Applied Arts

Protect your artistic work and ensure that the correct contracts are in place.

Our art lawyers provide a range of specialist legal services for artists and creative industry professionals. We can assist with everything from enforcing copyright to monetising your rights.

We have offices in London and Europe, alongside a global network of associates, meaning we can protect your legal interests anywhere across the world.

Legal Services for the Art Industry

We are an experienced intellectual property law firm. Since 1995, our team has helped thousands of individuals to protect and monetise their creative works.

Your art is important to you. You put a huge amount of effort and passion into your craft.

But we know the problems artists and creative professionals often run into with contracts, disputes, royalties, and other intellectual property rights.

Our art lawyers can help you to legally protect your hard work.

Maybe you’re a graphic designer about to set up a website to sell prints. Perhaps you’re an established painter organising your next gallery exhibition. Whatever your circumstances, we’ll provide you with specialist legal advice for the art industry.

Our team has the experience and insider knowledge to help your business grow. We have a proven track record of acting on behalf of artists to enforce rights, protect intellectual property and grow their business.

Read on to find out exactly how we can help. Or, get in touch by completing the form opposite.

See What Our Clients Think…

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Prisha Cena

CEO

John Devid

Director

Shreeyans Said

Manager

Pranav Same

CEO

Lucy John

Employee

Mrs Balaji

Owner

How can we help?

Contracts

As an artist, you will come across various contracts throughout your career.

It is crucial that you seek appropriate legal advice before signing any deals. Otherwise, you may give away more control over your art than you intended. You may end up losing out on potential income streams. And your work may become vulnerable to reproduction or copying without your consent.

We can advise on any contracts you may need to negotiate and sign. This includes, but is not limited to:

Licensing agreements

Collaboration agreements

Agency agreements

Contracts with galleries

Copyright & IP Disputes

In the UK, artistic works are automatically protected by copyright. So, if your art has appeared anywhere without your consent, it may be an infringement of your rights. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation.

We have a proven track record of acting for artists to enforce their rights against the unauthorised use of their work.

We also represent artists whose work or signature, or trade marks are stolen, copied, or misappropriated by another artist

It is difficult to draw the line between inspiration and theft. But, our art copyright lawyers are here to examine your case and help you decide whether it’s worth taking action.

Secure The Rights To Art

Maybe you’re a company, agency or designer wishing to secure the rights to an artist’s work.

We can help negotiate and finalise the deal, along with conducting any required due diligence to protect your interests.

Our experience means we’re well-equipped to anticipate any issues that might arise and minimise your risk.

Artist Resale Rights (Droit de Suite)

Sometimes, your work may earn you extra revenue through resale royalties.

‘Droit de Suite’ (French for “right to follow”) applies if:

You create graphic or plastic art (such as pictures, photographs, collages, paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics and items of glassware)

You sell your artwork for over €1,000

Your work is later sold for a greater value

You may be due a share of this resale value in the form of an Artist’s Resale Royalty (ARR).

We can review whether you’re entitled. And then we can assist with the contractual and administrative steps you need to take to collect the royalties.

Protect Your Other Artistic Work

More and more artists are active in more than one area of the arts. If you are a musician, author, actor or any other type of professional creative in addition to being an artist, it is important that you take legal advice from someone with experience in those industries.

Our expertise spans various media and entertainment industries. This includes music, TV, film, fashion and design.

Our solicitors are always there to support you, no matter which part of your creativity you need to protect.

Why Choose Lawful Creators?

We’ve provided contract, copyright and intellectual property advice for artists and creatives since 1995.

We offer a free consultation, followed up by fixed-fee quotes.

We have offices in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

We offer an industry leading service with short turnaround times and business-focused advice

Frequently Asked Questions

Is art protected by copyright?

Artistic works are automatically protected by copyright law in the UK. This includes illustrations, graphics, photography, sculptures, and more.

Who owns the copyright of art?

Usually, the copyright of artwork belongs to the author or creator of that work. In some circumstances, the copyright may pass from the original creator to an employer or third party.

How can I protect my art?

To fully protect your art, you should speak to a copyright expert and seek advice on your intellectual property rights.

In addition, it’s wise to:

Keep records of your work
Mark all work with a copyright notice, such as the © symbol (the symbol has little legal significance, but it does notify everyone of your claim to ownership)
Add watermarks or unique identifiers to your work

What should I do if someone is using my art without consent?

If an individual or company is using your art without your consent, we recommend collecting as much evidence as possible.

Next, speak to an intellectual property law firm with experience in the art industry. An art lawyer will then assess the details of the case and advise on the best course of action.

Case Study

It often requires creative thinking for a business to get around a trade mark problem. For example, one of our clients wanted to secure a logo mark but found there was already a mark that would block their trade mark from being successfully registered.

In such situations, it’s possible to enter into a co-existence agreement with the owner of the blocking mark, so each side knows how the other will develop their business and avoid overlapping. However, in this case, the blocking mark was so close to our client’s mark that a co-existence agreement was impossible.

To resolve the issue, our trade mark lawyers searched for similar marks predating the blocking mark. We looked for trade marks similar to our client’s intended mark but owned by an individual or company that may consider selling to our client.

We eventually found a mark fitting the bill and approached the owner. We agreed on a deal suitable to both sides, and the owner even handed over the domain name associated with the mark as an extra.

With a creative, outside-the-box approach to solving the problem, our client secured a trade mark they were happy with.

Read other case studies