Before sending us your query, please take a second to ensure you have exhausted all other preliminary options. Follow this four step process before sending us your legal query.  The Artlaw service is for specific legal issues faced by artists and craftspeople, and is not intended to give the generic advice or information that can be found elsewhere in the Artquest websites.

1. Consult the Artlaw Archive.

The Archive is an online collection of art law related articles written by Henry Lydiate, originally for Art Monthly magazine. The Archive covers topics including copyright, studios, contracts, money, patrons, censorship, wills and estates, moral right, resale royalty right and publication.

2. Check our favourite links.

These organisations are specialists in studio / property disputes, intellectual property, copyright and artists working lives and careers.

Acme

Contact: Julia Lancaster
Email: Julia@acme.org.uk
Tel / Minicom: 020 8981 6811
Fax: 020 8983 0567
www.acme.org.uk
Acme has over 30 years experience of negotiating, building, converting and managing studio space and is the leading strategic development agency for artists’ studios in England. They provide an advisory service to artists and groups of artists on all aspects of studio development and management including: leases and lease negotiations, letting agreements with artists, business rate relief and valuation, DDA compliance, health and safety, conversion work, and more.

a-n

Tel: 0191 241 8000
www.a-n.co.uk
a-n, the artists information company, publishers of interactive guides including the contract's toolkit (subscriber only), the artist's development toolkit, the artist's fees toolkit and studios toolkit.

dacs

Tel: 020 7336 8811
Copyright Hotline: 0845 555 1199 (Members of DACS only)
Fax: 020 7336 8822
Email: info@dacs.org.uk
www.dacs.org.uk
DACS (the Design and Artists Copyright Society) promote and protect their member's copyright. They have information on their site about copyright, legal advisors, licensing and becoming a member. Members have access to a telephone hotline staffed by Copyright Adviser Helen Dutta. The line is open Monday and Tuesday 10am to 1pm and Wednesday 2pm to 5pm.

Own it

Fax: 020 7514 8896
Email: info@own-it.org
www.own-it.org
Own It provides advice and information to creative people in London on intellectual property and copyright issues.

3. Send us your query

If you cannot find either the answer to your query from the links above, or another organisation to help you, send us your query using the query form page.  Please remember that, because of our limited Arts Council England funding, Artlaw can only provide legal advice for London-based artists.  Artists based outside of London should refer to the Legal Advisors page and the a-n legal advice Practical Guide.