RMA Members have long received a physical copy of the latest issue of Journal of the Royal Musical Association, released twice yearly. Owing to new contractual arrangements with our publisher, Cambridge University Press, this now incurs substantial annual costs that we absorbed in 2025, but which are unsustainable for our association going forwards. Rather than increasing members’ subscription costs by an amount commensurate with CUP’s additional change for hard copies, the Council of the RMA have agreed to move towards a position where members will receive digital-only access to the journal by default, with the option to opt-in to continue to receive physical copies by post. This brings us in line with other scholarly organisations that publish their own journals. In the first instance, there will not be a cost for opting-in to continue with hard copies, but in future, Council may need to ask for additional costs to be paid by members who choose to continue with physical delivery.

We are making the switch to opt-in for physical copies for JRMA issues published from spring 2026 onwards (the first of which will be published in the weeks ahead). As such, we are now giving members first notice of the deadline to opt-in to receive physical copies: you will need to follow the instructions below and respond by 30 June 2026. 

From 30 June, all members will receive copies in digital format only by default. Before that deadline, individual members can change this back and opt in to receive printed copies by following this link and logging in with your membership details: https://www.rma.ac.uk/members/communication.asp. There, you will find a drop-down box under the section ‘RMA Publications’. If you wish to opt-in to receive physical copies, select ‘Printed copy of the journal’, and then press the ‘Submit’ button (see screenshot image below). 

If you have any questions about the opt-in process please write to the communications officer (communications@rma.ac.uk).