DACS is a membership based organisation representing 36,000 fine artists and their heirs, in addition to 16,000 photographers, illustrators, craftspeople, cartoonists, architects, animators and designers, including some of the biggest names in contemporary visual arts. They provide a range of licensing services for copyright consumers seeking to license the individual rights of an artist. Licences for secondary uses of artistic works are administered under collective licensing schemes on behalf of all visual creators. DACS distributes these funds through Payback.
DACS also manages the Artist’s Resale Right on behalf of artists in the UK. The Artist’s Resale Right entitles an artist to a resale royalty each time their art work is sold by an auction house, gallery or dealer. DACS is a not-for-profit organisation. They make an administrative charge on the revenue they receive on behalf of artists and visual creators in order to cover their operating costs.