About DJBFA 

DJBFA (The Danish Society for Jazz, Rock and Folk Composers) is a society of professional songwriters and composers. On March 21, 1973, the organization was founded by a group of composers and lyricists working in the domain of Danish Jazz, Beat (rock, that is) and Folk. By the way, 'Autor' is the Danish word for author. Ergo the acronym! As of now (2009), the union has more than 1.100 members and thus constitutes the largest of all the associations of Danish composers.

What does DJBFA do?
"The proper task of DJBFA is to safeguard the members' professional and economic interests." "DJBFA can take part in collective bargaining with binding effect on the members." These two articles in the society's charter serve to establish DJBFA as both a labor organization and a professional organization for songwriters and composers.

What is most evident is the influence that we have on KODA (the danish collecting society for composers rights), the NCB (Nordic Copyright Bureau for mechanical rights, and COPY-DAN (the Joint Collecting Society). However, DJBFA also negotiates agreements and contracts in the world of television, film, video, publishing and theater.

Where is DJBFA?
Delegates appointed by DJBFA presently represent our interests in all of the following organizations: KODA's advisory council, KODA's professional music committee and KODA's recorded music committee; the board of KODA's Drama/theater committee; three separate COPY-DAN committees working with cable-television, photocopying and the special Danish tax-surcharge on cds/dvds; the Copyright Council; both the specially appointed committee for music composition and the advisory council of the Danish National Endowment for the Arts; the advisory board of the National Music Council; the board of the Danish Institute for Electro-acoustic Music; the Union of Nordic composers and lyricists working with popular music; the Danish Artists' Council; the Danish Jazz Federation; the National Library Service's phonogram committee and a whole lot of other places, wherever music policy is being formed.

DJBFA - a factor to be reckoned with in the making of cultural policy DJBFA is working to create better conditions for Danish songwriters and composers. In 1989, for example, DJBFA was instrumental in taking action against the soaring frequency of music being copied for private use. Our efforts led directly to the adoption of a statute aimed specifically at returning some fair measure of compensation to offset this kind of "home" copying to the rightful authors, through the means of a special levy imposed on the sale of blank cassette tapes.

DJBFA is right there when the discussion turns to the electronic media and to the question of which programs are to be broadcast. DJBFA is also an important factor when cultural policy are discussed. And DJBFA is seated right there at the table in the Copyright Council whenever the talk turns to an examination, a change or a re-interpretation of the copyright regulations.

Along with delegates appointed by the other artists' organizations, DJBFA is there at the Danish Artists' Council, playing its part in promoting the ongoing discussion about the artist's conditions in the society here in Denmark and also with respect to the situation in other countries. In matters of social security, income taxes and unemployment, we are working for a better arrangement for our members.

What can DJBFA do for you?
As a member of DJBFA, we can offer you a number of benefits. After being a member of our organization for one year, you will be eligible to apply for work grants and study stipends and you will be eligible to apply for the free use of our three retreat-domiciles located at the southern tip of the Peloponnesian peninsula, in Greenwich Village, N.Y. and on the Danish islands of Samsø and Bornholm, in Berlin, in Paris and in Competa in Spain.

We're busy arranging courses on themes relevant to our members' interests and we frequently organize members' evenings where we carry on discussions with specially invited guests. We are in a position to offer good advice and, if necessary, legal assistance in connection with publishing contracts and commissions, etc.

What can you do for DJBFA?
By virtue of your membership alone, you are already playing a part in engendering better circumstances for Danish songwriters and composers.

You can apply for membership by mailing us the form that you will find here under the designation, "Application for Membership in DJBFA". You can also obtain the form by calling (+45) 3312 0109 on the telephone, weekdays between 9 A.M and 3 P.M.

The criterion for membership is that you already "have an output" of music or lyrics and that you are already a member of KODA or any one of KODA's sister (copyright) organizations.

Presently (2009), the yearly membership fee is 1.200,- DKK.

DJBFA's board of directors, as of April 2009

Members of the board
Pia Raug (chairman)
Jens Lysdal (vice-chairperson)
Nils Tuxen
Turid Nørlund Christensen
Jacob Groth
Benjamin Koppel
Susi Hyldgaard
Rikke Lie Flensburg
Maj-Britt Kramer

Deputy members:
Kresten Osgood
Jacob Anderskov

Secretariat:
Poul-Henrik Jensen phj@djbfa.dk , Helle Marstrand hm@djbfa.dk, Trine Jück Eschen Larsen tjl@djbfa.dk , Mette Bjørn Due mbd@djbfa.dk , Jakob Thors jt@djbfa.dk

Address:
DJBFA
Gråbrødretorv 16, II. floor
DK-1154 Copenhagen K
Denmark

Telephone: +45 3312 0109
Telefax: +45 3393 0113
e-mail: djbfa@djbfa.dk