US launch inquiry into Artist’s Resale Right

An inquiry into the Artist’s Resale Right has been launched by the US Copyright Office, inviting comment on the possible introduction of a Right which UK artists have enjoyed since 2006.

The Artist’s Resale Right entitles artists to a modest royalty each time their work changes hands through an auction house, art dealer or gallery. The Right successfully balances the interests of artists with the interests of the art trade and recognises the on-going stake an artist has in the economic value of their work.

The Right is well-established in Europe, and in a number of other countries around the world, such as Australia. Appetite for a resale right in the US first emerged in the 1970s after Robert Rauschenberg’s painting “Thaw” was sold for $85,000, 15 years after it was originally sold for $900.

DACS campaigned for the introduction of the Artist’s Resale Right for British artists over many years and today is the leading collecting society administering the Artist’s Resale Right in the UK. Since the introduction of the law in the UK in 2006 DACS has paid £17 million to visual artists.

Find out more about the US Copyright Office’s inquiry

Learn more about DACS’ Artist’s Resale Right service for artists and beneficiaries


Photo: Indre Serpytyte © Brian Benson 2013.