Art, Cultural Heritage & Law

Art, Entertainment & Sports Law Secondary Sources in Westlaw (accessible to a researcher w/ a Westlaw username/password) includes 2 treatises:

Darraby on Art Law (w/ July 2024 update) by Alexandra Darraby.  Content highlights state: "This treatise provides expert commentary and analysis of the laws and issues applicable to visual arts, arts transactions, museums, and litigation." 

Contents:

• Chapter 1. Fundamentals of Art Law
• Chapter 2. Trade Practices Overview
• Chapter 3. Valuation and Appraisal
• Chapter 4. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
• Chapter 5. Auction
• Chapter 6. International Trade
• Chapter 7. Copyright—17 U.S.C.A § 101
• Chapter 8. Trademark and Unfair Competition
• Chapter 9. Artists' Rights
• Chapter 10. Fundamentals of Exhibition and Display—U.S. Const. Amend. I
• Chapter 11. Art Fraud
• Chapter 12. Multiples
• Chapter 13. Archaeology and Artifacts
• Chapter 14. Historic Preservation and Conservation—U.S. Const. Amend V., Amend. XIV
• Chapter 15. Rights of Privacy and Publicity
• Chapter 16. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Moral Rights—Berne Convention—17 U.S.C.A. §§ 101, 106A, 113(d)
• Chapter 17. Moral Rights—Civil Law Rights and Sources—Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• Chapter 18. Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• Chapter 19. Berne Convention Implementation Act—Public Law 100-568 (1988); 17 U.S.C.A. § 101 et seq.
• Chapter 20. Copyright Law—Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—17 U.S.C.A. §§ 101, 102, 106, 106A
• Chapter 21. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) Rights—Mechanics and Elements—Duration, Joint Works, Transfers and Waivers, Limitations, Derivative Works—17 U.S.C.A. § 106A
• Chapter 22. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Inclusions and Exclusions—What Is Art and What Is Not Art—17 U.S.C.A. § 101
• Chapter 23. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art Exclusions and Exceptions—17 U.S.C.A. §§ 101(A) to (C), 106A(c)(1) to (3)
• Chapter 24. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Single Copy, Originals, Editions, Limited Editions, Signing and Numbering, Installations—17 U.S.C.A. § 101
• Chapter 25. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Paintings—17 U.S.C.A. § 101(1)
• Chapter 26. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Drawings—17 U.S.C.A. § 101(1)
• Chapter 27. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Prints—17 U.S.C.A. § 101(1)
• Chapter 28. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Definitions—Sculptures and Site-Specific Works—17 U.S.C.A. § 101(1)
• Chapter 29. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Photographs—17 U.S.C.A. § 101(2)
• Chapter 30. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Right of Attribution—17 U.S.C.A. § 106A
• Chapter 31. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Right of Integrity—17 U.S.C.A. § 106A(A)(3), 17 U.S.C.A. § 106A(a)(3)(B), and 17 U.S.C.A. § 113(D)
• Chapter 32. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Right of Integrity—Exceptions: Passage of Time, Inherent Vice, Conservation, Public Presentation—17 U.S.C.A. § 106A(c)(1) to 17 U.S.C.A. § 106A(c)(2)
• Chapter 33. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Right of Integrity—Works of Visual Art—Buildings and Realty—17 U.S.C.A. § 113(d)
• Chapter 34. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Unfinished, Incomplete, Preparatory, Temporary, Transitory, and Impermanent Works—17 U.S.C.A. § 101, 17 U.S.C.A. § 102, 17 U.S.C.A. § 106A
• Chapter 35. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Visual Arts Registry—17 U.S.C.A. § 113(d)(3); 37 C.F.R. § 201.25
• Chapter 36. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Federal Preemption—17 U.S.C.A. § 301
• Chapter 37. Copyright Infringement--Remedies, Damages, Injunctions, Ripeness of Claims--17 U.S.C.A. § 301, U.S. Const. Art. III; U.S. Const. Amend. VII
• Chapter 38. Sovereign Immunity—U.S. Const. Art. I; U.S. Const. Amend. XI; U.S. Const. Amend. XIV; Federal Tort Claims Act; Administrative Procedures Act—5 U.S.C.A. § 701; 28 U.S.C.A. §§ 1498, 1346, 2401; 17 U.S.C.A. § 501(a)
• Chapter 39. Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)—Work of Visual Art—Murals—17 U.S.C.A. § 101; 17 U.S.C.A. § 102(8); 17 U.S.C.A. § 106A; 17 U.S.C.A. § 113(d); 17 U.S.C.A. § 120(a); 37 C.F.R. § 202.11; U.S. Const. Am. I; U.S. Const. Am. XIV
• Chapter 40. Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998—Technology—17 U.S.C.A. §§ 512, 1202
• APPENDICES

Lindey on Entertainment, Publishing, and the Arts (w/ Dec. 2025 update, updated 3 times/yr.) by Michael Landau & Alexander Lindey.  Content highlights state: "[P]rovides expert coverage of entertainment law, mass communications, and the arts. Includes state-of-the-art forms and detailed guidance for drafting agreements." 

Includes:

• Chapter 1. Copyright
• Chapter 2. Trademarks and Unfair Competition
• Chapter 3. The Rights of Privacy and Publicity
• Chapter 4. The First Amendment
• Chapter 16. Art Work includes:
  • II. Elements of Art Work Contracts
  • IV. Sample Contracts
  • V. Copyright Protection for Works of Art 
    • B. Forms

Westlaw also provides:

McCarthy on Trademarks & Unfair Competition (w/ Nov. 2025 update) by J. Thomas McCarthy.  Westlaw's scope note describes this multivolume treatise as "the authoritative source for explaining U.S. trademark and unfair competition law for 50 years, with clear, concise analyses of cases and statutes and commentary on registering and protecting trademarks."

Includes:

• Chapter 10. Rights in Expressive Works and Entertainment (see II. Artistic and Entertainment Rights)
• TIP: Search McCarthy by keywords, such as: "visual art"