The Eswatini creative community has a golden opportunity to deepen their understanding of copyright and how to earn royalties from their artistic works.
The Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society (ESWACOS) is hosting a series of regional workshops targeting creators, authors, producers, and performers across music, film, literature, and visual arts.
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ESWACOS Director Mmeli Hlanze said these workshops were designed to educate participants on the essentials of copyright and neighbouring rights, the commercialisation and management of copyright, ESWACOS membership registration, and the benefits of receiving copyright royalties for public usage of their creative works.
He stated that their mandate as ESWACOS touched on every creative in Eswatini, which necessitated them to reach out to everyone in every region. Through the support of UNESCO and the International Fund for Cultural Diversity, they are able to do so.
“The workshops are open to all creatives whether in music, film, photography, literature, visual or performing arts. We encourage them to attend because this workshop will help them understand more on royalties and the rights they need to manage in order to maximise their earnings. These workshops are not just to educate but also to facilitate registrations, and we will be doing live registrations and also launching our online registration platforms,” Hlanze said.
He emphasised the importance of these workshops for the creative sector.
“Many creators are unaware of the full value of their work and how copyright laws protect their rights. Our goal is to empower artists and producers with knowledge so they can safeguard their creations and receive fair compensation when their work is used publicly.”
The workshops will be held at four locations to accommodate participants from different regions:
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Saturday, September 27 at The George Hotel, Manzini (8:30am – 1:30pm)
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Wednesday, October 1 at EWSC auditorium, Nhlangano (8:30am – 1:30pm)
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Saturday, October 4 at Happy Valley Hotel, Ezulwini (8:30am – 1:30pm)
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Saturday, October 11 at Siteki Hotel, Siteki (8:30am – 1:30pm)
Hlanze further explained that understanding copyright is crucial because protection begins the moment a work is fixed in a tangible form, such as recording a song or writing a manuscript.
By joining ESWACOS, creators can ensure their rights are managed professionally and that they receive royalties whenever their work is used publicly.
The workshops will also cover how copyright royalties are calculated and distributed, helping creators navigate the often complex world of copyright commercialisation.
Interested creators are encouraged to register via the link 👉 https://shorturl.at/C69U6 to secure their place. For further inquiries, ESWACOS can be contacted at documentation@eswacos.org.sz or by phone at 7602 4257.
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