Various laws are relevant to artists - but do you know what these are?

You NEED TO KNOW about:
  • your rights and legal obligations under all laws relating to you as an Individual and in relation to the legal entity that is your art business.
  • when you are entering into a contract whether this is explicit and written down - or implied.
You MUST protect yourself in law by:
  • having a contract for all business you do with third parties AND
  • understanding your precise legal liabilities.
Legal and business considerations exists from the moment an artist conceives a work
Tad Crawford

SUMMARY: A checklist of legal issues relevant to artists

This is a brief SUMMARY of the various matters which can have legal consequences - both positive and negative for artists. The links in red are to other sections and pages on this website.
Art and Artists Rights
  • Artists’ Rights (including moral rights and artist’s resale right) / copyright protection / releases and fair use 
  • Intellectual property rights including Droit de Suite (artists’ resale rights)
  • Exploitation and protection of copyright; plagiarism
​See COPYRIGHT
  • Art related aspects of estate, wills, trusts and tax issues - See The Art Legacy
Art Sales - Auctions, Galleries and Online
  • Sales law - relevant to the place of sale and the country of the buyer
  • Contracts with auction houses - including third party claims and auctioneers responsibilities
  • Allegations of Art Theft, fraud, fakes and forgeries
  • Acquisitions of Title: including lost paintings / recovery of stolen or looted art / Defective Title / Defective Provenance
  • Contracts with art galleries - see A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries
  • e-Commerce regulations - see e-Commerce for Artists
Artist Contracts with Galleries and Art Dealers
  • Consignment
  • Lending art to exhibitions / galleries
  • one-sided contracts - which do NOT favour the artist
  • contracts with art dealers (e.g. financial advances in relation to art to be created) - see A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries
Personal Data
Art Competitions and Open Exhibitions
  • submissions to art competitions
  • exhibition contracts
Patrons and Commissions
  • agreements with patrons
  • contracts for commissions
COMING SOON!
Moving & Shipping Art
  • Art import, export and movement - see SHIP ART
Art Insurance and Safeguarding
  • Insurance policies 
  • Third Party Liability for health and safety (including students)
See Insurance for Artists and How to ship art internationally
Money and Art
Artist as author / publisher
  • licensing contracts
  • publishing contracts
Artist as employer / employee
  • Employment contracts
Art Estates and Legacies
  • Art Collections, Artists Estates and Inheritance 
  • Art related aspects of estate, wills, trusts and tax issues
See The Art Legacy
REFERENCE:
Art Law: A Concise Guide for Artists, Curators, and Art Educators by Michael Jones
A comprehensive guide to art law for multiple audiences in the USA.

A very instructive pathfinder for all those involved in the art business and exhibiting art.

The author has taught law in a University for over 30 years and has been given a number of very positive reviews of this book.
Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication date: (16 Jun. 2016)

BUY THIS BOOK

Lawyers specialising in art

Pro bono & fixed price Solicitors in UK
  • Lawyers Volunteering for the Arts scheme - set up in 2012 by a group of London law firms who wanted to offer pro bono legal support to the small arts groups and arts community
  • LawWorks - a charity working in England and Wales to connect volunteer lawyers with people in need of legal advice, who are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay and with the not-for-profit organisations that support them.
  • Artists Union England Law Services -
  • Lawbite - Fixed price service for Small Business and Artist Legal Advice for Media and Entertainment Agreements
Other UK Solicitors specialising in art
Pro bono Lawyers in USA
REFERENCE

Learning about Art and Law

Art Law Journals and Blogs
Courses in UK
​
The Institute of Art and Law
  • Foundation Certificate in Law -for those with no prior knowledge of the Law. Distance learning course offered throughout the year on the basis of rolling admissions.
  • Diploma in Art Law - (Distance Learning) Modules cover topics including artists’ rights, bailment, recovery of stolen and looted art, repatriation of art and artefacts, auctions and taxation.
  • Diploma in Law and Collections Management | IAL - requires a minimum of LL.B. (or equivalent) in English Law or the equivalent from a university or law faculty of a common law jurisdiction.
Other UK providers of training in art law are:
Courses in USA
  • VLA Education - educating artists, professionals within arts and cultural institutions, attorneys, students, and the general public about legal and business issues that affect artistic and creative endeavours.