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• Best Practices for Artists in the Visual Arts, Media and Crafts
• Maritimes Provinces Public Galleries and Artists
• Maritime Provinces Commercial Galleries and Artists
• Organization of juried group exhibitions
• Charitable Donations of Artworks
• Checklist for Contracts
• Review of International Best Practice Literature in the Visual Arts and Craft Sector
• Maritime Provinces Glossary of Terms
• Partners
The Maritimes Canada Best Practices project identifies Industry Standards for the Visual Arts, Media and Crafts Sector. These guidelines serve as a model for practical and ethical practices within these sectors. As a result, this project facilitates fair and equitable dealings between creators and presenters across the region.
It is the ultimate aim of this project to develop a uniformity of standards and a common understanding of industry standards in the Maritime Provinces that are in agreement with Best Practices projects currently either established or in development across Canada. In turn, this will facilitate the ability of Maritime-Canadian artists to entertain business both within the Maritimes and across the country.
AGENT
A person who acts on behalf of another, in particular, a person who manages business, financial, or contractual matters for an artist.
APPROPRIATION, ARTISTIC
Borrowing or theft of an element of cultural expression of one by another.
ART; ARTWORK
The products of human creativity, not limited by form, process, or medium.
ARTIST
The creator of art or artwork not limited by form, process, or medium.
BEST PRACTICE
The most ethical, equitable, and reasonable form of any specific business arrangement between an artist and the user of his/her creative work.
COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP
Ownership of creative work by the group responsible for a creative work or cultural expression.
COMMERCIAL GALLERY
A gallery whose primary aim is the commercial exhibition and sale of artwork.
COMMISSION
1. (noun) A fee paid by an artist to a gallery, agent, or other intermediary for services rendered.
2. (verb) To secure an artist’s services to meet stated specific artistic requirements for a fee; the works, product or service created under such an arrangement (Commissioned Work).
CONSIGNMENT
Works deposited with a dealer, commercial gallery, etc. agent for the purpose of sale, with an agreement to pay the supplier of the works when they are sold.
CONTRACT
A record of the result of successful negotiations between two parties. A contract may be verbal or written, but where the parties differ in their interpretation of the agreement, only a written contract provides a reliable record.
COPYRIGHT
The right to authorize reproduction of an artwork and/or to benefit from such authorization. In Canada, copyright belongs to the creator of the work except under certain circumstances specified in the Copyright Act of Canada. In Canada, copyright includes moral right and the exhibition right (see also Exhibition Right; Moral Right).
DEACCESSION
To formally and permanently remove objects from the collections of an art gallery/museum or other repository.
DEALER
A person who operates as a buyer or seller of artwork; the operator of a commercial gallery.
DOCUMENTATION, VISUAL
A visual record of what exists.
EPHEMERAL
Works which are transitory, existing only briefly; impermanent; tending to disintegrate, decay, etc.
EXHIBITION FEES
Fees paid to the creator of artwork for exhibition of that work as required by the Canadian Copyright Act.
INVENTORY, ARTISTIC
The stock of artwork which an artist accumulates through his/her artistic production and which has not been sold or otherwise disposed of.
LIABILITY
Risk; responsibility in case of damage.
MAQUETTE
Model (or sketches) of an artwork.
MORAL RIGHT
Bundle of rights reserved by the artist including: integrity, authorship and association which is included in the Canadian Copyright Act.
PRO FORMA
As a matter of form, in a set manner without serious consideration to alternatives.
PROSPECTUS, EXHIBITION
A document used to attract artists to exhibit in a particular venue or circumstance. It usually contains information about the exhibition, the process of application to exhibit, and the benefits of accepting exhibition.
PUBLIC ART
Art in any media that has been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or presented in a public place, often permanently.
PUBLIC DOMAIN, IN THE
Artwork for which copyright has expired or does not apply, therefore accessible for use or reproduction by all.
PUBLIC GALLERY
A gallery whose primary aim is collecting, conserving, exhibiting, and/or promoting art in the public interest. Often not-for-profit organizations that receive funding from local, provincial, and/or federal government sources.
RESALE RIGHT
The artist’s right to benefit financially from the re-sale of their artwork that has previously been sold (also called Droit de suite).
RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
The right to be the first person offered the purchase of an object or the performance of a service, and the right to reject such offer.
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT
A record of expense that can legitimately be used to reduce income tax paid.
TIME-BASED
Works or media that exist, and are encountered, across a temporal (as opposed to physical) durational framework. (e.g. video, sound, performance)
WORK
Refers to any artwork that has been made by an artist.