LAWS6925 - Dealing in Art & Cultural Heritage

Objectives

Explore the number of intersections between the law and the people and institutions who constitute the world of the visual arts and art markets, including artists, museums, individual collectors, art dealers, and auction houses.
Examine the implications of several bodies of legal doctrine applicable to transactions in fine-art and other objects of cultural significance and the relationships associated with such transactions, including common law agency.
Explore the significance of non-legal material geared to shaping the practice of art-market participants, such as codes and guidelines adopted by artmuseum associations, as well as selected literature from other academic disciplines.

Content

Contexts in which legal institutions must determine whether a particular object is a work of ‘art’ or art of a particular type; artists’ rights, including statutory and non-statutory moral rights and resale rights; problems of authenticity; legal rights and duties of auctioneers and art dealers; legal structures of art museums, including issues of internal management and governance; stolen art; developments in law and industry practice relevant to cultural heritage.

Session

Semester 2 Intensive
20-21 & 27-28 August 2009

The timetable is subject to frequent changes. Please refer to the latest version of the Postgraduate Timetable.

Assessment

1 x 8,000 Word Research Essay (100%)

Courses this unit is available in

Sydney Law School