Competitions checked in February by Arts Law
Arts Law has checked the terms of 7 competitions closing in February 2015 and rated each of them out of 5 stars.
These ratings are based on a review of the terms and conditions which relate to the entrant’s copyright and moral rights. Read more about the rating system here.
By accepting the terms and conditions of a competition, artists should be aware that they are entering a legally binding contract. For more information on competition conditions see our free information sheet here.
We also invite competition organisers to contact Arts Law for best practice assistance on making their terms and conditions fairer for artists.
The Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize 2015 received an outstanding 5 / 5 stars for fairness to artists! This competition asks only shortlisted entrants for permission to reproduce their work for limited uses in an exhibition catalogue and promotional material associated with the exhibition. It also limits the licence to 5 years. This is great for entrants as it means that the artist has an opportunity to use their work in an exclusive relationship in the future. The competition organisers also make a positive undertaking to attribute the artist wherever the work is reproduced. What an exemplary example!
CONGRATULATIONS!
- Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize 2015 – deadline 2 February 2015
3 competitions received 3 / 5 stars for fairness to artists. The Art Prize in Food and Spirituality competition asks all entrants to provide a licence to reproduce their artwork for publicity associated with the competition only and states it will positively attribute the artists which is great.
Under the Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition’s terms and conditions, all entrants are asked to provide a licence to the competition organisers to reproduce their works for purposes associated with the competition. In contrast, the Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2015 only asks only exhibiting artists provide a licence which is slightly broader in the uses that it covers. None of the competitions set a limit to the duration of the licences requested from the entrants. If these competitions had done so, and respectively limited their licences to finalists or winners OR to uses associated with the competition only, plus each undertook to attribute the artists, they would have each received 5 / 5 stars.
NOT FAR OFF
- Toorak Village Sculpture Exhibition 2015 – deadline 1 February 2015
- Art Prize in Food and Spirituality 2015 – deadline 13 February 2015
- Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition 2015 – deadline 15 February
3 competitions received 2 / 5 stars for fairness of its terms. The terms of these competitions ask that all entrants grant the competition organisers a licence to reproduce the entries for broad purposes and with no restriction as to duration. Best practice would be to limit the licence: to prize winners, to uses associated with the promotion of the competition, in duration and create a positive intention to attribute the artists.
SOME WORK TO DO
- Great Southern Art Award – deadline 6 February 2015
- Mandjar Art Awards 2015 – deadline 20 February 2015
- Port Stephens Art Prize 2015 – deadline 27 February 2015
Further information
Please email us at [email protected] to tell us about any competitions or prizes you think we should check.
See Arts Law's competition star rating system for further information or call Arts Law if you would like to receive best practice advice regarding your competition terms and conditions.
See more about Arts Law's campaign to improve competition terms and conditions in the Prizes and Competitions section.