What is the U.S. Visual Arts Rights Act?

The U.S. Visual Arts Rights Act (VARA) is a federal law that protects the moral rights of visual artists in Washington. It was passed in 1990 and gives an artist certain exclusive rights with regard to their artwork. VARA grants the artist certain rights with respect to the integrity of their works of visual art. These include the right to claim authorship of their work and the right to prevent distortion, mutilation, or modification of the work that would be prejudicial to the artist’s honor or reputation. VARA protects two-dimensional visual artworks, such as paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures, as well as architectural works that exist in multiple copies. It does not protect other aspects of the artwork including the tangible copy, for which copyright law applies. Additionally, VARA does not apply to works of graphic or industrial design, or to works which are molds, casts, or models for utilitarian objects. In Washington, the rights granted by VARA are inalienable, meaning that even if the artist has sold the work, they may still be entitled to the benefits of their moral rights.

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What is the U.S. Visual Arts Rights Act?

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