Model theatre contract renewed

The Nederlandse Associatie voor Podiumkunsten (NAPK) and the Authors' Union have agreed on adjustments to the Model Contract for writing a theatre text. The director of the NAPK and board members of the Auteursbond have just signed the new contract. The new version of the contract incorporates recent developments in the regulations regarding authors' contract law, which regulates authors' rights in contractual situations. The new model contract takes effect immediately, today 16 December 2024.

At the same time, the NAPK and the Authors' Association are jointly publishing an indexed overview of past research into common and reasonable rates, to give both authors and clients in the performing arts sector guidance when assessing the reasonableness of a fee to be agreed.Some of the new agreements in the revised model contract in a row:

• From now on, the author will receive half of the fee upon signing the contract.
• From now on, the author and the client agree in advance on the percentage of the receipts in which the author shares after an initial playing period of up to 40 performances.
• In principle, it is up to the author to make changes (unless the author is not available for smaller changes within a timeframe to be agreed), and the author will be invited for an initial reading, rehearsals and try-outs. 
• With regard to the duration of the agreement: the author and the commissioner set a deadline after which the author may also grant performance licences to other parties. They also agree that the licence automatically expires if a piece is not performed for two years. 
•  Authors and client can turn to the Copyright Contracts Disputes Committee in case of disputes.
• For the sake of transparency, the contract will specify at what point (subject to any statutory exceptions) the author receives the annual statement of operating income.

The Authors' Union and NAPK are pleased with this negotiation result and believe that this new model contract does justice to the rights of theatre authors and the developments within the theatre world. In the new year, the negotiating parties will also make a start on renewing the other model contracts for theatre authors.