Forte Creative Group is an LLC operated as a multi-stakeholder cooperative. That means that there are several classes of members who all collectively own the company and share equal voting rights and governance responsibilities. We believe that this structure best reflects the complex and interconnected nature of the music world, and allows the Cooperative to include and benefit a diverse group of members while remaining focused on its core mission of empowering and supporting its artists. Keeping with our fundamental philosophy and guiding values, any profits from the operations of the Cooperative are returned to the members and reinvested in our artists. We are committed to using this model to address existing inequity in the music industry, empower artists to pursue their own causes, and collectively work toward lasting change.
In addition to membership, Forte is working to create a network of partners in the industry who benefit from becoming connected to our community, like venues and promoters. Our goal is to strengthen and sustain the foundation of independent music and connect neighboring regions to help facilitate artists’ efforts to expand their range and find new audiences.
Unlike many traditional Cooperatives, Forte does not require a capital investment from the core membership group. Instead, membership is measured in the mutual benefit exchanged between membership classes and the Cooperative. This means that we value the creative work of our members and their efforts to build and share the collective vision, and never require a financial contribution from an artist to become a member.
Membership Classes
- Worker-members (staff)
- The Forte staff makes up one membership group as worker-owners of the company. Worker-members are responsible for managerial roles as Committee chairs, and work in close collaboration with their artist advisors.
- Producer-members (artists)
- Artists make up the core membership group of the Cooperative as producers, where their investment of time and creative work is considered to be equal to the purchase of a membership share. They have all rights and responsibilities outlined in the Forte Member Agreement. The primary purpose of the LLC is to support their work.
- Investor-members (community)
- Each year, a limited amount of membership shares, calculated at the monetary equivalent of the estimated value exchanged between Forte and its producer-members in the upcoming year, are made available to the community. Investor-members may participate in the governance of Forte by running for positions on the Board.