MEMBERS
- ATSI
PROTECTING CULTURE
Our culture is one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
Keeping our culture strong and protecting it is important.
VISCOPY can help you practice your culture by protecting your copyright
and collecting copyright fees for you and your family.
VISCOPY represent the interests of over 2,900 Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander artists, their heirs and communities. To ensure
cultural integrity and service charter, VISCOPY has enshrined within
its’ constitution, indigenous board representation, internal
policy and the services of an Indigenous Visual Copyright Education
Officer, a dedicated position servicing the requirements of our
indigenous membership.
 WHY
SHOULD ARTISTS JOIN VISCOPY?
To ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists receive the maximum financial return and recognition when their works are being reproduced and copied. VISCOPY negotiates all licences within Australia on behalf of its members. With reciprocal agreements in over 40 territories internationally, the artist is assured that whenever and wherever their work is licensed, a royalty for the use is returned to them
VISCOPY’s licensing procedures also remove much of the administrative burden from art centre co-ordinators and individual artists.
MEMBERSHIP
There are two types of membership, Full Membership and Statutory Membership (Secondary Rights).
Full membership provides VISCOPY and its international affiliates
the right to act on an artists behalf in negotiating licensing agreements,
monitors any 'rip offs', ensures that artists exercise their copyright
and receive the best return on the reproduction of their artistic
works.
It also covers “Secondary Rights”. Secondary, or Statutory Rights Membership allows VISCOPY to collect and distribute income collected under Government statutory licences held by educational and government institutions.
VISCOPY provide tailored agreements for indigenous art centres enabling those centres to register all of their members under one document. The majority of art centres follow this practice.
HOW
MUCH DOES IT COST?
There are no annual or joining fees. Upon negotiating a reproduction licence on behalf of a member, VISCOPY charges an administration fee.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright is a major concern for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander artists. Protecting your copyright ensures that you protect
your right to future income from the exploitation of your work by
others.
Copyright is automatic in Australia, which means that as soon as
you create a work it is protected under the Copyright Act. When
you sell your art the painting or sculpture may belong to someone
else but you keep the copyright in the work unless it is agreed
otherwise. VISCOPY advises all our artists to never sell or give
away your copyright.
It may sound difficult but there are a few things you can do to
help.
PROTECTING
COPYRIGHT IN YOUR ART
For more information on copyright and legal matters pertaining to copyright, contact –
The Australian Copyright Council – Phone 02 9318 1788 ; email info@copyright.org.au ; Website www.copyright.org.au
The Arts Law Centre of Australia – Phone 1800 221 457 ; Website www.artslaw.com.au
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