Unac

What Unac does

Unac (Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs) is a French non-profit professional association founded in 1959 and headquartered at 2 rue du G\u00e9n\u00e9ral Lanrezac, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, with approximately 25 employees. It is established under French association law (loi 1901) and operates as a membership organization defending the legal and economic status of authors and composers in the music and audiovisual sectors. Its member base spans lyricists, composers for image (film/TV), singer-songwriters, dubbing and subtitling authors, screenwriters, humorists, and classical, jazz, electronic, and regional-language creators across all repertoires and aesthetics.

The organization's core 'products' are membership services and institutional representation rather than commercial technology offerings. These include professional training seminars (limited to ~15 participants per session, covering contracts, taxation, social security, collective management, and digital platforms), an annual awards ceremony — the Grands Prix de l'Unac, established 1974 and the longest-running author-recognition ceremony in France — with regional and themed editions at partner festivals (SynthFest France, MaMA, Jammin'Juan, S\u0153urs Jumelles, Rencontres des \u00e9critures cr\u00e9atives), and informational resources (PDFs covering usage codes, CPF scams, and Sacem portal guides). UNAC holds institutional seats on the governing bodies of Sacem, CNM, IRCEC, Afdas, URSSAF Artistes-Auteurs, and the European ECSA alliance, giving it direct influence over French cultural policy and the social-protection framework for artist-authors.

UNAC's business model is funded primarily through annual membership dues, with no public pricing disclosure and no commercial revenue from product or service sales. Prospective members contact the secretariat at [email protected] to obtain a membership form. The leadership is volunteer-based: Laurent Juillet (composer for image) serves as President, supported by a Bureau and Board of Directors elected by members at the annual General Assembly on three-year terms. No parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership is indicated, and the organization does not publish financial statements.

Name

Unac

Legal name

Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs (Unac)

Website

https://unac.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unac (Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs) is a French non-profit association founded in 1959 that defends the rights of authors and composers in the music and audiovisual sectors through membership services, professional training seminars, the annual Grands Prix de l'Unac awards, and institutional representation on French and European cultural-policy governing bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Neuilly-sur-Seine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: UNAC is a non-profit association (association loi 1901) funded primarily through annual membership dues paid by author and composer members. As a professional organization, it does not generate commercial revenue from product or service sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Unac is a French non-profit professional association (association loi 1901) founded in 1959 that represents and defends the economic, legal, and social interests of music and audiovisual authors and composers. It provides institutional representation on the governing bodies of collecting societies (Sacem), industry bodies (CNM, Afdas), and European alliances (ECSA), alongside member services such as professional training seminars, alerts on regulatory and digital threats, and the annual Grands Prix de l'Unac awards ceremony.

Product overview

Unac (Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs) is a professional association for authors and composers in the music and audiovisual industry, not a technology product company. It offers membership services, professional defense and representation, seminars, and awards programs (Grands Prix de l'Unac) across multiple categories including rock, jazz, classical, and music for image. The organization provides resources through PDFs on professional topics such as contracts, usage codes, and scams alerts, and partners with organizations like CNM, Sacem, and Afdas for member support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Académie des Grands Prix de l'Unac: Academy for recipients of UNAC's Grand Prix awards

Products and services

• Annual Membership Annual membership program for music and audiovisual authors and composers that confers the right to representation, voting, and access to member services. Members include lyricists, composers, screenwriters, and audiovisual authors.
• Grands Prix de l'Unac Annual awards ceremony recognizing the work and careers of music and audiovisual authors and composers. The awards are selected through member voting and the ceremony is part of a French music festival.
• Académie des Grands Prix de l'Unac Honorary body that enshrines recipients of the Grands Prix de l'Unac into a hall of fame recognizing lifetime achievement and contributions to music and audiovisual creation.
• Professional Training Seminars Themed seminars (deontologie, contracts, social protection, royalties, digital issues) delivered to members on the legal, economic, and professional challenges of being an author or composer.
• Institutional Representation and Advocacy Representation of members' interests on the boards of Sacem, CNM, IRCEC, Afdas, and the European ECSA alliance, plus advocacy on legislation and collective bargaining affecting creators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42,000 training actions financed through Afdas; €85M in total committed funds; 15,000 author beneficiaries since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• S22A (Securité sociale des artistes-auteurs)coreOthers · 20 November 2025UNAC participates in the governing council of the Social Security for Artist-Authors (Sécurité sociale des artistes-auteurs), a body established under the Government author-artist plan. Laurent Juillet was elected vice-president of this council. UNAC collaborates on webinars and information sessions about retirement reform, social protection changes, and administrative processes affecting artist-authors.
• MaMA Music & ConventionflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 October 2024MaMA Music & Convention is a major annual music industry event in Paris combining conferences, professional meetings, and live concerts. UNAC is a partner and presents the 'Grand Prix de l'Unac – Édition MaMA' award at the event. UNAC representatives present the organization's missions and objectives through panel discussions. In 2024, Christine Lidon presented the MaMA award to Elliott Murphy in tribute to his career.
• Apulia Soundtrack AwardsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2024The Apulia Soundtrack Awards are annual awards for exceptional film and TV music composition, held in July in Puglia, Italy. UNAC promotes the competition (specifically the 'Best Emerging Composer' category) to its members and encourages applications, with a deadline of May 31 each year.
• IRCEC (Institution de Retraite Complémentaire des Artistes-Auteurs)coreOthers · 14 March 2024IRCEC manages the three complementary retirement schemes for artist-authors in France: RACL (lyricists and dubbing authors), RAAP (all artist-authors with author revenues above €9,513), and RACD (dramatic authors and film authors). UNAC is represented on IRCEC's governing bodies; former UNAC president Olivier Delevingne was elected IRCEC president (2024–2027). UNAC advocates for members' retirement rights and provides guidance on RAAP contributions and options.
• Rencontres des écritures créatives (REC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2024The Rencontres des écritures créatives (REC), organized by UPAD (Union professionnelle des auteurs de doublage), is a multidisciplinary creative writing event held annually in Dijon. UNAC is a partner and reserves two places for its members at each edition, which includes workshops in poetic writing, sound exploration/creation, and dubbing initiation. UNAC presents its Grand Prix Carrière at the event (e.g., Yves Jamait in 2024) and Grand Prix collaboration author-composer (Lucas Dorier & Hippocampe Fou in 2025).
• CNM (Centre National de la Musique)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CNM is France's national music center, a public institution supporting the music and live performance sectors. UNAC participated in the initial consultations on the streaming tax (1.2% levy on online music platforms to fund the CNM, effective 2024) and collaborates with CNM on the author-composer bursary program (€5,000 per beneficiary over two years). UNAC is represented in CNM's governing bodies and actively advocates for members' interests in its programs.
• Culture Moves Europe / Goethe-InstitutminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 December 2023Culture Moves Europe is a European mobility grant program funded by the EU Creative Europe programme, implemented by the Goethe-Institut. It offers individual mobility grants (7–60 days) for artists and cultural professionals across 40 countries, as well as residency grants for host organizations. UNAC informs its members about these opportunities through its news section.
• URSSAF Artistes-AuteurscoreOthers · 29 November 2023URSSAF Artistes-Auteurs manages base social security contributions (health, family, basic retirement) for artist-authors in France. UNAC guides its members through annual declaration processes, URSSAF registration, and rights navigation, and advocates for administrative simplification on behalf of members.
• AfdascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 November 2023Afdas is the French professional training fund for artists and authors. UNAC is represented on Afdas's governing council (Frédéric Kocourek co-chairs the Artists-Authors Fund's Management Council) and has been instrumental in developing and governing this training fund since its creation in 2013. The fund has financed 42,000 training actions totaling €85M, benefiting 15,000 authors, with UNAC's input shaping its operations and accessibility.
• Jammin'JuancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 October 2023Jammin'Juan is a European jazz festival and professional market held at the Palais des Congrès in Antibes Juan-les-Pins. UNAC is a partner and presents its 'Grand Prix Unac Jeune Talent' at each annual edition, awarding promising young jazz artists. UNAC board members (e.g., Clémence Lhomme, vice-présidente) present the award. The 2023 edition featured 22 emerging jazz formations; 17 showcase places are available per edition.
• Festival Sœurs JumellesflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 June 2023The Festival Sœurs Jumelles in Rochefort is a meeting of music and image. UNAC is a partner alongside SNAC and U2C, hosting professional meet-ups (Café rencontre sessions) and presenting its engagement award at the MaMA edition. In 2025, Julie Gayet, Delphine Paul, and Éric Debègue received the Grand Prix de l'Unac – MaMA Music & Convention prize for founding the Sœurs Jumelles festival.
• ECSA (European Composer & Songwriter Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2023ECSA is the European alliance of composers and songwriters, affiliated with the International Confederation of Authors and Composers (CISAC). UNAC is an active member and participates in ECSA's campaigns against buy-out contracts and coercive publishing, European policy advocacy, and the annual ECSA playlist. ECSA conducts surveys on buy-out practices across Europe and coordinates responses to regulatory threats. UNAC administrators serve on ECSA commissions.
• SynthFest FranceflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 April 2023SynthFest France is an annual event dedicated to sound synthesis and electronic music held near Nantes. UNAC is a partner of SynthFest France and presents its own Grand Prix Unac at the festival each year, with a dedicated 'Unac Talks' stage focused on topics such as 'Vivre de sa musique' (making a living from music). The partnership includes an annual ceremony, professional panels, and live performances. The 2023 edition awarded Grand Prix Hommage carrière to Marc Caro and Grand Prix Découverte talents to EdH & æfv; the 2024 edition awarded DeLaurentis.
• SacemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Sacem is the French collective management organization for music authors and composers. UNAC maintains a close institutional relationship with Sacem, holding seats on advisory bodies and collaborating on professional development seminars. UNAC's annual general assemblies and many events are held at the Sacem auditorium in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Sacem is also a co-presenter of UNAC's seminars and supports member training programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique): France's dominant collective management organization for music authors and composers. UNAC operates closely with Sacem (hosting assemblies at Sacem auditorium and co-presenting seminars) but Sacem is a much larger CMO with a different statutory role.

Regional players

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers): US performing rights organization. Regional peer — analogous PRO function for songwriters and composers in the US market; useful international comparison for member services and advocacy models.
• SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori): Italy's authors and publishers society. Regional peer — same statutory function as the Sacem/CNMA/UNAC ecosystem in Italy; relevant for cross-border European advocacy and partnership comparison.
• GEMA (German musical rights organization): Germany's collective management organization for music authors. Regional peer — performs the equivalent rights-management and member-services function as Sacem/UNAC ecosystem in Germany; comparable member base, different geography.

Direct peers

• ECSA (European Composer & Songwriter Alliance): European alliance of which UNAC is a member. Operates at the supranational level to advocate for composers and songwriters on EU policy (buy-outs, streaming, AI). Comparable mission and member-based structure, broader geographic remit.
• ADAGP (Association de Défense des Arts Graphiques et Plastiques): French collecting society for visual artists. Comparable peer in the French author-rights ecosystem — same country, same loi 1901 association form, but serving a different creative discipline.
• UPAD (Union Professionnelle des Auteurs de Doublage): French professional union for dubbing authors. Direct peer — UNAC and UPAD jointly organize the Rencontres des Écritures Créatives (REC) in Dijon and represent overlapping categories of audiovisual authors.
• SAA (Society of Audiovisual Authors): European association representing audiovisual authors (screenwriters, directors, composers). Direct peer — UNAC participates in SAA/ECSA coalitions and shares the same mission of defending audiovisual authors' rights at the European level.
• SNAC (Syndicat National des Auteurs et des Compositeurs): French national union for authors and composers (performing arts focus). Direct peer — both are French loi 1901 organizations representing creators in the music/audiovisual value chain, with overlapping membership and advocacy missions.

Others

• CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers): Global confederation of authors' societies (parent of ECSA). Adjacent ecosystem participant — UNAC's affiliate members are part of the CISAC network, but CISAC operates at an umbrella level rather than as a competitor.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UnionNationaleAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnionNationaleAuteursCompositeurs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unac_info
• Instagraminstagram.com/unac_info

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Unac