Executive Committee Candidate - Ferid Lakhdar
ZAIKS
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I am honored to submit my candidacy for the CIAM Executive Committee.
I have been fortunate to pursue music professionally for almost thirty years. I am an author, a performer, and a music producer. My career was shaped during a turbulent period in Polish history, when the music industry had to adapt to the Western market.
That experience has led me to recognize some of the challenges that young, inexperienced music creators may face at the beginning of their career path. There is a need for more guidance on how to navigate the music market in a way that protects artists from exploitation. As I engage in CIAM activities, I am committed to prioritizing educational initiatives. Our society is proud to have launched a modern educational project called the ZAiKS Academy. Its objective is twofold: first, to prepare young music creators for their careers; and second, to encourage them to engage with collective management organizations. I hope to share our valuable experience with CIAM, which could benefit from the input of young artists with their energy and fresh perspectives.
It has become increasingly evident that we, as a community of music creators, should no longer feel ashamed of expecting financial compensation for our creativity. Our passion is also our profession, and we should be fairly remunerated for our work. Furthermore, we are not treated the same as other professions, as we often lack access to social and healthcare benefits. It is crucial for all of us to urge EU lawmakers to adopt legislation on the status of professional music creators and artists and promote it outside the Union.
Technological advances also present us with challenges that must be addressed. We have not yet improved the music streaming market to ensure more revenue for creators and performers, and now we are faced with new challenges like AI and buy-outs. These are all issues that CIAM will address, but I would also like to see us, as a community, share our best practices more effectively and implement them globally.
My objectives as a member of the CIAM Executive Committee are threefold:
1. Education
2. Dignity
3. Reliable income
I represent ZAiKS - one of the oldest and largest CMO in our region. Our society has a century-long tradition of uniting and supporting all kinds of creators but it also looks to the future with hope and is open to new technologies. I would like to bring this attitude to the CIAM forum, empower and strengthen our community, so that we can protect what is the most valuable: human expression and creativity that emerges from imagination.
BIO
Polish Vocalist and Instrumentalist born in 1977 in Algier Centre.
In 1998, he graduated from the Songwriting College in Poznań. At that time, he was hired for the musical “Fame” and joined the band Hi Street, which debuted at the 35th National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. Since 1999, he has followed a solo career. For over twenty years, he has been associated with the Polish scene, creating and producing popular music and arrangements, as well as collaborating with many artists in Poland and abroad.
His latest album with compositions for children achieved platinum record status and was nominated for the most important Polish music award – Fryderyki. In 2022, Ferid was elected Vice-President of the Management Board Society of Authors ZAiKS. On behalf of ZAiKS, he has been conducting lobbying activities with Polish and European parliamentarians to strengthen the position of creators in Europe. He is actively involved in the works of CISAC, CIAM and ECSA.