Artist statement
An artist’s statement is a short piece of writing about your work. Artist’s statements are as varied and diverse as the art they describe. The following guidelines are suggestions and observations rather than hard and fast rules. Artist…
Public Images
‘Public image, you got what you wanted, public image belongs to me, it’s my entrance, my own creation.’* This week I was approached by Recession Pictures who, despite having a name fresh from Britain in the eighties, have…
Heath and Safety
If you have a studio the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 will apply to your use of it, as the regulations apply to all places of work, and this includes an artist’s studio. An overview…
Percentage for Art
Come gather round people Wherever you roam* From Ancient China, Classical Greece and Rome, the Renaissance through to the Bauhaus, the collaboration between art and architecture has been a vital, significant and evident feature within society. The…
Up Against the Wall: part 2
Moral Abuses Moral, as opposed to economic, abuse cases are prevalent. One was discussed in last month’s AM issue, and here are some more. Each is a true story. Not satisfied with a completed…
VAT of confusion
There is much confusion over the new VAT rules due to come into force on January 1st 1993 as part of the European Single Market. Artlaw has been trying to unravel a complex and developing situation with…
After Sales
The last two articles in this series have dealt with selling work: the use of some written form of agreement was shown to be essential and of considerable advantage to artists and buyers. If the suggested Artist's Contract…
ArtlawTV: Susanna Heron on Site Specific Art
Site Specific Art – protecting the artist’s vision Artist Susanna Heron (see also: Flickr sets) talks through her experiences of being commissioned on public art projects, the pitfalls she encounters and how to…
What kind of access can I expect in a studio or property?
The use, access and management of a property are key issues that can often be overlooked by artists when negotiating a contract. For example, if you have a…
Breaking the Rules
As an art lawyer, Warhol’s death provoked in me serious thoughts about art and money, including the rules of the marketplace. Between thought and expression Lies a lifetime. * And though the rules of the road have…
Loans and finance
Loans, overdrafts, credit cards, mortgages, micro loans are all forms of ‘debt finance’. Money is borrowed from a lender then repaid over a period of time, usually with interest. The total amount repaid is always more than…
Artist resale rights
Whenever a musician sells a track, they receive a small payment from the transaction. This is called a royalty. Since 2006, when an artwork is resold on the secondary market for over €1,000, the artist gets a…
Gallery Agreements
Artists – grateful for the offer of a ‘gallery deal’ – are understandably reluctant to request the use of a written agreement during negotiations, since this might jeopardise their chances. In this column during the past months, the…
ArtlawTV: Simon Faithfull on Art and Ideas
Art and Ideas – what does copyright law recognise as art? Artists sometimes report their work has been seemingly ripped off and used in other ways without their consent – but what is…
New UK Copyright Provisions from 31 October 2003
The owner of copyright in an original ‘artistic’ work has the exclusive right to copy the work, and issue copies to the public. Please note that this article was not published in…
Shamrock Organisations
Gustave Courbet’s huge 20ft wide by 12ft high oil painting, The Painter’s Studio (A Real Allegory of Seven Years of My Life), 1855, represents among other things his view of the (then) new role of the artist in…
Commercial gallery relationships
Commercial galleries are businesses that aim to sell art. It’s important to understand their motivations, their staff and practices. This will help negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement. Reflection Before you begin your hunt for a gallery reflect…
Unincorporated Association
An unincorporated association is a legally recognised form of organisation, and the easiest to set up. It is formed of a number of individuals – who are each responsible for their own tax arrangements, perhaps under self employment…