ArtsLab intellectual property workshops - Third Century Initiative

ArtsLab is an interdisciplinary project from the UM Library Copyright Office, funded by the Third Century Initiative. ArtsLab connects students across campus to work on entrepreneurial projects in the arts, including music recording. Contact Cliff at cehelm@umich.edu for more information.

ArtsLab Studios

Conversations in Art, Entrepreneurship, and Law

Hatcher Library, Gallery Lab Room 100

ArtsLab and the UM Copyright Office will be hosting a series of round-table discussions on topics ranging from intellectual property to business organization to art as an advocacy tool. These events will bring together interested students, staff, and faculty in 60 to 90 minute long sessions designed to introduce a topic and discuss the impact it has on creative arts, careers, and campus life. Participants are encouraged to bring their own topics and issues to discuss generally. Even though we will be discussing legal and business topics, these sessions are not legal advice

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Art, Ownership, and Moral Rights [REGISTER]

January 28th. 4:30-6:00 pm.

How exactly do you “own” art? How do we expect people to respect ownership? This session will broadly cover the types of intellectual property protection we have, from the law to cultural norms. Topics include copyright, moral rights, industry custom, internet trends, and Creative Commons.

Legal Regimes and Art [REGISTER]

February 3rd. 4:30-6:00 pm.

What’s the difference between Copyright, Trademark, and Patent protection? How do they affect art and creative projects? This session will help identify the differences in the regime, provide basic information on when you might be eligible for legal protection, and discuss some campus-based examples.

Public Performance, Public Display, and Public Art [REGISTER]

February 18th. 4:30-6:00 pm.

Copyright grants an exclusive right to a public performance – but what does that really mean? What happens when music is performed live? What about playing a cover of someone else’s song? What about a film screening? Does a mural have any legal protection against reproductions? This event will explore when performances or displays are “infringing” – and what that means.

The Golden Rule (Fair Use, Re-Use, and New Use) [REGISTER]

February 26th. 4:30-6:00 pm.

When should you be able to use someone else’s work without permission? Does the answer change when it’s your art being used? The copyright concept of “Fair Use” is the law’s attempt to deal with this question, with mixed results of actual “fairness.” This session will first outline the law and contemporary examples and then discuss campus-based issues.

Business Entities for Arts Organizations and Projects [REGISTER]

March 10th. 4:30-6:00 pm.

Does it make sense to incorporate as a corporation or an LLC? What’s an LLC? Why would you want to incorporate an artistic project? The corporate structure provides a significant number of protections and advantages for all types of organizations. This session will briefly outline the advantages and the formal requirements while addressing common practices in the industry.

Using Art as an Effective Advocacy Tool [REGISTER]

March 20th. 4:30-6:00 pm.

Do social and civic projects benefit from the inclusion of art? Can art itself be used as a tool for advocacy? This session will provide a background into some recent efforts and highlight some current projects in Detroit and Ann Arbor.