Empowering Artists and Creatives

How We Can Support You

Canvas believes art and culture enrich lives and communities. We offer practical, straightforward legal support to empower artists and creatives.

Getting fair deals with galleries

We help artists negotiate consignment and gallery agreements, ensuring terms around sales, commissions, and exclusivity are clear and balanced. We guided an artist entering a representation agreement with a blue-chip gallery, helping them navigate the terms of the contract.

Protecting creative rights

Artists can count on clear advice about copyright, moral rights, and licensing to ensure proper use of their work. We advised an artist on a licensing agreement with a museum to create limited merchandise featuring their work.

Commission agreements simplified

We draft and negotiate clear commission agreements that outline creative scope, timelines, payments, and contingency plans, ranging from smaller pieces commissioned by private collectors to large-scale public installations.

Loans of artworks

We advise on lending artworks to museums and galleries for exhibitions, addressing considerations such as insurance, logistics, and protection of the work.

Selling art online or directly

We offer straightforward legal advice for artists and creatives setting up their businesses. We've drafted numerous website terms, privacy policies and terms of sale to help ensure clarity and certainty.

Understanding resale royalties

We advise artists on their artist resale rights, from registration to collecting royalties, and how these can be claimed.

Defending artistic freedom

We support artists facing censorship or controversy, offering guidance to help to protect their creative expression and rights. We’ve assisted artists faced with exhibition cancellations, and helped navigate issues associated with potentially sensitive artistic material.

Looking after artists’ estates

We advise artists and their families on preserving their legacy, for example, advising on an appropriate structure and considering the management of intellectual property rights and permissions, in accordance with the artist’s wishes.

Resolving disputes in the art world

We help artists address issues like recovering artworks in insolvency situations, handling copyright infringement claims and resolving disputes with galleries or customers. We assist artists in understanding their rights and options.