Legal protection for visual artists

Abstract It is essential that sculptors, architects, and other three‐dimensional artists gain some familiarity with the extent and limits of intellectual property (IP) law and how it protects visual artists and their works. The main areas of IP legal protection for artists are traditional copyright law, the Visual Artists Rights Act, and the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act. This article attempts to distill the large and complex discipline of intellectual property rights for visual artists. Legislative bodies, courts, nongovernmental organizations, international and intergovernmental institutions, and IP experts continue to struggle with the question of how to balance the public‐good benefits of legal protection for artists with the demands of commerce. From copyrights to courts to alternative resolutions and other interventions, IP is a discipline broad and intricate, but visual artists have many options, including legal, organizational, and educational opportunities, to strengthen their position.