What is the ‘droit de suite’?
The ‘droit de suite’ is an important concept in art law in Washington. It is a French phrase meaning “right to follow”, which is the right of an artist or their heirs to receive royalties when their work is resold. This concept exists in many places in the world in order to protect artists and their works from being exploited. In Washington, the droit de suite is codified in the Resale Royalties Act (RRA), which was adopted in 2008. This law grants the right to a royalty on the resale of an artwork by any fine artist who is a citizen, national or permanent resident of the United States. The resale royalty must be paid to the artist or their heirs if the artwork is resold in a private or public sale for more than the initial purchase price. The amount of the royalty can be up to 5% of the resale price but the artist or their heirs will only be paid if the artwork has been held for more than five years. This law is intended to ensure that artists and their families receive a fair share of the profits when their artwork is resold. The droit de suite is an important concept in art law in Washington and it can help protect artists and their families from exploitation. It can also help ensure that artists are compensated fairly for their work and that their families can benefit from sales of artwork long after the artist is gone.
Related FAQs
What is a licensing agreement?What is a joint venture agreement?
What is an ‘injunction’?
How long does a patent last?
What are moral rights of authorship?
What is an infringement of copyright?
What is an infringement of art law?
What is art authentication?
How does a royalty agreement work?
What is a consignment agreement?
Related Blog Posts
Protect Your Art Through Art Law: Understanding the Basics - July 31, 2023Leveraging Art Law Regulations to Safeguard Your Creative Works - August 7, 2023
How to Structure Art Law Contracts - August 14, 2023
Art Law Trademarks and What You Need to Know - August 21, 2023
How to Negotiate Art Law Agreements with Clients - August 28, 2023