Design and Artists’ Copyright Society (DACS) meaning

The Design and Artists’ copyright Society (DACS) is the UK visual arts collecting society (collective management organisation) that represents artists and estates, manages rights and pays royalties for uses of visual art. In practice, lawyers, galleries, auction houses and publishers engage DACS to clear copyright, licence images and comply with the artists’ resale right (ARR). DACS administers: - Artists’ resale right royalties on qualifying secondary sales in the UK (implemented under UK law, including the Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006, as amended). - Copyright licensing for uses such as publications, broadcasts and digital reproduction, including via its Artimage service. - DACS Payback, distributing secondary licensing revenue from reprographic and similar collective schemes to visual artists and estates. DACS operates primarily in England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and is subject to UK collective management regulation. In Ireland, equivalent functions are typically handled by the Irish Visual Artists Rights Organisation (IVARO), though DACS may act through reciprocal arrangements for cross‑border uses. Key legal significance: DACS acts as rights holder agent, issues licences, invoices and collects/distributes royalties. Parties dealing with visual artworks should check DACS mandates when clearing copyright or accounting for ARR on eligible resales.