Copyright Registration - Performing Arts

Copyright is a federal law, which protects authors of “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression.” This protection gives the authors the exclusive rights (including authorization of others) with regard to their original works.

Copyright registration is an official process to make a permanent public record of your copyright claim. As discussed below, copyright registration is not required to maintain your copyright ownership or rights; however, it does provide certain additional advantages.

This form is for works of Performing Arts. Performing arts works are intended to be “performed” directly before an audience or indirectly “by means of any device or process.” Included are (1) musical works, including any accompanying words; (2) dramatic works, such as scripts, including any accompanying music; (3) pantomimes and choreographic works; and (4) motion pictures and other audiovisual works.

Performing arts registration is not the same as registering a sound recording.

For registration purposes, musical compositions and dramatic works that are recorded on disks or cassettes are works of the performing arts and should be registered on Form PA or Short Form PA. Therefore, if you wish to register only the underlying work that is a musical composition or dramatic work, use Form PA even though you may send a disk or cassette.