Overviews of the myriad arts-related legal issues.
General
Legal issues of importance to the arts can be identified both positively (when policies are proposed, or laws and regulations put in place) and negatively (when those involved in the arts wind up in the courts).
A 2002 overview of a wide range of public policy issues of importance to the arts, from youth at risk to economic development.
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies [www.nasaa-arts.org]
NASAA/The Arts in Public Policy: An Advocacy Agenda
Creating an environment in which artists can thrive involves more than direct funding of artwork. This report identifies six dimensions of the context within which artists work and live where investments can make a significant difference.
Urban Institute [www.urban.org; www.usartistsreport.org]
Maria-Rosario Jackson, et. al./Investing in Creativity: A Study of the Support Structure for U.S. Artists
executive summary:
full report:
A brief introduction to a wide range of legal issues as they present themselves to working artists.
New York Foundation for the Arts [www.nyfa.org]
Craig R. Blackman & Brian P. Rothenberg/Legal FAQ
A digital exhibit of 22 artworks that were at the center of court cases, each accompanied by an essay explaining the First Amendment issue at stake and how the case was resolved.
Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression [www.tjcenter.org]
Art on Trial: The Arts, the First Amendment, and the Courts
A database of opinions in court cases involving the arts that includes short summaries of the legal issue, the citation to and a summary of each case, and the entire text of each court opinion. It is searchable by legal issue or by case.
National Coalition against Censorship [www.ncac.org]
Art, Free Expression, and the Law
The Arts and Education
Arts issues of interest to those who teach and manage institutions of higher education.
College Art Association [ www.collegeart.org]
Advocacy: Issues at a Glance
Museums
An overview of the range of issues with which a museum manager must deal, including discussion of a number of laws and regulations that museums in any country must cope with.
Council of Europe Department of Culture and Cultural Heritage [http://www.coe.int/t/e/cultural_co-operation]
Dimitrios Konstantios, Nikolas Konstantios, & Liana Tsombanoglou
Museum + Heritage: A Manual for Museum Managers
Galleries and Dealers
The range of issues collectors will want to consider when they buy art from a gallery or dealer.
Art Dealers Association of America [www.artdealers.org]
ADAA Collectors’ Guide to Working with Art Dealers