OWNERSHIP & OpportunitY
PROGRAM INFORMATION
JuLY 25, 2026 Program overview:
Ownership and OpportunitY is a music rights and workforce development program created by The Simhalah Foundation to help artists understand, protect, manage, and monetize their creative work.
On July 25, we will be hosting an introductory one-day intensive for a small group of artists. This session is part of a broader program that The Simhalah Foundation is developing to provide artists with support and mentorship over time as they organize and protect their music.
The July 25 session will help artists better understand what they own when they write or record music, how royalties are collected, what information they may need to document, and how clear agreements can help reduce confusion or exploitation when collaborating with others.
The day will include teaching, discussion, lunch, short breaks, a listening session, and practice negotiation scenarios so participants can apply what they are learning in a supportive setting. Artists will also leave with practical tools, including agreement templates they can use in their own creative work.
Date and time
Date: Saturday, July 25
Time: 10:00am to 5:00pm
The program will take place at our recording studio office in Koreatown, Los Angeles and will serve 10 participating artists.
The program is 100% free. There is no cost for participants.
Who this program is for
Ownership and Opportunity prioritizes artists who have been impacted by incarceration, reentry, the criminal legal system, or related barriers to creative and economic access.
The program is also open to creators who are serious about their craft and may not have had access to the business, legal, and rights education needed to protect and monetize their work.
Applicants do not need formal music industry experience or previously released music. The program is best suited for artists actively creating music and/or planning to release their work.
To get the most out of the session, applicants should have at least one original song, recording, beat, demo, or active music project they want to better understand, organize, protect, or monetize.
Short Program Outline
Participants will be invited to think about one song or project they want to better understand, protect, or monetize.
Welcome & Artist goalS
UNDERSTANDING THE ASSETS YOU CREATE
A practical introduction to the two main copyrights in music.
the composition and the master recording.
GETTING THE BAG: REGISTRATIONS, ROYALTIES & COLLECTION
An overview of Performing Rights Organizations, publishing, mechanical royalties, SoundExchange, distributors, and other systems artists may need to understand.
How to organize song information, ownership details, collaborators, registrationS & create licensing-ready assets.
CATALOG MANAGEMENT
BRINGING RECEIPTS:
SPLIT SHEETS & AGREEMENTS
How to clarify ownership, document collaborations, and use simple agreements to reduce conflict and protect future opportunities.
Key terms artists should understand before signing Agreements, how to ask better questions, and how to advocate for themselves and their work.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION & SELF ADVOCACY
An introduction to licensing music for film, TV, campaigns, and other visual media, including what artists need in place before opportunities arise.
SYNC LICENSING & OPPORTUNITY READINESS
Participants receive templates, next-step guidance, and practical tools to continue organizing and protecting their creative work.
WRAP UP & NEXT STEPS
Photo credits: Bn2 Media The Simhalah Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to amplifying important stories through music, art, education, and advocacy. Women-founded and minority-led, the Foundation is built by artists, producers, advocates, and music industry professionals who understand both the creative and business sides of building a sustainable music career. Through our work with local artists, we have seen how gaps in rights education can prevent talented, hardworking creators from monetizing their work and effectively advocating for themselves and their creative assets. Ownership and Opportunity was created to help address that gap.
For questions about the program,
please contact:
Foundation@simhalah.com