Licensing for TAFE
What's new in the TAFE Music Licence
A whole of TAFE blanket licence
The TAFE Music Licence provides coverage for the performance, reproduction and communication of music for TAFE purposes, without the need for institutions to take out individual licences for their activities.
Play music at TAFE events, businesses and facilities
The TAFE Music Licence covers the use of live and recorded music at TAFE events and in TAFE businesses, facilities and spaces around campus.
Share recordings of TAFE events online
Under the licence, TAFEs can share videos of TAFE events and certain other audio visual content containing music on their website and social media channels.
Use music in educational content
TAFEs are covered by the licence to incorporate musical works and sound recordings in educational materials and resources for TAFE courses.
Find out all the ways in which your TAFE is covered to use music!
Playing music in TAFE spaces and facilities
- Playing background music in communal spaces, rooms and training facilities
- Playing background and featured music in TAFE businesses, such as cafés, restaurants, retail spaces, hairdressers and gyms
- Using on-hold music on the TAFE telephone system
Playing music at TAFE events and activities
- Playing and performing music in public at events and activities organised or authorised by TAFE (or a TAFE-owned entity) for TAFE purposes*, on or off campus, including:
- Open days, career days, and information sessions
- Fashion shows, exhibitions and student showcases
- Cultural festivals and conferences
- Concerts and live performances
- Graduation ceremonies (no limit on ticket price)
- Social event
* Ticket price/entry fee must not exceed $40
Recordings and audio visual content
TAFE event recordings
Recordings of TAFE events and activities, where the audio and the video footage are captured at the same time (or where only the audio is recorded), can be shared in the following ways:
- to students and staff via online, password protected TAFE platforms
- with students, staff and the TAFE community via email, private messaging system or as a physical copy
- uploaded or livestreamed to a TAFE website or official social media channels, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Vimeo (streams may be subject to being taken down or blocked by social media platforms)
- on conferencing platforms such as Zoom
- played at a TAFE activity
TAFE Audio visual content
Audio visual content where a TAFE recording of musical work has been paired with footage, or other visual elements not captured at the same time as the audio, can also be shared in all of the ways above. For example, a recording of some students singing a popular song accompanies a montage of photos from Open Day.
If a commercially available sound recording has been used in an audio visual content, it can also be shared in the ways listed above, except on TAFE social media channels. Additional permission will be required for this.
This flow chart explains how TAFE event recordings and TAFE audio visual content can be shared online under the licence, depending on how the music is captured and whether commercial sound recordings have been used.
When do I need further permissions?
The TAFE Music Licence covers most musical activities and uses of music at TAFE, but there are a few important areas that are not covered.
Some examples of activities not covered by the TAFE Music Licence are:
1. Using music for a promotional or commercial purpose
If the primary purpose of the activity is profit-making, or if TAFE facilities are used by a third party for non-TAFE purposes, the use of music will not be covered by the TAFE Music Licence.
The licence will also not cover activities where the primary purpose is to advertise or promote the TAFE outside of the TAFE community (including for recruitment purposes) or to advertise or promote any third party business, organisation, product, or service.
Examples
- the marketing department is making a video and wants to use it to attract new enrolments
- the TAFE has made a video of one of its recent events and wants to include the logo of a sponsor at the end of the recording
- the TAFE is playing music at a fitness centre that’s primary purpose is selling gym memberships to the general public not otherwise associated with the TAFE
2. Making copies of sheet music
Making copies of sheet music (physical or digital) is not covered by the TAFE Music Licence for any purpose.
Please see the National Copyright Unit’s Smartcopying website for information about what copying is allowed under the statutory licence.
3. Theatrical productions
The TAFE Music Licence does not cover the performance of music in theatrical productions (ie. music in a Dramatic Context) or the performance of Grand Right Works (for example, Broadway musicals, operas or ballets).
For more information, please refer to our guide: Music in a Dramatic Context – Theatre, Ballet & Shows.
4. Uploading TAFE audio visual content to social media where a commercial sound recording has been added in post-production
Some TAFE videos can be shared on social media under the TAFE Music Licence (so long as they are not for promotional or commercial purposes) – for example, a video of a TAFE event or a video montage overlaid with a recording of students performing a song.
However, where a commercially available sound recording has been paired with video footage that was captured separately, or with any other unrelated visuals (such as a photo montage or animation), the TAFE Music Licence does not cover you to share that video on social media.
Example
- drone footage of the TAFE campus or footage of Open Day has been paired with the original recording of a contemporary song
How to get permission
If an activity is not covered by the TAFE Music Licence, getting permission or a licence from the copyright owner(s) to use music in the ways outlined above is a 3-step process.
1. Find the right copyright owner to contact
Using the APRA AMCOS song catalogue search, enter the title of the musical work/song, writer name and/or performer name. The results of your search will show the name of the publisher who represents the rights in the work.
2. Contact the copyright owner
Underneath your results, you will find a link to Publisher contact list with email contact information for major publishers.
3. The rights holder may issue a licence on a case-by-case basis
The decision of whether or not to issue a licence or grant permission for the use of a copyright musical work rests with the copyright owner. APRA AMCOS is not in a position to provide any information about whether a licence will be granted, or the possible timeframes and costs involved.
Begin this process as far in advance of your project as possible, as it can sometimes take several weeks to complete.
Want to know more about copyright?
Here are some great resources:
- The Australian Copyright Council has many interesting fact sheets available on lots of different topics. Just head to www.copyright.org.au
- The National Copyright Unit’s website, www.smartcopying.edu.au, is geared towards schools and TAFEs, with helpful information about using music in an educational setting.
- The APRA AMCOS and AMPAL Guide to music copyright for instrumental and vocal teachers (PDF 3MB) is an informative resource for all instrumental and vocal tutors working in schools or running their own studios.
Get in touch
Do you have a question about the TAFE Music Licence?
