Auteursbond
Auteursbond is the Dutch professional membership association for writers and translators, founded in 1917 and serving more than 1,000 members across prose, poetry, screenwriting, theater, translation, subtitling, journalism, and educational authorship. It provides legal and business advisory, contract negotiation, training, and collective advocacy, funded primarily via monthly membership dues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Auteursbond does
Auteursbond is a Dutch professional membership association for writers and translators, founded in 1917 (previously known as Vereniging van Letterkundigen) and representing more than 1,000 members across multiple disciplines including prose writers, poets, children's book authors, screenwriters, theater authors, literary and book translators, educational authors, freelance journalists, subtitlers, and crime fiction authors. Headquartered at the Van Deysselhuis, De Lairessestraat 125, 1075 HH Amsterdam, the organization operates with a bureau of approximately 10-15 staff plus an elected 4-member board, and is structured as a vereniging (association) governed by its members and supported by affiliated foundations including P.C. Boutensfonds (financial planning), Stichting Rechtshulp Auteurs (legal aid up to €1,250), Sociaal Fonds Auteurs (emergency grants and interest-free loans), and Stichting Auteursprijzen (awards management).
The organization generates revenue primarily through monthly membership dues across three tiers: full (Volwaardig) membership at €18.75/month, aspirant membership at €10.25/month, and free student membership for those under 30 enrolled in writing/translating education. Members receive legal and business advisory services from in-house jurists, contract review and collective bargaining representation, the Fair Pay Rekentool calculator, subsidized financial planning, access to the Schrijfwerkplaats writing workspace at the Van Deysselhuis, the SchrijversVeilig safety reporting platform, and an aggregated catalog of model contracts, sample letters, and AI protection guidance via the Kennisbank and Schrijvers en AI portal.
Distribution operates through self-serve website enrollment, a Sellius-based member portal, bureau-mediated service delivery by phone and email, the Van Deysselhuis physical hub for events and workspace, and peer referral within professional networks. The organization's commercial footprint is exclusively domestic (Netherlands), though it participates in European-level advocacy via EWC, FSE, and CEATL. Recent strategic emphasis centers on collective AI rights advocacy — including joint legal action against Meta with NVJ and Lira, and positioning on the Bookpact.ai platform — alongside a portfolio of industry awards (Zilveren Krulstaarten, Zilveren Pen, Gouden Pen, Reid Ondertitelprijs, Vertaalengel, Boyer Trofee, Charlotte Köhler Prijs/Stipendium, Kees Holierhoek Scenarioprijs, Thérèse Cornips Stipendium, Heijermans Fonds, Dr. Elly Jaffé Prijs) that reinforce its institutional standing.
Auteursbond firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Auteursbond
- Legal name
- Auteursbond
- Website
- https://auteursbond.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Auteursbond is the Dutch professional membership association for writers and translators, founded in 1917 and serving more than 1,000 members across prose, poetry, screenwriting, theater, translation, subtitling, journalism, and educational authorship. It provides legal and business advisory, contract negotiation, training, and collective advocacy, funded primarily via monthly membership dues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Auteursbond industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Authors and Translators Association
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)
Keywords
Where Auteursbond is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Auteursbond business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Auteursbond generates revenue primarily through membership dues. Members pay monthly subscriptions at different tiers: full members at €18.75/month, aspirant members at €10.25/month, and student members receive free membership. These dues fund the organization's advocacy, legal advisory, business advisory, and member services operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Volwaardig lid (Full Member) at €18.75/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Aspirant-lid (Aspirant Member) at €10.25/month |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Studentlid (Student Member) — free |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Auteursbond product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Auteursbond is a Dutch professional membership association serving more than 1,000 writers and translators. It provides member-funded legal and business advisory services, contract support, collective bargaining and copyright advocacy (including AI-related rights), professional development (workshops, masterclasses, courses), affiliated financial support funds (P.C. Boutensfonds, Sociaal Fonds Auteurs, Stichting Rechtshulp Auteurs), workspace access (Schrijfwerkplaats), a safety reporting platform (SchrijversVeilig), a collective insurance plan through KLAP, and a portfolio of literary and screenwriting awards.
Product overview
Auteursbond is a professional membership organization serving Dutch writers and translators (more than 1000 members), not a technology product company. The organization offers a unified membership platform providing advocacy, legal/business advisory services, financial support programs (P.C. Boutensfonds, Sociaal Fonds Auteurs), and member resources including the Kennisbank (knowledge base with model contracts), Schrijvers en AI Portal (AI policy resources), and Fair Pay Rekentool (compensation calculator). Additional services include collective insurance through KLAP, the Schrijfwerkplaats writing workspace, SchrijversVeilig safety reporting, and various awards programs (Auteursprijzen, Zilveren Krulstaarten, Reid Ondertitelprijs, Vertaalengel). The organization focuses on collective bargaining, copyright protection, and professional development rather than technology products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Volwaardig lid (Full Membership) Monthly subscription membership for professional Dutch writers and translators at €18.75/month, providing access to all member services including legal advice, business advice, contract support, workshops, masterclasses, events, networking, workspace access, affiliated fund eligibility, collective insurance, and voting rights.
- Aspirant-lid (Aspirant Membership) Monthly subscription membership for writers and translators transitioning to professional status, priced at €10.25/month, providing most member services excluding legal advice.
- Studentlid (Student Membership) Free student membership for individuals aged 30 or younger enrolled in a writing or translating education program, providing access to workshops, masterclasses, lectures, borrels, and a monthly newsletter to support transition into the profession.
- Juridisch en Zakelijk Advies (Legal and Business Advisory) Legal and business advisory service provided by Auteursbond's specialist lawyers (Senior jurist and jurists), answering member questions on contracts, copyright, financial administration, negotiation, subsidies, and tax matters.
- P.C. Boutensfonds (Financial Planning Support Fund) National fund supporting Dutch authors in their professional practice and business management, offering subsidized financial health checks (APK), career advice training, and pension planning training.
- Sociaal Fonds Auteurs (Social Fund) Social fund providing grants or interest-free loans to writers experiencing temporary financial difficulties, enabling them to continue their work.
- Stichting Rechtshulp Auteurs (Legal Aid Foundation)
Quantifiable outcome
- Emergency financial support provided to writers in temporary financial difficulty through Sociaal Fonds Auteurs (gift or interest-free loan).
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Auteursbond
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Auteursbond technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Auteursbond partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LiracoreLira is the copyright organization for writers and translators of poems, novels, plays, sketches, radio plays, series, and film/TV scripts. Lira collects and distributes royalties to authors for reuse of their texts. Auteursbond works closely with Lira on collective advocacy, including joint action against Meta for unauthorized AI training use of members' texts.
- Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ)coreThe Dutch journalists' union. Auteursbond and NVJ jointly sommered Meta to stop illegal use of Dutch writers' and journalists' texts for AI training (February 2026). Together with Lira, they are working toward a collective approach for AI use of work from all writers, translators, and journalists.
- Stichting LeenrechtminorStichting Leenrecht is responsible for collecting compensation from public libraries, media libraries, and CD lending, and distributing to rights holders. Part of the Dutch copyright compensation ecosystem.
- Stichting ThuiskopieminorStichting Thuiskopie provides authors with partial compensation for income lost due to private copying of their work, funded by levies on copying devices and media.
- Stichting ReprorechtminorStichting Reprorecht collects fees from companies for digital use of information from books, journals, newspapers and other publications, and distributes these to creators.
- Platform MakerscorePlatform Makers is the collaborative body of interests and professional organizations for authors and performing artists. Its goal is strengthening copyright and improving the negotiating position of creators versus producers and commissioners.
- Federatie AuteursbelangencoreFederatie Auteursbelangen aims to expand and strengthen the support base for copyright, and to protect and improve the position of rights holders. Formed from Platform Makers, Platform Creatieve Media Industrie, and VOI©E.
- Stichting BREINminorStichting BREIN combats intellectual property fraud on behalf of authors of music, film, video, books, games, and interactive software. It investigates online and offline infringement and pursues civil action.
- VEVAMminorVEVAM is the copyright organization for directors of film and television works in the Netherlands. The Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers works closely with VEVAM on various negotiations.
- Directors Guild Netherlands (DDG)minorDDG represents the interests of directors of film, television drama, documentaries, commercials, etc. The Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers regularly collaborates with DDG in various negotiations in the audiovisual sector.
- Het ContractenbureaucoreHet Contractenbureau helps screenwriters, theater authors, and translators negotiate good legal agreements with commissioners and exploiters on their behalf. Acts as a representative in contract negotiations.
- European Writers' Council (EWC)coreEuropean Writers' Council is the European federation of writers' associations. Auteursbond works within EWC on AI regulation, copyright protection, and authors' rights at the EU level. EWC published AI Toolkit for the Book Sector.
- Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE)coreFSE is the European federation of screenwriters' associations. Auteursbond participates through its Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers. David Kavanagh of FSE received the Zilveren Pen award in 2021.
- European Council of Literary Translators' Associations (CEATL)coreCEATL is the European federation of literary translators' associations. Auteursbond works with CEATL on issues affecting literary translators including AI impact on the profession.
- SchrijversVeilig (joint initiative with Groep Algemene Uitgevers and Ministry of OCW)coreSchrijversVeilig is a joint initiative of Auteursbond and Groep Algemene Uitgevers (GAU), with the Ministry of OCW, to strengthen the position of writers against violence, aggression, and intimidation — both online and offline. It provides a reporting point and helpdesk, and uses the expertise of PersVeilig (established 2019). Stichting Lira Fonds provides financial contribution.
- Mores (steun- en adviespunt grensoverschrijdend gedrag)minorMores is a support and advisory point for inappropriate behavior in the cultural and creative sector. Auteursbond is affiliated with Mores, committing to actively combating cross-border behavior in the workplace. Mores provides confidential WhatsApp/mail contact with independent trusted persons for those who cannot approach their own organization's confidential advisor.
- P.C. BoutensfondscoreP.C. Boutensfonds is a national fund that supports Dutch or Netherlands-based authors individually and collectively in their professional practice and business management. It provides subsidized financial APK (financial health check), career advice training, and pension training. Managed by advisors Majorie Molegraaf and Peter Meijer.
- Stichting Rechtshulp AuteurscoreStichting Rechtshulp Auteurs (SRA) was founded in 1990 by VvL and Stichting Lira to provide financial support for authors and translators requiring legal or accounting assistance in conflicts related to their authorship. Provides up to €1,250 for first legal advice, with 5% co-payment for further support in cases serving the broader professional community.
- Groep Algemene Uitgevers (GAU)coreGroep Algemene Uitgevers is a partner with Auteursbond in the SchrijversVeilig initiative, providing a joint platform to protect authors against violence, aggression, and intimidation.
- Boekenboot collective (Stichting Lezen, KB nationale bibliotheek, Stichting CPNB, Schrijverscentrale, Letterenfonds, VOB, GAU, Schoolschrijver, Literatuurmuseum/Kinderboekenmuseum, Taalunie, NBD Biblion, Hebban, Stichting SPN, OBA, KBB, and Auteursbond)minorThe Boekenboot (Book Boat) is a collective initiative of the Dutch book world, including Auteursbond, that participated in the Amsterdam Canal Parade during World Pride 2026 under the motto 'Free the Word – Every Story Counts'. The boat, shaped as a giant open book, drew attention to growing pressure on queer books and writers worldwide.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Auteursbond competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Writers' Council (EWC): European federation of writers' associations of which Auteursbond is a member. Directly comparable at the supranational level: works on AI regulation, copyright protection, and authors' rights at the EU level, including the AI Toolkit for the Book Sector.
- Platform Makers: Dutch umbrella body of professional organizations for authors and performing artists. Auteursbond is a member, and the platform strengthens copyright and the negotiating position of creators versus producers and commissioners.
- NVJ (Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten): Dutch journalists' union operating on the same membership-based advocacy model. Auteursbond and NVJ jointly sommered Meta in February 2026 over unauthorized AI training use of members' texts, evidencing closely aligned mission and overlapping constituencies.
- Writers Guild of America (WGA): US screenwriters' union with collective bargaining, contract minimums, and strike leverage. Direct comparable to Auteursbond's Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers for screenwriters in the Netherlands, with similar AI-era contract negotiations.
- Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE): European federation of screenwriters' associations; Auteursbond's Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers is a member. Comparable function for the screenwriting discipline that Auteursbond's Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers serves in the Netherlands.
- ALCS (Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society): UK organization collecting secondary royalties for writers and translators. Comparable to Auteursbond's copyright/rights protection function, particularly in the area of platform licensing and collective bargaining for reuse fees.
- Lira (Stichting Lira): Dutch copyright collecting society for writers and translators of poems, novels, plays, sketches, radio plays, series, and film/TV scripts. Closely aligned sister organization; Auteursbond advocates while Lira collects and distributes royalties, with frequent joint action on AI and copyright.
- Society of Authors (UK): UK professional association for writers offering advocacy, legal advice, contract vetting, and a similar three-tier membership structure. Closest international analogue to Auteursbond's full-service membership model.
- CEATL (European Council of Literary Translators' Associations): European federation of literary translators' associations. Auteursbond works with CEATL on issues affecting literary translators, including AI impact on the profession; direct comparable across the translator constituency.
Emerging players
- PEN International: Global writers' organization focused on freedom of expression, literary advocacy, and persecuted writers. Partial overlap with Auteursbond's defense-of-authorship mission, particularly through PEN Nederland, but PEN operates a non-membership advocacy model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Auteursbond social profiles
Digital presenceAuteursbond financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Auteursbond leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Auteursbond subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Auteursbond funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Auteursbond M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Auteursbond
What does Auteursbond do?
Auteursbond is a Dutch professional membership association serving more than 1,000 writers and translators. It provides member-funded legal and business advisory services, contract support, collective bargaining and copyright advocacy (including AI-related rights), professional development (workshops, masterclasses, courses), affiliated financial support funds (P.C. Boutensfonds, Sociaal Fonds Auteurs, Stichting Rechtshulp Auteurs), workspace access (Schrijfwerkplaats), a safety reporting platform (SchrijversVeilig), a collective insurance plan through KLAP, and a portfolio of literary and screenwriting awards.
Is Auteursbond a public or private company?
Auteursbond is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Auteursbond founded?
Auteursbond was founded in 1917. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Auteursbond based?
Auteursbond is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Auteursbond make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership dues.
Who are Auteursbond's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Writers' Council (EWC), Platform Makers, NVJ (Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten), Writers Guild of America (WGA), Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE), ALCS (Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society), Lira (Stichting Lira), Society of Authors (UK) and CEATL (European Council of Literary Translators' Associations). PEN International is listed as an emerging player.
Does Auteursbond have an API?
No public API is recorded for Auteursbond.
What industry is Auteursbond in?
Auteursbond's product category is Professional Authors and Translators Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAFAK, Scholarly Society & Association Publishing. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.