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Art, Cultural Heritage & Law: Introduction

A guide to help researchers begin finding primary and secondary resources on Art Law.

What is New @ BLS?

Access to all available issues of journal: Art, Antiquity and Law in BLS subscription database: HeinOnline.

New BLS subscription to digital resources from the Center for Art Law includes:

  • Our Articles = an extensive library of this Center's blog posts
  • All Events > Events Archive = recordings and materials/handouts from many of this Center's past events
  • Case Law Corner = summaries of "lawsuits involving artworks, cultural property, artists’ estates, galleries"

New guides, handbooks and legal treatises on art, culture and law in BLS Library.  Browse guide tabs:

Did you know that Jeff Gabel, the BLS librarian who ordered many new resources for you, is an internationally-recognized artist?  This is his biography.

Below, Jeff is working in situ on 28000 pages or, 'In Color': a mid-life crisis at Spencer Brownstone Gallery (2015-16). 

When Was This Guide Last Updated?

This LibGuide was last substantively updated:

On: Aug  29, 2024

By: Jean Davis

What Does This Guide Highlight?

Former Brooklyn Law School (BLS) Reference Librarian/Adjunct Professor of Law Carolyn Brown created the initial version of this guide.  Carolyn noted that an art law researcher might wish to explore a broad range of topics: art and artificial intelligence; copyright and trademark issues concerning artwork; challenges regarding digital art; the First Amendment and artistic expression; art theft and modern restitution; and protection of cultural heritage/property.  In summer 2024, BLS librarians extensively revised this guide.

This guide primarily highlights 1) recent publicly accessible books/toolkits and 2) recent books available through BLS Library.  BLS is an independent law school and BLS Library's collection focuses on legal sources.  BLS students who plan to work off campus and do not live in a BLS residence: implement the BLS proxy server instructions for 1 web browser (librarians recommend the instructions for Firefox), then close/reopen that browser.  This will allow you to access BLS ebooks off campus.  (If you successfully implement the BLS proxy instructions, a prompt will appear requesting your BLS username/password.) 

New York Public Library (NYPL) provides 24 art research guides, including Art Resources from Home and How to Research an ArtistNYPL also has noted research centers:

NYPL collects books on hot topics in the art world, such as:

Those who apply for NYPL library cards also can search NYPL's catalog to find books like:

Those who live, work or attend school in New York state also can apply online for a Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) card.  See BPL's descriptions of Art, Music and Recreation online resources and databases.  Search BPL's holdings and filter results by: Books & more to find audio, digital and print books such as:

UNESCO's UNESDOC Digital Library includes nearly 14,000 Open Access resources.  Researchers can filter sources by topic, such as: Cultural heritage; Intangible cultural heritage; or Cultural property preservation.  Click: See all to view all topics.