, the Danish Ministry of Culture and several international composers’ organisations etc.

Autor members pay an annual fee of 1,000 DKK a year or 85 DKK a month.

An association steered by its members

Once a year, a general assembly is held, where the members of the association elect a board of directors.

The board of directors consists of nine composers including a chairman, vice-chairman and a business committee consisting of four people; this committee sees to it that the board of directors’ decisions are implemented in practice.

The current chair is Anna Lidell. The current vice-chairs are Lasse Mathiessen and Jesper Hansen.

Autor / Composers and Songwriters is represented in a number of national, Nordic and international organisations, all of which are working to strengthen music and to bring about the best possible conditions for composing new music and lyrics.

As a member you are offered a variety of benefits that are connected to your work as a composer and songwriter.

Here are a few of the members’ benefits:

• The association has a number of networks and clubs, where composers and songwriters meet their colleagues. A network might focus on a specific genre of music – such as electronic music.
  
  
• Members of Autor have the opportunity to obtain legal advice. Our legal office can advise you on matters that have to do with copyrights, jurisprudential rights, credits and publishing contracts. It must be stated, that the legal office serves an advisory function and does not litigate lawsuits for individual members: Nor can this office bear the liability of furnishing Autor members with responses that are binding in a court of law.
  
  
• All members of Koda can apply for a one week residence at our refuges in New York City, Lofoten, Skagen and Northern Jutland. Only members of Autor can apply for the refuges located in Berlin and Samsø.
  
  
• You willl also have the opportunity to apply for a social grant in case you loose your ability to work as a professional musician due to health related issues.
  
  
• Members are regularly invited to Autor’s events including our anual award show in Copenhagen.

In order to be eligible for membership in Autor / Composers and Songwriters you have to be a member of Koda, the Danish copyright organization.

Moreover, you must be able to substantiate that you have earned a minimum of DKK 4,000 per year in Koda payments the past three years. Alternatively, you have earned a minimum of DKK 30,000 in Koda payments during one of the past three years.

It is also possible to become an Autor member without regard to Koda payments, based solely on examples of your artistic work.

Apply for membership by e-mail to the association’s office. Should you need guidance, you’re most welcome to contact Autor by e-mail or telephone.

Send an e-mail about applying for Autor membership to autor@autor.dk

The copyrights for the composer and the songwriter is administered by the Danish copyright organisation Koda. Koda is owned by its members with a board consisting of six composers/songwriters and three music publishers – all elected at the annual general assembly.

Read more about Koda.