In the expansion of Canon, the thriving market for artists' legacies unfolds
In the ever-evolving world of art, preserving and showcasing the work of artists, especially after their passing, has become a significant focus. Several organizations and resources are available to help artists and their descendants ensure a future for their art through legal support, funding, mentorship, estate planning, and professional art management.
Law Firms and Legal Support
The Center for Art Law lists law firms specializing in art law, offering services such as art transactions, estate and trust planning, intellectual property, and nonprofit organization support. Notable firms include Loeb & Loeb LLP (Dallas), Mazzola Lindstrom LLP, McLaughlin & Stern LLP, and Munger Tolles & Olson LLP (all in New York), and Murray Osorio PLLC (Los Angeles).
Artist Grants, Funding, and Residencies
ACAVA provides extensive resources for artists including funding, grants, residencies, fellowships, open calls, and wellbeing support. In the UK, there are specific grant writing supports and emergency resources for freelance artists. The Creative Industries Federation offers sector-specific legal advice and guidance. Arts Emergency offers free mentorships for young artists aged 16-25 to help with education and career development.
Art Consulting and Collection Management
Professionals such as Brenda Simonson-Mohle from Signet Art offer consulting services in acquisition, collection management, framing, installation, and estate brokerage to help artists and their estates manage and preserve their work properly.
Artist Legacy and Estate Planning
The Institute for Artists' Estates provides specialized estate planning and legacy management support aimed at preserving an artist’s archive and maintaining their legacy over time.
Targeted Grants
Programs like ArtsWave’s Black and Brown Artist Grants support BIPOC artists to sustain and advance their work and cultural heritage, contributing to long-term preservation of diverse artistic contributions.
Recent examples of these resources in action include Soft Network, a New York-based operation that helps steer artists' estates and presented a solo booth of Paul Gardère’s work at the Independent art fair in 2022. After Soft Network spotlighted his work, a museum presentation of a two-person show featuring Paul Gardère’s work at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University occurred.
Similarly, Cat Gardère, the daughter of artist Paul Gardère, is stewarding her father's estate and legacy after his death in 2011. She connected with the Artist's Foundation & Estate Leaders' List (AFELL) through her high school classmate, Max Warsh. AFELL is a Google group started in 2019 for individuals and organizations to share resources related to art estate work.
Allan Schwartzman, previously a curator at the New Museum, has been in the art advisory business for decades. He conceived Schwartzman& in 2020 as an advisory that consults on various aspects of the art ecosystem, including estate and legacy planning. His previous firm was acquired by Sotheby's for $50 million in 2016.
The Rauschenberg Foundation is an anomaly among foundations and estates in that it has worked with blue-chip galleries for many years. Dealers are keen to find so-called rediscoveries, as shown by David Zwirner representing Alice Neel in 2008, whose works became a market success after a Metropolitan Museum of Art retrospective in 2021.
The Joan Mitchell Foundation, on the other hand, started training 'legacy specialists' to support artists in organizing their studios, documenting and inventorying their work, and crafting the narrative behind their trajectory. Their CALL (Creating a Living Legacy) initiative was conceived in 2007 as a grant program for artists to self-direct the use of funds. The Foundation has compiled and published free "CALL workbooks," which outline the knowledge accrued by their specialists. These workbooks are often referenced by the AFELL community as a starting point for members navigating these new waters.
In conclusion, the future of art relies heavily on the preservation and management of artists' estates. With resources like the ones mentioned above, artists and their descendants can ensure a sustainable future for their art, allowing it to continue to inspire and influence generations to come.
[1] Center for Art Law (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.centerforartlaw.org/resources/art-law-firms-and-legal-services/
[2] ACAVA (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acava.org/
[3] Signet Art (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.signetart.com/
[4] ArtsWave (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.artswave.org/grants/black-brown-artist-grants/
[5] Institute for Artists' Estates (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.artistsestates.org/
- The Center for Art Law lists numerous law firms specializing in art law, providing services such as art transactions, estate and trust planning, intellectual property, and nonprofit organization support.
- ACAVA offers extensive resources for artists, including funding, grants, residencies, fellowships, open calls, and wellbeing support.
- Professionals like Brenda Simonson-Mohle from Signet Art provide consulting services in acquisition, collection management, framing, installation, and estate brokerage.
- The Institute for Artists' Estates provides specialized estate planning and legacy management support to preserve an artist’s archive and maintain their legacy.
- Programs like ArtsWave’s Black and Brown Artist Grants support BIPOC artists to sustain and advance their work and cultural heritage.
- Soft Network, a New York-based operation, helps steer artists' estates and presented a solo booth of Paul Gardère’s work at the Independent art fair in 2022, leading to a museum presentation of a two-person show featuring Paul Gardère’s work.
- Allan Schwartzman, a former curator at the New Museum, conceived Schwartzman& in 2020 as an advisory that consults on various aspects of the art ecosystem, including estate and legacy planning.
- The Joan Mitchell Foundation started training 'legacy specialists' to support artists in organizing their studios, documenting and inventorying their work, and crafting the narrative behind their trajectory.
- The future of art relies heavily on the preservation and management of artists' estates, with resources like these mentioned ensuring a sustainable future for art, allowing it to continue to inspire and influence generations to come.
