On 15 October 2026, MEIA welcomed PRS for Music to Malta for Know Your Rights, an afternoon focused on performing rights, royalties, licensing and the systems that connect music use with payment to creators.

The programme brought together artists, songwriters, composers, producers, venues, promoters and industry professionals for two focused sessions, artist interventions, open discussion and networking.

Opening up the conversation

The workshops were organised in response to issues regularly raised by Malta’s music community around royalty payments, registration, reporting, licensing and access to clear information.

The sessions gave participants the opportunity to speak directly with PRS for Music, ask practical questions and better understand how the system works.

The discussions also highlighted areas where further work is needed locally, including clearer communication, better reporting practices and continued dialogue around royalty collection and distribution for Malta-based writers and creators.

What was discussed

From Clubs to Concerts: Mastering Data Collection focused on venues, festivals, promoters, hospitality operators and other music users. It explored how licensing connects to royalty payments, the importance of accurate music-use data, and the gaps that can arise through missing setlists, incorrect venue information or unreported use.

From Registration to Royalties was aimed at songwriters, composers, producers and musicians. It covered copyright, publishing, metadata, work registration, live performance reporting, PRS accounts, payment cycles and statements.

Both sessions developed into wider conversations around the practical challenges experienced by Malta’s music community.

Artist interventions, Q&A and networking

Alongside the presentations, artist interventions and contributions from participants brought real experiences into the discussion.

Each session was followed by an open Q&A, while the networking drinks created an informal space for further conversations between creators, organisations, industry professionals and the PRS team.

The following day, one-to-one meetings were also held with PRS representatives, giving participants the opportunity to discuss individual issues in greater detail.

Our speakers

We thank Steve Vassallo, PRS for Music’s representative in Malta, together with Daniel Jones and Stuart Belsham, Writer Relationship & Outreach Managers at PRS for Music London, for sharing their knowledge and engaging openly with the questions and concerns raised throughout the sessions.

What comes next

For MEIA, Know Your Rights was not intended to be a one-off event.

We are now looking to build on these discussions through continued collaboration with PRS for Music, including further workshops, stronger communication with the sector, public awareness initiatives and continued discussion around royalty collection and distribution in Malta.

If you are experiencing issues related to PRS for Music, royalty payments, registrations or licensing, you are welcome to contact MEIA so that we can better understand the concerns being experienced across the sector.

Thank you

Our sincere thanks go to PRS for Music for their time and expertise, and to The Brewhouse Malta for hosting us.

We are also grateful to Arts Council Malta, Creative Europe Desk Malta, Festivals Malta and Visit Malta for their support, to Elisa von Brockdorff for documenting the event, and to everyone who attended, contributed and took part in the discussions.

We look forward to continuing the conversation and building stronger collaboration around music rights in Malta.

Need help with a PRS issue?

If you are a MEIA member experiencing a PRS-related issue, please contact us. We would be happy to help connect you with the appropriate PRS team member.