26 July 2022
AGS providing pro bono support to the Arts Law Centre of Australia
AGS has, through our pro bono program, continued to provide valuable support to the Arts Law Centre of Australia (Arts Law) with the placement of an AGS Senior Lawyer Stella Chu.
Stella started her placement in April last year, finishing the placement on 30 June 2022.
Established over 30 years ago and based in Sydney, Arts Law is a community legal centre advising artists from many different disciplines, including musicians, visual artists, authors, game developers and filmmakers.
In addition, Arts Law’s specialised program ‘Artists in Black’ focuses on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. It does this by delivering outreach and education seminars to regional and remote communities, drafting wills which address the copyright assets of the artists and assisting them to negotiate fair agreements with galleries and copyright licensees.
Stella said she really enjoyed her time at Arts Law.
‘I’d describe myself as someone who appreciates the arts (live music, MTC plays, exhibitions at the NGV) so it was good to feel like I was helping artists to protect their legal interests,’ Stella says.
‘My key takeaways from my placement with Arts Law include understanding how artists in the music, fashion and design industries can monetise their intellectual property rights.
‘I learned about how Arts organisations (art centres and art galleries) operate, who has rights when recordings of live performances are made, and IP issues that arise from street art.
‘I also gained an awareness and better understanding of the issues facing Indigenous artists and Indigenous peoples more generally.’
AGS’s pro bono work
AGS lawyers have a long tradition of using their professional skills to support community interests though pro bono work. Find out more how our pro bono work supports communities and organisations across Australia and overseas.