SGAE
OVER 100 YEARS AT THE SERVICE OF CREATORS
The history of the “Sociedad General de Autores y Editores-SGAE” dates all the way back to the end of the 19th century. It was founded in 1899 as “Society of Authors of Spain-SAE” by the renowned playwright and journalist Sinesio Delgado and the composer Ruperto Chapí, alongside Miguel Ramos Carrión, José Francos Rodríguez, Tomás López Torregrosa, Carlos Arniches, Quinito Valverde, José López Silva, Eugenio Sellés, Eusebio Sierra and Vital Aza, who also served as its first president. In 1995 the Society’s name was changed to “Sociedad General de Autores y Editores-SGAE”.
From the outset, SGAE focused on the representation and promotion of important Spain creators, aiming to protect their rights and develop their works and the local culture abroad as well. Today, the company is Spain’s main collective management society, representing internationally more than 100.000 creators, including established composers and musicians in all genres and styles, dramatists, authors of audio-visual works and choreographers.
Active since 1899, the SGAE administers today a repertoire exceeding 16 million musical, dramatic, choreographic and audio-visual works. The Society’s fundamental mission is the protection of its members’ rights for the use of their works throughout the world, including mechanical reproduction, public performance, synchronization and many other forms of musical distribution.
Through its Fundación Autor, SGAE enhances its promise to support and develop the cultural sector in Spain as well as disseminate the Spanish artistic repertoire all over the world, also promoting various initiatives and collaborations with institutions devoted to the study of the cultural environment.
With an extensive network of representatives spread all over Spain, plus offices in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba and Argentina, SGAE protects the rights of more than two million creators from all over the world via membership and foreign reciprocal representation agreements, accordingly. Its head office is located in the emblematic Palacio Longoria building in Madrid.