Reflection: Andrew Wiseman, outgoing Arts Law VP
As our longest-serving board director, Andrew Wiseman has stepped down after 17 years. From joining somewhat sceptically to becoming a deeply committed board member and vice president, Andrew shares some reflections of his time with Arts Law.
On returning from a 6-month secondment with Arts Law, Deborah Doctor asked if I’d be interested in joining the board.
‘Why would I want to do that?’ I asked her with a quizzical smile.
Rather than admonish me, Deborah explained what Arts Law did. She told me this wonderful organisation was seeking a board representative from a top-tier firm and thought I’d be well suited to the role.
Days later I was in the Chambers of then President Justice George Palmer, champagne in hand, being welcomed to the board. So began my 17- year journey with Arts Law.
Deborah was right. As an electric guitarist wearing a grey Prince of Wales suit and working in an office, this was just what I yearned; and needed. Arts Law was doing amazing work for arts communities throughout Australia. It was gathering momentum, gaining access to First Nations communities via art centres around the country to assist artists understand copyright, contracts and many other aspects of law.
Importantly, access to influential networks meant access to venues for decades of art auctions, awards evenings and other Arts Law events. It also provided access to countless lawyers happy to wander down the hill to The Gunnery at Woolloomooloo to provide advice on all things legal (and sometimes not legal!).
The small team led by then CEO Robyn Ayres was too under-resourced for the volume of enquiries filling the inboxes. The gap was filled by the army of volunteer lawyers from the largest to the smallest law firms that supported Arts Law and its many clients.
It wasn’t all about advice. There was a suite of documents and several educational programs delivered across a myriad of locations nationally. Artists in the Black was gaining brand recognition as the Arts Law service dedicated to First Nations people.
At this time, Justice Peter Heerey was the board’s Melbourne judicial representative working with George to lead Arts Law forward.
When George retired to spend more time composing on his keyboard, Margaret Beazley stepped in as president. While my boardroom dress code never matched the sartorial elegance of the now Governor of NSW, I reflect fondly her enthusiasm, insight and capacity for moving things along, particularly during our annual strategy days.
Funding was the perennial challenge. Despite government funding on the decline, we always found some light at the end of the tunnel – however dark the skies and choppy the water. Standout fundraising activities included the Simon Tedesky performances in the newly built Sydney Grammar auditorium and Arts Law’s 30th birthday dinner. It was at this birthday dinner where a houseful of wonderful supporters joined us in fundraising through (as time would tell) one of many auctions of Indigenous art. I somehow ended up with one of the best pieces of art at the auction!
Among the many joyous opportunities presented in my time with Arts Law was advocacy. And what was dearer to my heart than IP protection? After Gabe Sullivan collected a mountain of evidence showing that 80% of high street sales of Indigenous genre art was fake (and mostly produced in neighbouring Asian countries) the Fake Art Harms Culture campaign was on. Allens hosted many meetings as the issues were agitated, connections were made, legislation was drafted, submissions were prepared, and senate enquiry submissions and attendance preparations were carried out. We hosted meetings with the Productivity Commission, IP Australia and many more. While chaotic at times, the adrenaline was always running. If you don’t ask you don’t get and we had high hopes and asks. We knew it would be a long haul and though we’re not there yet, the journey is well under way.
When Her Excellency passed the Presidential baton to John Sackar, it was a great pleasure to work closely navigating ongoing issues of funding, cultural calibration and, more recently, a permanent home. It was also with John that the Arts Law board of Arts Law faced one of the most important decisions a board can ever make.
A new era began when, after a more than 2-decade tenure, we sought a successor to Robyn. After a rigorous process we were thrilled to announce Dr Louise Buckingham as the new CEO of Arts Law.
Louise was no stranger to Arts Law. She’d spent time at The Gunnery as a senior lawyer and had represented us some 15 years earlier as a pro bono attendee at the World Intellectual Property Organization IGC (in Geneva). Added to that, her experience in top-tier firms, her lecturing background and her overseas experience meant Louise had all we were looking for and more.
It is an exciting era for the organisation with so much happening, including the many questions being posed by the AI era. Arts Law set out to fill a gap at the pioneering end of intellectual property and the arts. It is no coincidence that we continue to hear from all corners of the arts universe and government as Australia relies on this wonderful organisation for guidance and peak body experience.
I have very much enjoyed my tenures as board member and vice president of Arts Law and look forward to continued engagement with one of my favourite organisations.
Andrew Wiseman
