Importance of contracts in commissions

Projects for public spaces can involve so many different partners. This makes contracts vital, for artist and commissioner. A contract is what both the artist and the commissioner agree that you as the artist will deliver.  You…

The State of Play

Heard any good myths lately? Try these for size. ‘I thought Henry Lydiate was a middle aged rich solicitor, with a plush office in the Strand, who makes lots of money out of artists.’ or: ‘Why…

Power Plays: Chimes of Freedom

The attempted censorship of the Power Plays exhibition at the Ferens Art Gallery by Hull City Council in October raises issues of the greatest importance. An explanation of its legal facets will enable us to…

Cell Block

Dear Prisoner 035178 You will have wondered why you failed to receive your April copy of Art Monthly (#235), which was posted to you as usual last month. It was received at the prison on April 20, but…

Artlaw History

In November 2009 Artquest’s online practical information, advice and support service for visual artists and craftspeople was overhauled and improved. It included a major restructuring of the Artlaw Archive of articles published in Art Monthly from its first…

About the articles

In 1976, Henry Lydiate, then a newly qualified barrister, received funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to set up a practice specifically providing legal advice to visual artists. Artlaw Services provided free information and legal advice to…

Conference Consequences

The British Art World is a notoriously diverse and divided community. The Whitechapel Conference organised by Artlaw on Jan 4, 1980, was remarkable in that it attracted an audience made up of a unique cross section of artists…

The Dali Wrangle

Salvador Dali, a master of Surrealism died in 1989. A dozen or so years later his legacy has caused substantial legal problems of an equally surrealist nature. The litigants are the Gala Salvador Dali Foundation established by…

Posthumous Artworks

Blinky Palermo’s reputation was given a major boost through retrospective exhibitions in Barcelona and at London’s Serpentine Gallery in 2003. This, in turn, has led to funding recently being achieved by Edinburgh College of Art to ‘rescue’ one…

International Artlaw Research and Education Fund

This month, the International Bar Association Conference at Cannes will review the work carried out to date by its ‘Educational Trust Cultural Property Law and Research and Educational Project’. In other words, its Artlaw…

Art Law Introduction

Visual artists, like any other members of the community, are subject to the ordinary laws of the land, but many are often unaware of the significant role the law plays in their working lives. Major problems are…

Is there Life after Art School?

The cuts in part time art school teaching is one of the most myopic acts of vandalism ever committed by the establishment in recent years: shortsighted it surely is. The custom of inviting practising…

One of us must know something (Sooner or Later)

A large brown envelope. It arrived during the summer and had something from the Arts Council of Great Britain about data protection inside. If you or your organisation holds any information…

Freedom of Expression: part 1

Most totalitarian regimes have an Official Censor: we don’t. But there are still ways in which public authorities and private individuals and organisations are able to restrict freedom of expression. Striking for the guardians and…

F**K

Last month’s Late Item (AM 145), “Three little words’, is reproduced here in full since it succinctly sets out a serious incident which we will explore, in more detail: ‘On March 22, an exhibition of work by the exiled…

The Bacon Estate (2)

On February 6, 2002, the High Court in London dismissed the claims brought by Brian Clarke against the Marlborough Gallery, on behalf of the Estate of Francis Bacon, who had decided not to pursue the matter.…

Drawing the Line

Because one figure was undressed This little drawing was suppressed. It was unkind, but never mind, Perhaps it was all for the best. * Ms Jennifer Rock was shocked when I answered the phone, especially on a…

Who cares about art after death?

Turner did: Rothko did. But apart from that question, the Rothko case raises an equally serious and more practical question for artists: how to ensure that their art is dealt with, after death, according…