Art and the law on trial
Does the public need protecting against art and artists? Recent serious and real events in Parliament and the Courts have raised this apparently whimsical and abstract question to public notice. The law makers and…
Anticipating Future Uses of Work
A traditional assumption of many commissioners, owners and users of artworks is that artists should consider themselves lucky, even privileged, to have been paid for doing what they enjoy and therefore have few if any…
Copyright Services
Picasso’s keen interest in taking care of the commercial dimension of his professional practice manifested itself relatively early in his career and extended also to the careers of his contemporaries; he contributed significantly to the establishment of one…
Orphan Works 1
‘Orphan works’ are copyright works that have no identifiable or traceable owner under international and national copyright laws, and are therefore allowed to be freely copied and merchandised. These sensible arrangements were developed through international copyright treaties…
Agents’ and Dealers’ Duties
Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing Madonna and Child with St Anne and a Lamb (c.1501 19) was the subject of a lawsuit decided by London's High Court in November 2010, which shed “a bright light on an…
What legal issues should I be aware of if I wish to use film clips in my work?
Even images, film, audio or photographs on the Internet are protected by copyright, and cannot be used without the author’s permission. Whilst…
3D Artworks
The 1977 movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was the subject of a recent lengthy trial at the High Court in London, at the heart of which lay the fiendishly difficult question of what – in…
Armenia: overview of the visual arts
The new reality proved difficult for many artists who had been until then supported by the Soviet state with free studio spaces, generous bursaries and subsidised art materials in return for political obedience (with…
Money Talks
How do you balance work, life and practice without selling out? Artists are always thought to be ‘not in it for the money’, but we all have bills to pay, holidays to go on and sometimes children to…
Email newsletters and mailing lists
Many artists keep a list of professional contacts to send news about exhibitions and events. Along with social networks these are effective at telling your regular audience what you are doing. Email newsletters are a…
Community Interest Company
A community interest company (CIC) is a limited company (either by shares or guarantee) that provide benefits to a community, or a specific section of a community. It has the flexibility of a company form and access…
Editions or Series: Artists Be Clear
Misunderstandings and disputes often arise when two people interpret the same situation in different ways. Assumptions are usually the root cause; full, frank, and clear dialogue between the parties, especially in contractual negotiations, is…
Paper Promises, part 1
Exhibiting and selling work, one off and generally, has not been a high priority in these columns over recent years, especially since we explored these areas pretty comprehensively in the first five. But last month’s deliberately…
Crowdfunding for artists
Crowdfunding is an alternative way for artists to fundraise for their projects. Basics of crowdfunding Instead of applying for large sums from a funder, you ask for smaller pledges from many individuals. Artists run “campaigns” that offer…
Borneo: Tong Tana – walking with the Penan by Layla Curtis
In May 2010 artist Layla Curtis travelled to the rainforests of Borneo. Filming a Penan hunter’s solo journey through dense jungle near BaJawi, one of Borneo’s last remaining pristine rainforest wildernesses for…
Loaner Beware
This is a very unusual step for any artist to take in the UK. How have these circumstances arisen, what is the likely outcome, and what lessons can be learned by artists, collectors and galleries? The case of…
Commissions
I have been commissioned to produce a piece of public art. Can the body commissioning the artwork subsequently terminate the agreement? What should I do if a commission is rejected after it has been completed? What should I be…
Tips for selling your art
Rise Art founder Scott Phillips and curator Sergio Fernandez suggest tips for artists on how to promote and sell their work. Know your practice, and ‘self curate’ We come across artists all the time who…