Gigger and International Music Council in global cooperation, starting in Sweden

Gigger starts in November its active work within the Swedish music scene in cooperation with the International Music Council (IMC), to support fair conditions in the Music Gigger sector.

IMC is the world's largest network of organizations and institutions working in the field of music, founded by UNESCO with an outreach of some 200 million individuals globally.

The overall aim of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by IMC with Gigger is to benefit the global music ecosystem and notably IMC member organisations gathering creative actors, individuals and groups.

The Swedish music sector had a turnover of 12,2 billion Swedish crowns in 2019, having decreased significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with over 55%.
There are in total 50.000 musicians and artists in Sweden, and more composers and creators.

The partner agreement stipulates that Gigger, in cooperation with IMC, will offer all IMC’s member organizations a unique value proposition for the benefit of their own members, e.g. through making sure that financial means reverse back to music creators and performers and that they have a real financial/economic benefit from their work. This partnership will not only benefit the individual "Music Gigger" but also rewards the IMC with its multitude of member organisations around the world.

Gigger’s position in the industry, and especially within the cultural sector, is characterized by a strong commitment to the individual artist or music professional and his/her possibilities and rights to exercise his/her profession, without having to get into a lower hand position versus big commercial actors, without undermining the possibilities to live out of creativity and performance.

Within the framework of the agreement, IMC and its members will be given the opportunity to be part of the further development of Gigger’s services through regular testing and giving feedback. In Sweden, as a first step, a cooperation with SKAP has started including the streaming platform ”Strommen” as a service for live performance, demo songs, behind the scene material and exclusive launches.

”We are happy to be able to start our work with supporting musicians in Sweden, and throughout the world, to simplify financial routines and make it less costly and simpler to invoice in a secure way and manage incomes” says Håkan Fritz, CEO of Gigger Group, ”during the Covid-19 times it’s more important than ever to be a stable and loyal partner to musicians, currently fighting in hard conditions”, he added.

Gigger offers all IMC members a platform for managing invoicing, salaries, pensions, payment of social security fees and taxes.

Alfons Karabuda, President of International Music Council, says that this cooperation will play an important role for IMC and its members because it is in line with IMC values, embedded in the Five Music Rights and especially the fifth right which calls for ‘just recognition and fair remuneration’ of artists’ work. In general, this cooperation is an opportunity for our members to increase the financial safety of their constituencies.”