For centuries, several varieties of art have given us a glimpse into the incredible creative prowess of human ingenuity. Good artwork illuminates the soul and brings out the best of its creator. Did you know that art also involves several businesses aspects?
Art collectors are serious about their property and take great lengths to ensure it’s done properly. Hence, the reason art collectors and purchasers devote a lot of attention to commissioning a good artist. Let’s see why this is important and how to draft a good art contract.
Why You Need an Art Contract
Since artwork can be expensive, art contracts help protect the rights of the buyer and seller. In a sense, you need to safeguard artwork just like you would any other precious commodity. Contracts protect the rights of both the producer (artist) and the collector.
What goes into an art contract?
- Clear identification of the collector as well as the artist creating the art piece.
- Explicit payment terms and commission rates (including any applicable up-front payments).
- Very clear language about who would hold the rights to the art piece. You may, for example, own a particular piece of artwork, but the artist still retains an original and the right to reproduce it. For more about artistic intellectual property, check out this resource on the topic.
- The signatures of both the artist and collector, but only after they have agreed upon all terms. As a precaution, you may want to have an attorney review the contract.
These are the rudimentary details you must-have in any kind of art commission contract. Be aware, however, that this doesn’t replace the necessity for good communication between collector and artist. Artists CAN NOT read minds, so it’s incumbent upon the customer to be as specific as possible regarding all design elements as well as how/where you intend to display the art (in a house, business, outdoors, etc.).
Also, a good artist will want to update you with progress reports before finishing the project. You should anticipate communicating with them and providing feedback (patiently and respectfully, of course). As is the case with any business contract, communication and earnest cooperation contribute to the framework for success.
If you have any interest in the novel art and tube sculptures we create and want to learn more about commissioning the Tube Dude for a project, contact us any time via email. You can also call (941) 735-6009. Don’t forget to check out the hundreds of tube sculptures. These are meant to be fun, unique, and hopefully put a smile on your face. Enjoy and thanks for reading!
