If you want to perform your original works in a cafe or any possible public performance space, consider this: When you join APRA you give APRA exclusive rights to your performance, APRA issues a blanket license to the venue so that the venue can then choose any live performance they wish for that space. The artists then collect their share of this royalty through their membership with APRA. The venue is going to pay APRA regardless of whether you are with APRA or not. This is what lures most artists into the collection agencies.  Is this fair for the venue and the artist? The artist is not able to negotiate a more competitive rate for the use of her or his performance of their original material with the venue that is paying this license fee to APRA. The venue, festival, or event that is paying the license fee to APRA looks at the artist the same way as any extremely well published act. Did you understand this when you joined APRA? Did a lawyer tell you this? Do you wish they had? Is this true? Call APRA and find out. To perform your original works in a public space not used for regular live performance you would have to go through a process that could be difficult and confusing for the artist and the venue. In Europe the penalties can be costly for a space that does not comply. Don't forget that when you join APRA you join all their partners, and your materials are treated according to the conditions of that country, not the conditions within Australia. Did you understand this when you joined APRA? If you tell the owner of a potential performance space that you’re not with a collection agency and would like to perform your original music in their venue, the businessperson can consider your original performance without having to do business with APRA. As an artist you want to play everywhere you can. The possible performance space of your art does not need the added process that APRA have introduced. What percentage of performance royalties collected by APRA go to artists that are not with any form of publishing company? It’s a space and it’s your music, so think carefully about joining APRA. For me the music is part of my day-to-day conversation, joining a collection agency is a self-imposed mute button that is regulated by the business of music. As an artist performing original works alone without a publisher, consider the restrictions that APRA places on your art. Creative Commons is not going to place these restrictions on your art. APRA recommends that you seek legal advice before you use Creative Commons protocol, yet APRA claim it’s not necessary for artists to seek legal advice when joining APRA. APRA does not have the support of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission yet is still able to operate. Ask APRA why.