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​After the Death of an Artist

What needs to happen after an artist dies
PLUS some of the practical actions an Executor needs to take.

What happens to Artists' Estates?
​

What's it really like for those dealing with an artist's or art collector's legacy of artwork after their death?
Below are some stories about what happened to artists' estates.
Picture
  • MAKING A MARK: What it's like for an Artist's Trustee
    Last week I came across a blog which tracks the experience of one Trustee as he gets to grips with the Estate and what needs to happen next.
  • An Artist's Estate
    In July 2008 the artist Dave Pearson died leaving an enormous amount of artwork. This blog follows the journey taken by one of the executors of his will - a steep learning curve to perpetuate the reputation of an inspirational artist and man.
  • Robert Genn - Painters Keys Clickbacks - Death of an artist
    Jamillah's situation is similar to many artists' beneficiaries when the main thrust of the life's work was in academia. Their credentials may be great, but their prior interaction with the commercial gallery system may be limited.
  • Art sales: how artist's estates add value - Telegraph
    Artists' estates can be tricky but they can bring big business too says Colin Gleadell.
  • Funny How A Little Public Pressure Makes Artist's Estate Back Down | Techdirt
    Last week, we wrote about the rather bizarre case of the estate of artist Roy Lichtenstein threatening a band for using an image for their album cover that was "appropriated" from the same original comic that Lichtenstein himself appropriated for one
  • Neil Gaiman's Journal: Important. And pass it on...
    A post about the need for writers to have a will covering the disposition of their literary estates. The principles are the same. It provides a link to a pdf suggesting the sort of wording which is required
  • Embalmed body of tramp belongs to artist's estate - Times Online
    THE body of a tramp embalmed by an eccentric artist and kept in a secret drawer in his studio is the property of his estate, a coroner ruled yesterday.
  • What Should Artists Do With Their Work After They Die? | Hyperallergic PODCAST - a talk with two artist estate experts who share their thoughts on what needs to be done when an artist dies.
The Artist Estate:
A Handbook for Artists, Executors, and Heirs

by Loretta Wurtenberger

RATED:
  • 5 stars by 3 customer reviews (UK)
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars by 4 customer reviews (USA)
This handbook covers
  • options for legal frameworks
  • appropriate financing models,
  • proper handling of the market, museums, and academia.

​The author explains:
  • different alternatives for managing and maintaining an artist’s estate.
  • recommendations on how to handle artwork, archives, and mementos following the death of an artist.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Hatje Cantz
Published: August 2016

BUY THIS BOOK from:
The Artist Estate: A Handbook for Artists, Executors, and Heirs from Amazon UK
The Artist Estate: A Handbook for Artists, Executors, and Heirs from Amazon.com
About the author: Loretta Wurtenberger has a business (The Institute for Artists' Estates) which has advised on the setting up and execution of artists estates for many years - with a bias towards Germany. She studied law, philosophy and art history and earned her doctorate in international copyright and patent law at the Max Planck Institute. Subsequently she became the youngest ever judge at the Berlin district court. She also manages artist's estates.

What to do with artists' papers and ephemera?

Artwork isn't the only thing an Executor needs to think about when disposing of the Estate of an Artist
  • Artists' Papers Register - homepage
    Artists' Papers Register: A location register of the papers of artists, designers and craftspeople held in publicly accessible collections in the United Kingdom and IrelandThe Artists' Papers Register represents a more current, detailed and extensive
  • Artbusiness.com - Artist Letters, Photographs, Documents, Personal Papers
    Q: My great grandmother was friends and corresponded with a well-known American artist for several years in the late 1800's, and I have a number of letters and two photographs of the artist saved from the relationship. Are these worth anything?

What to do about an artists digital assets?
​

Paper ephemera are not the only type of accounts and files which an Executor needs to deal with. It's now also vital to locate and access digital accounts and digital folders and files - particularly if these include high resolution digital files of an artist's artwork

 An Executor will need to know:
  • where these are located and
  • how an account or archive can be accessed 
  • a number of sites (eg Facebook) now provide for you to detail a person who can manage your site in the event of your death.

Reference:
  • What happens to your digital assets after you die? | Janet Brewer - JDSupra
    In this day and age, however, there is a new category of assets to consider: digital assets. Internet users should be considering what will happen to their digital assets, including social media accounts, email accounts, online document storage, and

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BACK TO The Art Legacy
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  • Art and Inheritance Tax
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ABOUT ART BUSINESS INFO. FOR ARTISTS
This website aims to provide a compendium of resources about the art business for artists. Please read "PLEASE NOTE"

It helps artists learn how to do better at being business-like, marketing and selling their art and looking after their financial security.
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Copyright: 2015-2021 Katherine Tyrrell | Making A Mark Publications
​
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If you've got any suggestions for what you'd like to see on this website please send me your suggestion
PLEASE NOTE:
1) Content and the law change all the time. It's impossible to keep up with.if you're not working on the topic full time. 
​2) I research topics carefully. However, I am totally unable to warrant that 
any/all information is 
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​3) Hence all information I provide comes without any LIABILITY whatsoever to you for any choices you make. 
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  • Home
    • Art Business Information Index
  • NEWS
  • PRACTICE
    • Best Art Business Books
    • Starting Out - Tips
    • Being a Professional artist >
      • Working Lives of Professional Artists
      • Artists' Residencies
      • Artists Unions
    • Life in an Art Market Recession
    • Image Management for Artists >
      • How to back up image files
    • Law for Artists >
      • Data Protection for Art and Artists
      • Brexit Guidance for Art and Artists
      • Legal Matters
    • Coronavirus COVID-19 and Art >
      • Closures ​of Art Museums and Galleries
    • Risk Management for Artists
    • How to spot Art Scams / Fraud
    • Learning Opportunities >
      • Art Schools in the UK
      • Art Business Courses
  • MARKETING
    • How to write an Artist's Statement >
      • What is an Artist Statement?
      • Why you need an Artist's Statement
      • TIPS How to write an artist statement
      • The Language of an Artist's Statement
      • What an artist statement should contain
      • Examples of Artists Statements
    • How to write an Artist's Resume or CV >
      • Social Media summaries
      • CV for Artists
      • Resume for Artists
      • Biography for Artists
    • How to sign a painting, drawing or fine art print
    • Business Cards for Artists
    • How to write a press release for an artist
    • The Private View Invitation
    • Publicity for Juried Exhibitions
    • Websites for Artists >
      • Why websites matter
      • Options for Websites
      • Web content for Artists
      • Web design for artists
      • Writing for the Web
    • Image sizes for Social Media Sites
    • How to be mobile-friendly
  • SELL ART
    • Trading Law & Regulations for Artists (UK)
    • E-commerce for artists
    • Juried Art Exhibition Checklist for Artists
    • A Guide to Art Agents and Consultants
    • A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries >
      • How to find the right gallery
    • The Artist-run Gallery
    • The Vanity Gallery
    • Art Fairs
    • Alternative Options for Exhibitions
    • How to Sell Art from Home
    • Open Studios
  • FRAME ART
    • List of Recommended Picture Framers
    • Conservation Products
    • Framing for open exhibitions and art competitions
    • Framing Videos
    • How to hang a picture
  • SHIP ART
    • How to pack artwork >
      • How to pack and ship pastel paintings
    • Packaging materials
    • How to ship art internationally
    • How to ship art to exhibitions
    • How to mail art - Post & Parcel Services
    • UK & Ireland: Art Transport Services
    • USA Art Transport Services
  • COPYRIGHT
    • Copyright and artists' rights
    • BASICS: Copyright Infringement and Fair Use
    • How to protect artwork online
    • How to do a reverse image search
    • What to do about copyright infringement - for artists
    • Global Conventions on copyright >
      • Copyright in the UK
      • Copyright in the USA
      • Copyright in Canada
      • Copyright in Australia
  • MONEY & TAX
    • How to Price Your Art >
      • How important is price when buying art?
      • Options for Pricing Art
      • Terminology and Formulas for Pricing Art
      • Art Experts on Pricing Art
      • How artists price their art
      • The price of affordable art
    • Payments to Artists >
      • Paying Artists
      • How to create an Invoice
    • How to work out profit from an art sale
    • Insurance for Art and Artists >
      • Insurance for Art Teachers
      • UK Insurance Policies for art and artists
      • USA & Canada: Insurance Policies for Art and Artists
    • Artists' Grants & Scholarships
    • Tax Tips for Artists >
      • Tax on prize money
      • UK Tax Tips for Artists
      • UK: Self-Assessment Video Tips
      • USA Tax Tips for Artists
      • Ireland: Tax for Artists
      • Australia: Tax Tips for Artists
    • VAT for Artists
    • Retirement and Pensions for Artists
    • The Art Legacy >
      • Estate Planning for Artists
      • Estate Planning for Art Collectors
      • Famous Artists Estates
      • Artwork Inventory
      • After the Death of an Artist
      • Copyright and Resale Rights after Death
      • Art and Inheritance Tax
  • About
    • Would you like me to help?
    • Privacy & Cookies Policy
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