Copyrights and Fair Use

One of the most important things an artist can do is protect her or his work and ideas. Having the right resources can involve a great deal of research, but it will definitely be worthwhile in the long run. Watch the video and read through some of the articles below to learn more about copyright and fair use.

Can You Copyright It?

Can you copyright it? from Arts Cleveland on Vimeo.

Reflection Questions

1. What are the primary differences between a copyright and a trademark?

2. What types of your work are eligible for copyright protection? What types are eligible for trademark protection?

3. Given the art you are creating, are there certain types of work that would warrant formal copyright or trademark protection?

4. What would be the advantages of mitigating the risk of your intellectual property being stolen or misrepresented, given the cost of registering for copyrights?

5. If you are hired to create new works, your rights related to your intellectual property may be different than the work you do on your own. What are the major differences?

6. How can you ensure that you understand what rights you will have to the work in the future when conducting "work for hire"?

7. Are there resources in your community that can assist you in obtaining low-cost or free legal services (e.g. the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association hosts a volunteer program, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts)?

Resources

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

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