Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Volunteer legal assistance for the Oregon arts community

In Defense of Art

In Defense of Art is the official blog of Oregon Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

Fine Art Consignments: What to know when selling “fine art” in Oregon

When you bring your art to some third party to sell, that is called a consignment. Oregon law provides powerful, unwaivable, rights for artists (or their heirs) who sell their fine art through third parties. This article addresses important definitions contained in Oregon’s fine art consignment statute, what loss or damage may be covered by the law, when payments must be made after a sale, ownership issues, purchaser information, and necessary contract terms. 

Read More
Copyright Office Updates (May 2015)

In our March and April workshops, Copyright Basics and Basics of Online Infringement Remedies for Creatives, we discussed some complex copyright issues, especially involving what constitutes fair use and how to protect and use images in the digital age. The U.S. Copyright Office has recently announced that it is taking some steps in an attempt to clarify or provide support for these issues.

Read More
Copyright’s Public Domain

Let’s face it, copyright can be a counter-intuitive mess. From figuring out the boundaries of the “fair use” doctrine, to understanding why certain sound recordings are protected under federal law (those made on or after February 15, 1972) and some are protected, if at all, under state law (those made prior to 2/15/72), copyright can be a real pain.

Read More