Organizations Providing Copyright Information

Several legal organizations provide free legal services to nonprofit arts organizations, as well as to artists who can't afford legal services.

The following is a list of organizations in the U.S. that can provide artists with free referrals to lawyers. The lawyer you get referred to may not be free, but in most cases should at least be willing to work at a significantly reduced rate in order to help you, the artist. Issues often handled include contract negotiations, mediation services, nonprofit incorporation, copyright information and infringement lawsuits, tax information, estate planning, and lease review. Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts organizations also provide education programs, including seminars, publications, and the maintenance of art law libraries. Please note that the links to other Web sites are for convenience only so should be taken neither as a guarantee of accuracy nor as an endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or of their positions.

National Artists Equity Association is a non-profit, aesthetically non-partisan, national organization for professional artists. Founded in 1947 by artists, NAEA's primary purpose is to improve economic, health, legal and legislative conditions for visual artists at the federal, state, and local levels. NAEA addresses contemporary issues through its newsletters and web site such as income tax equality, live/work space, public art programs, censorship, health hazards and safety issues, and fair business contracts and treatment for artists. As a member of NAEA, artists have access to over 50 different health plans bringing the advantages of group pricing, group benefits and group service to our individual members. NAEA offers discounted life insurance, fine art insurance, and a variety of printed materials including Guidelines for Juried Exhibitions and Minimum Artists-dealer Agreements. For information on NAEA send a SASE to: The National Artists Equity Association, PO Box 28068, Washington, D.C. 20008 or call 202-628-9633. At this time the organization does not have a Web site.