Cultural Commons Collecting Society

URL = http://www.startnext.de/en/c3s

Description

"The initiative behind the Cultural Commons Collecting Society (C3S) has committed itself to founding a fair and flexible alternative to GEMA. Working hand in hand with creative professionals and music lovers, the C3S will support musicians in improving their livelihood – without threats and intimidation. We want a digital alternative with a fair distribution for all. We will register a European cooperative, offering full voting rights to every member – not just to those better off.

The Cultural Commons Collecting Society is an independent initiative. The C3S is neither a part of, nor connected with, Creative Commons. Just like other associations and corporations, the C3S asked the Creative Commons organization for advice in order to co-ordinate the C3S's concept of the integration of Creative Commons licenses with the Creative Commons guidelines ."

2. On the link with the The OpenMusicContest.org e.V. :

"For a long time, the registered association OpenMusicContest.org e.V. has dreamed of a fair alternative to the GEMA. The OpenMusicContest (http://openmusiccontest.org/), from which the registered association emerged, showed the difficulties in communicating and interacting with the GEMA. The activities of the association therefore shifted from the organization of the event to becoming the supporting association for the Cultural Commons Collecting Society."

Discussion

" What is this project all about?

A transformation of the deadlocked situation in the musical and cultural world can only be achieved with a second, alternative option alongside the GEMA – a fair alternative.

This is what we want to achieve together with you. We will therefore organize the C3S as a European cooperative. A real community. A community, acting in a social, open and democratic way. With a cutting-edge, digital basis.

We have waited for a long time for a change within the GEMA and for an improvement in support of independent musicians. A change in favor of a digital music industry, and society as a whole. But neither the GEMA itself, nor politics, or the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA, the GEMA's supervisory authority) can alter the situation.

We therefore need a new, fair and flexible collecting society. A better one. A competitor.

That's the road to the promised land.

We need 50.000 EUR in order to keep the project alive. With 200.000 EUR we will be able to permanently employ the first developers.

In order to be approved as a collecting society, two main issues must be substantiated:

• The C3S must acquire members: We depend on your support. With one or several cooperative shares you become a shareholder of the C3S – as a musician, who utilizes its services, or as a sponsor, who can give support and advice. We need ca. 3.000 members, and especially a repertoire that is economically relevant, in order to fulfill the requirements of the German Patent and Trademark Office.

• The C3S must be able to handle accounting and administration. We therefore need the financial means to employ developers. You can contribute a large part through the crowdfunding. At the same time we will be able to apply for additional public funding – but this will only be successful if we are able to already provide evidence for the basic means, which is what can be achieved by the crowdfunding. Ee may be eligible for additional funding from the European Union. Then, the C3S will have made the transition from a vision to reality.

It is possible to found a collecting society. The negotiations with the German Patent and Trademark Office proceeded well. All political parties understand the necessity. But nothing will happen unless someone dares to take the first step.

In other words: The C3S needs 3.000 members. Then we will have made a great step forward. Be one of the 3.000 and make history!

How to become a part of C3S

1. You pay for your share online (see the tab on the right, next to "Rewards" and "Donations".).

At www.startnext.de/c3s you can participate in our crowd investment campaign. You are free to define the number of shares to buy and to choose your preferred method of payment. Your payment is securely transferred to a trusted account of Fidor Bank AG, partner of our trustee Startnext Network GmbH.

2. Please fill in the declaration to join and send it to Startnext Network GmbH.

To puchase your shares please fill in the form and send it to our trustee Startnext Network GmbH. As soon as the cooperative will have been founded and registered, you will be sent a notification confirming you officially joined. for your own safety, you once again have to sign this notification.

Not earlier than by receiving this notification you will legally become a member of C3S. At this point, and not at any time before Startnext is allowed to transfer the amount you paid for your shares to the cooperative. This procedure allows for avoiding any liability for you.

Deadline for submitting the declaration to join: 31st October 2013

More Information

Statutes (draft):

German version: http://www.c3s.cc/legal/C3S_de_draft_v01.pdf

English version (due shortly, please keep following the crowdfunding blog at http://www.startnext.de/c3s/blog/ ): http://www.c3s.cc/legal/C3S_en_draft_v01.pdf