Yesterday saw a historic meeting between representatives of various art law clinics from around the world, including Germany, Georgia, South Africa and Austria. The videocast conversation, hosted by Nikolaus Forgo from the University of Vienna, covers the history, current activities, challenges and future of these clinics.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkdQ5I9S5xg&t=1990s
Here are the most important findings from the discussion:
- Founding and history: The concept of art law clinics was launched at the Münster Art Academy in Germany by Thomas Hoeren after an incident involving artists and a trademark infringement[04:47]. The idea was to transfer the “legal clinic” model to art law and provide legal support to art students on issues such as art sales, financing and social security[07:04]. This concept was later extended internationally to universities in Stellenbosch, Georgia and Vienna[09:12].
- Activities and working methods: Each clinic has its own approach, but all pursue common goals.
- Münster: Law students support art students, write case reports, have an advisory board of lawyers, publish books and hold lecture series[08:15].
- Stellenbosch: Originally focused on producing a brochure on copyright, the clinic has evolved into a society with over 80 members[12:34]. It focuses on education through a blog, social media and lectures in collaboration with law firms[16:54, 18:25].
- Georgia: A center for art law and an institute for contemporary private law were founded[21:09]. Students are currently being recruited, guidelines and books on Georgian art law are being developed and the opening of the clinic is being planned[23:18].
- Vienna: This student organization offers an introductory course on intellectual property law and related topics[26:10]. It also maintains a blog and organizes events to bring young artists and students closer together[27:13, 31:45].
- Common challenges and future prospects:
- Common hurdles: A recurring theme is the challenge of securing stable funding. While some clinics receive funding from universities or art academies, more is needed for sustainable funding[33:02]. Another challenge is the reluctance of some art industry stakeholders to embrace these clinics as they see them as either unsettling for artists or as competition[34:42].
- Future opportunities: The representatives see considerable opportunities in the digital age with its growing demand for knowledge and information[37:14]. They also see potential in working with copyright law firms for educational purposes and funding[38:12]. The ultimate goal of many of these clinics is to become independent and have a lasting impact on legal education[41:44].
The video concludes by encouraging anyone who would like to learn more or start their own art law clinic to contact existing clinics for advice and support[44:02].
