About Sanasto
Sanasto is a Finnish literary copyright society founded in 2005. Our aim is to make it possible for authors and translators to live off their work and to provide users of literary works licences with which the use of literature is simple and easy.
What is Sanasto?
Sanasto manages collected levies for the use of literary works and distributes them to copyright holders. Sanasto provides authors and translators information and legal counselling on copyright issues.
We offer licences for the use of Finnish literary works. With our licence you can for example read texts to an audience, print literature as a part of playbills or other publications and broadcast literature on television and radio.
Sanasto aims at influencing the public debate on copyright as well as related legislation in a manner that is advantageous to copyright holders. Sanasto monitors the development of copyright legislation in Finland and internationally and works for the development of the rights of writers and translators.
Our board
Sanasto is directed by a six-person board in which every member organisation has a representative.
Sanasto’s board 2026:
Chair:
Maria Lassila-Merisalo, The Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers
maria.lassila-merisalo(at)sanasto.fi
Members
Mikko Niemelä, The Finnish Association of Non-fiction Writers (deputy member Anne Rutanen)
Maaria Päivinen, The Union of Finnish Writers (deputy member Hanna Ryti)
Eeva Asikainen, The Union of Finnish Writers (deputy member Ilmi Villacís)
Sirpa Alkunen, The Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters (deputy member Kaijamari Sivill)
Philip Teir, The Society for Swedish Authors in Finland (deputy member Malin Kivelä)
Sanasto’s member organisations are the Union of Finnish Writers, the Finnish Association of Nonfiction Writers, the Society of Swedish Authors in Finland and the Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters.