The partnership between CCLI and the StepFWD Awards is a natural one, born from a shared passion for celebrating the UK’s songwriting talent. In sponsoring the awards event, they are helping to give these songs and their creators the platform they deserve to bless and impact the church.
Below, CCLI details its crucial role in Copyright Licensing. This article examines how CCLI remains a steadfast partner for both churches and creators, safeguarding their work and ensuring its ongoing use in worship.
COPYRIGHT LICENSING
If you struggle to understand how copyright affects your ministry, you’re not alone! In our ever-changing digital world, copyright can be a huge challenge for many churches. But help is at hand. In this guide, CCLI provides a short summary of the differences between licences, to help you understand what you need.
Where do we start?
CCLI are one of a number of organisations that offer licences to churches in the UK. Each organisation is different, covering different rights and repertoires, meaning that the licence(s) you need will depend on the songs you sing, and how you might be using copyrighted materials in your wider ministry. Sometimes a combination of licences from more than one organisation will be necessary.
At CCLI, we’re often asked why there can’t there be a simple, single licence that covers everything! While such a licence would undoubtly be convenient, it would also mean paying for coverage you don’t need. Instead, the range of licences that are available means that each church can tailor a solution that meets its specific needs.
Why do CCLI provide so many licences?
CCLI was established in 1988 in response to the growing adoption of technology in churches. Our remit now, as then, is to serve the church by making it easier to legally use the world of copyrighted works available. As churches now use many different types of creative works in their services and activities, CCLI has continued to provide solutions.
Today, CCLI offers a range of licences for different activities, as well as tools and resources to facilitate the discovery and use of creative works in ministry.
CCLI’s licences
More than 24,000 churches in the UK now hold CCLI’s Church Copyright Licence for the reproduction of songs in worship. This licence covers more than 600,000 worship songs and hymns.
CCLI provides several add-ons to the Church Copyright Licence. The CCLI Streaming LicenceTM permits authorised worship songs to be played live during services that are streamed or made available online. If you also want to include song recordings (artist tracks, backing tracks, or multitracks) during your streams, you can do so with the CCLI Steaming Plus Licence.
If music is played or performed outside of your worship services, or others using church premises, CCLI provide licences for this on behalf PRS for Music and PPL. On its own, the PRS for Music Church Licence covers live performances including up to six concerts or recitals per year. If recorded music is being played, you’ll need both this and the PPL Church Licence. This would include background music, music played during classes or group meetings on your premises, music played during youth clubs, and music used during any church events.
If your church has use of a photocopier, CCLI offers two licences that permit you to make copies of copyrighted books and publications. The CCLI Music Reproduction Licence is another add-on option to the Church Copyright Licence, ideal if you only photocopy from songbooks or sheet music publications. To photocopy from non-music publications, such as study guides, activity books, journals, magazines, and books, CCLI offers the CLA Church Licence on behalf of the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA).
Finally, many churches now use film content in their activities. With CCLI’s Church Video Licence, you’ll have comprehensive coverage to use films to illustrate teaching themes, during outreach events and socials, and in your Sunday school, youth, and children’s work.
How do we find content we can use under our licences?
As the sheer amount of copyrighted materials has grown, it has become increasingly important to provide resources that help churches to discover and source legal content to use under their licences. For songs, our SongSelect website is a vast library of sheet music, tracks, and now lyric videos. SongSelect can be integrated with popular planning and presentation and digital music stand software.
For Church Video Licence users, CCLI offers free access to the ScreenVue® Vault, a website containing thousands of film ideas and downloads that you can search by title or theme.
Where do we go from here?
Copyright matters. It’s important to understand your obligations and make sure you have the correct coverage. CCLI’s team is here to offer advice and guidance to help you understand where licences may be required, but just as importantly, where they aren’t! We’ll help you find the most appropriate and affordable solution. And where we can’t cover you, we’ll direct you to who can.
It’s worth noting that no licence covers everything. While CCLI’s licences are comprehensive, there are always exceptions. Likewise, while licences are the most convenient and cost-effective option for most churches, they’re not the only option. If you only need permission for a limited time or a limited number of songs, an event licence may be an alternative. Sometimes it may even be better to contact the copyright owners directly.
Ultimately, however, churches have the same moral and legal obligations as any other organisation. CCLI recommends you periodically consider all the ways your church may be using copyrighted works. CCLI’s online Church Healthcheck ccli.com/healthcheck is a great way to do this. However, if you’d prefer to speak to a human being, we’re here to help.
To contact CCLI call 01323 436100, email uk@ccli.com or visit ccli.com || Book tickets to StepFWD Awards
