Arts Law turns 40!

Arts Law will be releasing weekly content across social media to celebrate our 40^th birthday in 2024. Until the end of the year we will be sharing fun facts and stories about our organisation to help increase awareness of our accessible legal services for artists. Follow along on your preferred channel to keep updated. 

We have helped tens of thousands of artists over the last four decades. Whether they be painters in the Pilbara or filmmakers from Potts Point, Arts Law has dedicated itself to providing free and low-cost legal advice and resources to Australian creators. However, the need only grows. In 2023, Arts Law provided legal advice to 2998 artists and arts organisations nationwide and confronted new challenges significantly impacting our creative industries. 

“We’ve entered an important, challenging period for Australian artists. Ongoing problems related to the economy generally and low incomes associated with creative work in particular; difficulties in enforcing copyright, especially where technological developments have led to rampant and widescale infringement; and, unequal bargaining power in the context of contracts continue to be issues that artists have to contend with. Now, artists also need to be empowered to harness the opportunities and grapple with the challenges presented by generative Artificial Intelligence in a fast-paced climate that governments and regulators around the world are struggling to keep up with.”

Louise Buckingham, CEO Arts Law

Arts Law will continue to be at the fore of advocacy work associated with ensuring creators voices are heard by government and content-users in discussions about generative-AI. We’ll continue to argue that artists ought to have a seat at the table in debates about legal reform and developments that affect their means of earning a living. We’ll continue to advocate for Australia’s First Peoples’ rights to culture and to self-determination over uses of their traditional cultural expressions and knowledges, including in relation to misappropriation and misrepresentation through fake art and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). 

From volunteers to donors, partner organisations to the wonderful clients we support, community drives what Arts Law does. So, please follow Arts Law’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or X/Twitter accounts to join in on the celebrations.  

2024: 40 years of Arts Law with another 40 to come!