Campaigning and support to protect the rights and earnings of songwriters and composers.
The most prestigious celebrations of songwriters, composers and their champions.
In partnership with the Musicians’ Union, Fair Score is our campaign for fair commissioning in media composition. We're calling for an end to coercive buyouts, opaque pitching processes and deals that do not respect composers’ rights.
Media composers deserve better. Today’s commissioning environment is often unbalanced. Rights are being signed away and pitching can be opaque. That’s why The Ivors Academy and the Musicians’ Union (MU) are campaigning for a fairer future in media composition.
Fair Score builds on the success of Composers Against Buyouts, creating a stronger platform for composers and allies to unite and secure better standards across the industry.
In 2019, we surveyed media composers and found:
There’s already a fair way to pay composers: a commissioning fee upfront and royalties over time.
Buyouts replace this with a one-off fee, and nothing more. They strip composers of rights that could generate income for years.
If you’re offered a buyout, you should have the freedom and information to negotiate a deal that works for you. That’s what we’re fighting for.
Fair Score specimen agreement
We’ve worked with legal experts to create a specimen commissioning agreement for TV. It shows what a fair contract can look like, whether you're dealing with an independent production company or a global broadcaster.
The agreement includes detailed notes to explain each clause, helping you understand and negotiate with confidence.
Fair Commissioning for Screen Manifesto
Together with the MU, we’ve set out a vision for change in our Fair Commissioning Manifesto. It calls for an end to coercive buyouts and a commissioning process that works for everyone—not just the most powerful players.
Our vision is built on three principles:
Your Music, Your Future International is a global campaign helping media composers understand their rights, options and the long-term impact of buyouts.
Created by composers in the US and supported by CISAC, it’s part of a growing international movement to inform and empower music creators everywhere.
The Fair Score specimen agreement, with accompanying notes, provides composers with an example of what a comprehensive commissioning agreement looks like and will help members looking to negotiate fair deals with a commissioners – from small independent production companies with modest budgets through to global broadcasters.
