DAMA, the rights management company for audiovisual authors, held an event in Madrid on September 16 to celebrate its 20^th anniversary. Directors, screenwriters, audiovisual industry representatives and political actors, among them the General Director of Cultural Industries, Adriana Moscoso, and the Cultural Director from the Community of Madrid, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, were noticeably present at the celebration.

In a brief welcome speech, the director and screenwriter Borja Cobeaga, President of DAMA, highlighted the good place the company, which was created in 1999, is in these days. “We are growing, strong and healthy, and are evolving without changing our essence”, he assured, an essence he summed up as transparency and efficiency, with no goals beyond being a useful tool for directors and screenwriters. “DAMA is a means, not an end. Our essential work is to collect and distribute rights in a way that is fair and transparent”, he emphasized. For her part, Adriana Moscoso, the General Director of Cultural Industries, described DAMA as “an example of good practices and honesty”.

DAMA’s numbers over the past year confirm its definitive consolidation as a leading company in audiovisual management. In 2018, its collections reached 16 million euros, and it now has over 1,200 members in Spain. The General Director of DAMA, Víctor Romano, who also spoke at the event, confirmed that by the close of 2019, DAMA’s annual collections will exceed 20 million euros, an increase of around 25%.

The agreements reached by DAMA with international management companies to take over collection of their rights in the Spanish market have been key to the company’s growth. DAMA has agreements with 37 companies throughout the world, including the principal audiovisual powers on the planet such as France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.

The increase in members – audiovisual screenwriters, directors and translators – and the confidence shown by international management companies has allowed DAMA to expand its work beyond collecting and distributing rights with the launch of a Social Assistance Program for members. In parallel, DAMA continues with its training programs in collaboration with universities and film schools.