Social organisations face particular challenges when it comes to financing their important social tasks. In addition to the well-known licence fee of €6.12 per month for public service organisations, GEMA fees are often incurred, which can place an additional burden on the budget.
What are institutions for the common good?
The following are considered public welfare organisations non-profit organisationsthat fulfil important social tasks. These include
- Non-profit organisations for people with disabilities (homes, workshops, training centres)
- Youth welfare facilities in accordance with the Child and Youth Welfare Act
- Elderly care facilities and nursing homes
- Facilities for addicts and the homeless
- Registered non-profit organisations and foundations
- Public schools and state-recognised alternative schools
- Fire brigade, police, armed forces and disaster control
These organisations only pay a reduced rate of the licence fee of 6.12 euros per operating site per month - regardless of the number of employees.
GEMA fees for social organisations: When do they apply?
Social organisations must also pay GEMA fees if they use copyrighted music in public. This concerns:
Events and functions
- Summer parties and anniversary celebrations at the centre
- Dance events for residents or clients
- Concerts with live music or DJ - Karaoke evenings in communal rooms
Therapeutic and educational applications
- Music therapy with copyrighted works
- Relaxation music in therapy rooms - Background music in lounge and communal areas
- Movement therapy with music
Digital utilisation
- Websites with music integration
- Online events and webinars
- Social media of the organisation
The hidden costs: GEMA fees and music procurement
Example of costs: GEMA fees for a summer party
A retirement home organises a summer party on 300 square metres with an entrance fee of 3 euros. According to the GEMA tariff U-V, the following costs are incurred:
- Basic fee for 300 square metres: 80.10 euros
- Surcharge for admission fee over 1.69 euros: 24.30 euros
- Total costs: 104,40 Euro GEMA fees
But that is only half the truth: In addition to the GEMA fees, self-licensing incurs further considerable costs for music procurement. If you want to play varied and up-to-date music, you have to reckon with several hundred euros per year - on a recurring basis. These costs for CDs, downloads or streaming services are often overlooked in sample calculations, but quickly add up to a considerable amount.
For smaller organisations with limited budgets, these total costs from GEMA fees and music procurement can represent a considerable burden.
Savings potential and discounts for social organisations
Utilise GEMA discounts
Social organisations can benefit from various discounts:
- 15 % Discount for cultural, social or religious events without economic objectives
- 10 % Discount for charity events (with complete waiver of fees)
- Package contracts from the eleventh event with a 10 % discount
GEMA-free music as an alternative
GEMA-free music offers a particularly effective solution. This refers to compositions for which no Rights through GEMA The author may not be able to exercise his rights because he is not a GEMA member or manages the rights himself.
Important note: GEMA-free does not mean free of charge. The rights of use must still be acquired directly from the composer or via specialised providers. However, the advantage lies in the significantly lower licence fees.
sonicsense: Professional solutions for social institutions
sonicsense offers social institutions customised music solutions that include both GEMA-required and GEMA-free channels:
GEMA-free premium channels
- Over 30 individually combinable channels with thousands of tracks by international artists
- Professional curation for therapeutic and social applications
- Regular updates and new content
- Up to 100 % savings on GEMA costs
- No additional music procurement costs - everything already included
Technical features for everyday use
- Multi-zone control for different areas (therapy rooms, common rooms, outdoor areas)
- Time-controlled programmes for daily routines
- Volume control depending on use
- Offline functionality in the event of internet failure
GEMA administration and consulting
For organisations that continue to GEMA-free music and GEMA-liable music, sonicsense takes over:
- Complete GEMA communication and administration
- Tariff optimisation and advice on potential savings
- Documentation of all music usage - Negotiation of additional claims
- Music procurement already included in the service - no additional costs for sound carriers
Get non-binding advice now and find out how your organisation can Music costs can save.
Legal certainty for AI-generated music
Many providers advertise with AI-generated GEMA-free music as a cost-effective alternative. But beware: there are still significant legal uncertainties regarding authorship and liability in the case of AI music. Collecting societies are increasingly demanding the disclosure of AI algorithms in order to check whether protected works have been used as a basis for training.
For social institutions that rely on legal certainty, it is therefore advisable to use curated catalogues with demonstrably clear licensing structures.
Practical implementation: step by step
1. inventory
- Recording of all areas with music use
- Documentation of current GEMA contracts and costs
- Analysing the savings potential
2. consulting and planning
- Personalised advice from sonicsense experts
- Selection of suitable music channels for different applications
- Technical planning of the installation
3. installation and training
- Simple installation of sonicPRO or sonicEASY systems
- Training of employees in operation
- Test of all functions and areas
Conclusion: Music as an important component of social work
Music plays a central role in social facilities for the well-being of residents, clients and staff. With the right strategy, the total costs for music - consisting of GEMA fees and music procurement - can be significantly reduced without compromising on high-quality music. GEMA-free alternatives offer not only financial advantages, but also greater flexibility and planning security.
sonicsense supports social organisations in finding the optimum balance between cost and quality - whether through GEMA-free premium channels or through professional GEMA administration for conventional music. All procurement costs for music are already included in the service.
Request personalised advice and discover the possibilities for your interior.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about fees for social institutions
Do all social organisations have to pay GEMA fees? Only if copyrighted music is used publicly. There are no fees for purely private use or GEMA-free music.
How high are the licence fees for social institutions? Public welfare organisations pay a flat rate of 6.12 euros per establishment per month, regardless of the number of employees.
What discounts are available for GEMA fees? Social organisations may receive a discount of up to 15 % for cultural and social events and 10 % for charity events.
Is GEMA-free music really free of charge? No, GEMA-free does not mean free of charge. The rights of use must still be purchased, but are usually significantly cheaper than GEMA fees.
What does music procurement cost in addition to GEMA fees? Self-licensing costs several hundred euros a year for the procurement of up-to-date and varied music. With sonicsense, these costs are already included in the service.
How can sonicsense help to reduce costs? GEMA-free premium channels allow up to 100 % of the GEMA costs can be saved. In addition, sonicsense offers professional GEMA administration and tariff optimisation - including all music procurement costs.
