The Way Forward?
‘Any government, whatever its political line, should take some active steps to encourage the arts. The task of a Minister for the Arts is to help to create and preserve a framework within which the arts can…
Court Cases
It is unusual for there to be a sufficient number of artlaw cases to report between Issues, but this month there is a wealth of them. Duchamp’s urinals In 1998 a French artist, Pierre Pinoncelli, committed criminal damage…
Artists Resale Right
Half a dozen pieces over three decades mark the progress of artists' resale royalty right legislation in Europe, California and the UK. A campaign by artists lobbying for the introduction of this economic right in the UK…
Appropriation
On March 5, 2005, in central London two separate events took place: each focused on artlaw and different ways of appropriating the law into the form and content of artists’ works. The first was jointly organised by the Interdisciplinary…
International Foundation for Art Research: IFAR
The Internet continues to advance and develop the provision of high quality, free access information. IFAR is one such excellent and authoritative resource, for current and historical information about art business throughout the world.…
Nothing is Forever
It seems that the number of artists whose works suffer minor indignities or major censorship at the hands of the powerful will continue to increase until kingdom come. But nothing, as Pat Lally observed, is forever. Pat…
Vexing Art Toll?
VAT is an accountancy nightmare but, handled properly, can be turned to good advantage – even for artists. Myths abound; perhaps they can be dispelled. Let’s try. Every artist should ask the following questions: Do I carry…
An American in Florence: restoring the moral balance
Professor James Beck, Professor of Art History at Columbia University, prosecuted for the fourth time for criminal libel in an Italian Court, has been acquitted. Restorer Gianni Caponi brought the four actions…
Where can I find lists of studio providers?
The main Artquest website has a whole section devoted to artists’ studio providers, including contact details and website links.
When selling work for reproduction, how can I protect my copyright?
What can I do to ensure that any prints clearly record my signature and details of the work? As part of your copyright in the work, you have moral…
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…
% for Art Legistaltion
Since the 1982 Art and Architecture conference at the ICA, there has been an enormous growth of local authority policies which aim to encourage collaborative efforts between artists and architects. In 1988, Oxfordshire became the first…
Displaying Student Work
Now that the annual round of degree shows is completed, one particular issue has been very prevalent this season and remains an unclear and often challenging area. Showing students’ artworks to the public can and sometimes does…
What is a ‘break clause’?
Coupled with the need for security in your property contract is the need for some flexibility, as you may need to leave your studio unexpectedly. Some landlords acknowledge this need for flexibility by incorporating a…
Doing a Deal: Part 3
For reasons stated in Part Two (AM214), gallery less dealers are not a generally recommended agent for promotion and sales. However, there are those few who have succeeded in establishing respectable dealerships with reliable collectors,…
Company
Companies are either limited by shares or by guarantee. This is probably the most popular organisational setup for commercial organisations, but a company can also be set up for a social purpose if it relates to social and /…
Yes Minister, but is it legal?
God help the Minister who meddles with art! Lord Melbourne, Prime Minister; 1837 1841 I would need to be satisfied that standards of artistic excellence will be maintained and enhanced as a result of…
Who Owns Public Art Commissions?
Following publication in March and April of the two pieces exploring public art commissions (AM 234 and 235) readers’ letters raised interesting and challenging queries. A common thread was the question of ownership of commissioned…