IVARO has received notification from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment that they have sought to delay full implementation of the Artists Resale Right for artist’s heirs and beneficiaries.
The Artist’s Resale Right entitles living artists to a small royalty when their works of art are resold by art dealers, galleries or auction houses. This royalty system has allowed many artists to receive royalties for the first time. Full implementation would have allowed artists to bequeath this right to their families and loved ones. Now they will be denied this measure until 1 January 2012.
It is particularly disappointing that the announcement makes no positive comment about the success of the Resale Right which has been operating in Ireland since June 2006. IVARO has been collecting and distributing resale royalties to its’ members since then and living Irish artists have received nearly 500,000 euros in royalties so far.
The Irish Government delayed this decision once already in 2006. Their decision to again delay implementation is due in no small part to the unjustified claims of the art market that business has been impacted negatively by the Right. There is no evidence that the Right has affected the art market adversely. In fact all research carried out independently by the IP Institute in the UK, which has the largest art market in Europe, has shown that the Right has not damaged business in any way. Both Ireland and the UK held consultations in September 2008 regarding the introduction of the Right to benefit artists heirs. IVARO made a submission on behalf of artists and their families and also held a postcard campaign urging artists to have their voices heard. 90% of the respondents to the UK consultation wrote in favour of implementing the Right fully without further delay (figures for the Irish consultation have not been released). Despite this the UK Government has also chosen to favour the art market businesses rather than the artists without whom the art trade would not exist and deny them a right long enjoyed by writers and composers.
Once again it is artists and their families that will be feeling the pinch in the coming years.
•The EU Directive which introduced the Resale Right across Europe in 2006 allowed Ireland and the UK the option to delay the Right for artists heirs until 2010 with an option to further delay until 1 January 2012 if it was felt that this was necessary for the artmarket to adjust.
• UK Intellectual Property Office Report which was carried out, independently, by the IPI is available here
• For more information contact Alex Davis, Administrator of IVARO,
Telephone: 01 8722296 or email: info@ivaro.ie
Artists let down by Irish Government once again
IVARO has received notification from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment that they have sought to delay full implementation of the Artists Resale Right for artist’s heirs and beneficiaries.
The Artist’s Resale Right entitles living artists to a small royalty when their works of art are resold by art dealers, galleries or auction houses. This royalty system has allowed many artists to receive royalties for the first time. Full implementation would have allowed artists to bequeath this right to their families and loved ones. Now they will be denied this measure until 1 January 2012.
It is particularly disappointing that the announcement makes no positive comment about the success of the Resale Right which has been operating in Ireland since June 2006. IVARO has been collecting and distributing resale royalties to its’ members since then and living Irish artists have received nearly 500,000 euros in royalties so far.
The Irish Government delayed this decision once already in 2006. Their decision to again delay implementation is due in no small part to the unjustified claims of the art market that business has been impacted negatively by the Right. There is no evidence that the Right has affected the art market adversely. In fact all research carried out independently by the IP Institute in the UK, which has the largest art market in Europe, has shown that the Right has not damaged business in any way. Both Ireland and the UK held consultations in September 2008 regarding the introduction of the Right to benefit artists heirs. IVARO made a submission on behalf of artists and their families and also held a postcard campaign urging artists to have their voices heard. 90% of the respondents to the UK consultation wrote in favour of implementing the Right fully without further delay (figures for the Irish consultation have not been released). Despite this the UK Government has also chosen to favour the art market businesses rather than the artists without whom the art trade would not exist and deny them a right long enjoyed by writers and composers.
Once again it is artists and their families that will be feeling the pinch in the coming years.
Notes
• The Intellectual Property Unit’s announcement can be found here:
http://www.entemp.ie/science/ipr/copyrightconsultation.htm
•The EU Directive which introduced the Resale Right across Europe in 2006 allowed Ireland and the UK the option to delay the Right for artists heirs until 2010 with an option to further delay until 1 January 2012 if it was felt that this was necessary for the artmarket to adjust.
• UK Intellectual Property Office Report which was carried out, independently, by the IPI is available here
• For more information contact Alex Davis, Administrator of IVARO,
Telephone: 01 8722296 or email: info@ivaro.ie