Hey, readers in Western Washington:
Once again, the fine folks at Washington Lawyers for the Arts have put together a lunchtime seminar that will give writers the low-down on their legal rights and responsibilities. These seminars tend to be packed with junior attorneys seeking continuing education credit, but the lecture is pitched for the layperson — and artists of every stripe get in for only ten bucks!
All that, and you get to munch your lunch while you listen. How great is that? (Fair warning, though: I’ve reproduced the description as is from the press release, uncorrected.)
COPYRIGHT 101: What Artists Need to Know About Protecting Their Work and Avoiding Disputes
SEATTLE— In our present-day, fast-moving world, what do you, as an artist, know how to protect and defend your work? Attorney Venkat Balasubramani will offer a must-have basic seminar on copyright for those working in almost all arts disciplines, offering the knowledge and confidence you need.
You’ll learn what copyright is, what it protects, how it’s acquired, and how it differs from other intellectual property rights such as trademarks and patents. You’ll learn about the value of registering your work, and how you register different sorts of art with different government entities. You’ll learn about including notice of copyright and copyright registration in or on your work, and how this helps protect your work. You’ll learn about who owns the copyright when more than one of you have been involved in the creation of the work, and who owns a work you create while you are employed. You’ll need to know when it’s all right to use someone else’s work, and how much of it. When people, company logos and places show up in your work, you’ll need to know about how to acquire appropriate releases.
And, worst case, you’ll want to know something about copyright infringement: when you think someone has stolen from you, or you’re accused of infringing on someone else’s copyright.
Bring your questions. You’ll have a chance to ask the ones important to you. An excellent introductory seminar for all artists, and for attorneys whose clients include artists.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
11:45 am — 2:00 pm (program begins at noon, lunches welcome)
Photographic Center Northwest
900 12th Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98122
(Parking in PCNW lot on Marion directly east of the building, or on-street)
FEE: In advance: $35 Attorneys and Paralegals; $10 Artists and Students.
At the door: $40 Attorneys and Paralegals; $15 Artists and Students
To register, visit Brown Paper Tickets or phone 24/7 at (800) 838.3006. To pay at the door, RSVP to Washington Lawyers for the Arts at (206) 328.7053.