Founded in 1999 by 10 publisher and 4 author members, CLASS celebrated its Silver Jubilee on 28 June 2024 at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel with a gala dinner, marking 25 exceptional years.
Over 130 guests consisting of members, licensees and other key stakeholders gathered to celebrate CLASS’ landmark occasion. Friends and colleagues enjoyed an eventful evening of networking, entertainment and fun.
From our humble beginnings, CLASS grew substantially over the years and now has over 100 local members with hundreds more affiliated globally. To date, CLASS has distributed over $30 million to our rightsholders as well as over $1 million given back to the community through the annual CLASS Bursary Awards.
The night was further made special by the attendance of Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong SC, as the Guest of Honour. Mr Tong acknowledged the key role that CLASS plays in promoting a culture of respect for copyright while fostering a sustainable creative industry: “From advocating the rights of creators to fostering a culture of respect for copyright, CLASS has been at the forefront of championing the interest of publishers and authors. And I think by doing so, if you champion the interest of publishers and authors to protect the copyright, you will protect and lift standards of their work as well.” Evidently, the work carried out by CLASS can be seen as a key enabler for weaving a deeper cultural tapestry for the country to enjoy. Additionally, Mr. Edwin Tong also helped launch the Writers+ Grant, a collaboration between CLASS and the Singapore Book Council, which will see a total of $150,000 committed over three years to support local writers and translators, nurturing the local literary landscape.*
In what was surely a night to remember, CLASS remains buoyed by the support of its many members, licensees and supporters. With this confidence, CLASS will continue to safeguard our rightsowner’s interests, continue to innovate and Champion Respect for Copyright for many more years to come.
*Further details of the Writers+ Grant will be made available in September
