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Save the Date! VLA's Garden Reception at Dia:Beacon 2009

Presenting
The David Alfaro Siqueiros Awards

These awards honor two individuals and one philanthropic organization who represent David Alfaro Siqueiros' artistic philosophy and integrity. Come help us thank our dedicated supporters and donors at Dia:Beacon, located on the Hudson River in Beacon, New York. Dia:Beacon is a museum which houses its renowned permanent collection comprised of major works of art from the 1960s to the present.

2009 Award Recipients

Christoph Büchel, Artist

Erin Donnelly, LMCC

The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation, New York


Saturday, July 18, 2009
4:30 – 7:30 pm
5:00pm: guided gallery tour RSVP required
6:30pm: award presentations


Dia:Beacon
Riggio Galleries
3 Beekman Street
Beacon, NY 12508

Click here for directions, or click here for MTA train information.


Proceeds will support VLA's mission and student projects at the CalArts School of Art.

Click here for ticket information and to order tickets for this event.
If you have any questions, or would like to purchase tickets via phone, please email Kelly Kocinski, Director of Development, at kkocinski@vlany.org, or contact her via phone at 212.319.2787 x18.

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Career Opportunities in Art & Entertainment Law

Wednesday, July 22, 2009: 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Lovells LLP, 590 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10022 (at 57th Street)

VLA is proud to host this panel of distinguished art and entertainment attorneys to speak about their personal career trajectories and what got them there. This panel is intended for young lawyers, law students, and individuals interested in careers in art, intellectual property, and entertainment law – fields that span the full range from copyright, trademark, licensing, and television programming, to visual art, literature, music, theater, dance, and nonprofit corporations.

This career panel will be the inaugural event for VLA’s Young Associates Membership (YAM). YAM is our new membership category exclusively for young lawyers (in their 1st – 4th years of practice).

Next year, VLA will host a variety of events for YAMs designed to encourage members’ understanding of the representation of artists and arts organizations as well as to foster an appreciation for contemporary art and promote members’ involvement in philanthropic activities. Programs currently being planned include music, film and concert events; private studio tours; curator-led exhibition and gallery tours; and art fairs. YAM is a great way to meet other young lawyers as well as artists, musicians, filmmakers, curators, and collectors.

As of June 30th, panel currently includes:

• Sonia K. Katyal, Esq., Associate Professor of Law, Fordham Law School
• Andrew Lee, Esq., Principal ALL Counsel & Consulting, Former General Counsel New York Jets
• Hillel I. Parness, Esq., Lovells LLP
• Elena M. Paul, Esq., Executive Director, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
• Peter R. Rienecker, Esq., Vice President and Senior Counsel, Original Programming, Home Box Office, Inc.
• Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., Associate Director, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
• Donn Zaretsky, Esq., John Silberman Associates PC

Fees:
Non-Members: $75 ($100 at the door)

YAM Membership & Career Panel: $100 ($125 at the door).
Note: YAM membership is regularly $100

To register for this Career Panel, please click here for registration form (PDF).
Please note that there will NOT be any CLE credit for this event.

For more information, please call Ben Brandow of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts at 212.319.2787 x14, or e-mail him at bbrandow@vlany.org.

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Art Law: After Conceptual Art, in the Digital Age, and During Lean Times

Dia Art Foundation and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts announces a Professional Development Series on contemporary legal issues for artists and arts organizations.

Saturday, June 27, 2009, 2pm-5pm: Copyright Law for Visual Artists

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 2pm-5pm: Legal Issues in Contemporary Art

Saturday, October 17, 2009, 2pm-5pm: Considering the Fiscal Sponsorship Model to Structure and Support Art Projects

$10 general admission per class (Includes museum admission)

For program reservations, call 845.440.0100 x19 or email rsvpVLA@diaart.org

All classes will be held and Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, and will be taught by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Associate Director, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, NYC.

Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries
3 Beekman Street, Beacon, NY 12508
845.440.0100
www.diaart.org

Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento is Associate Director for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. He is an artist, writer, and legal practitioner interested in the relationship between art and law. Areas of focus include intellectual property, digital media, and nonprofit organizations, with a particular emphasis on contemporary art. His work has been shown internationally in Mexico, Germany, and Spain, and nationally in Dallas, New York City, and Los Angeles. Sarmiento has taught in a number of universities and art schools, among them Hofstra University, Harvard University, the University of Southern California, and CalArts. He has presented legal symposiums and workshops at The International Center of Photography, Pratt Institute, Harlem Arts Alliance, The Yale School of Management, The Vera List Center for Arts and Politics at The New School, Columbia University School of the Arts, Cornell Law School, Harvard University, and the Centre Sociologie de l'Innovation, Ecole des Mines de Paris. Sarmiento received his BA in Art from the University of Texas-El Paso, an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts, and his J.D. from Cornell Law School (2006).

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Film • Music • Interactive Legal & Business Bootcamp™

Friday, July 10, 2009: 10am-5pm

VLA is pleased to announce this intensive new program about the legal and business issues that affect individual artists and individuals within arts cultural institutions who make and work in film, music and interactive media.

Sessions will include:

• Intellectual Property (copyright, trademarks, non-disclosure agreements)
• Contract Essentials and Negotiation Skills
• For-Profit, Non-Profit, Fiscal Sponsorship Models
• Considerations for Documentary and Fact-Based Projects
• Internet, Websites, Blogs

Who Should Attend:

This course is specifically for filmmakers, musicians, web designers, bloggers, and anyone working in interactive media. Cultural organizations, recently admitted attorneys, and other professionals who represent artists may also benefit from this program.

Special Guest: (speaking at lunchtime)
Peter Rienecker, Esq., Vice President and Senior Counsel Original Programming, HBO, Inc.

Attendees will also receive a promotional code which will allow them to receive a one-year Fractured Atlas membership free of charge. A Fractured Atlas representative will also be available to discuss their Fiscal Sponsorship program.

For information on speakers and program details, please visit our Legal & Business Bootcamp for Arts Professionals.

Where:
Herrick, Feinstein LLP
Park Avenue
New York, New York 10016

Fees: (continental breakfast and lunch will be provided)
Artists: $149
Arts Organizations: $199
All Lawyers: $299*

*7 CLE Credits Available for Attorneys: 3 professional, 2 skills, 2 ethics (also for transitional attorneys)

To register, please complete this registration form and return to us with payment via fax or to our address at 1 East 53rd Street, 6th floor, NY, NY 10022. All registration fees are non-refundable.

For specific information on this Bootcamp, please contact Ben Brandow, Assistant Director of Legal Services, at 212.319.2787 x14, or via e-mail at bbrandow@vlany.org

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New VLA Member Services

Law Firm and Corporate Members:
VLA has just developed two new opportunities for attorneys and other legal professionals, and are now available à la carte or as part of the benefits of a Corporate/Law Firm Membership at the Patron Level.

Artist, Arts Organization, and Legal Professional Members:
VLA has also just developed an additional training opportunity for attorneys and arts professionals looking to make a career transition (from legal practice to nonprofit careers).

For more information on these new programs and on becoming a law firm or corporate member, please click here (pdf version).

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Update on Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc. v. Büchel, 565 F. Supp. 245, 259, 260 (D. Mass.2008)

On May 21, 2007, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (“Mass MoCA”) brought a lawsuit against Swiss artist Christoph Büchel seeking a court order authorizing Mass MoCA to exhibit Mr. Büchel’s unfinished installation without Mr. Büchel’s consent. On September 21, 2007, Judge Michael M. Ponsor, of the Federal District Court for Massachusetts, issued his ruling from the bench allowing Mass MoCA to continue to exhibit Mr. Büchel’s unfinished installation without his consent. Judge Ponsor’s ruling further noted that there would be no distortion to Mr. Büchel’s work or any damage to his reputation so long as Mass MoCA indicated that the unfinished work was not a product of Mr. Büchel. Mass MoCA subsequently announced that it had decided not to further exhibit Mr. Büchel’s unfinished installation.

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (“VLA”) decided to represent Mr. Büchel on this matter, as we strongly believe that the district court’s decision was incorrect, and additionally, that the decision would have negative consequences for other visual artists. VLA sought additional pro bono counsel for Mr. Büchel, and obtained the New York law firm of Wachtell, Rosen, Lipton & Katz as well as the Boston law firm of K & L Gates, LLP.

The case is currently under appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Oral arguments are scheduled for June 2, 2009.

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Legal Issues in Contemporary Art: Copyright

* 2.5 CLE Credits Available, 1.5 Professional Practice and 1 Ethics (Transitional Only)

When:
July 14, 2009, 5:30pm - 8:00pm

Where: VLA Auditorium, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022

Fees:
Artist (VLA member): $10
Artist (non-member): $15
VLA Legal Professional Member: $130 (incl. materials)
Legal Professional Non-Member: $150 (incl. materials)

In a digital age, artists need to be more aware than ever of copyright laws and the legal issues that may affect their practice and the presentation of their work. The current Associated Press v. Shepard Fairey and the Patrick Cariou v. Richard Prince lawsuits clearly illustrate this. This class will focus on copyright law, with a primer on some of the more pressing legal concerns for artists today, such as the use of logos and images, the internet and websites, as well as moral rights. The issues raised by the Shepard Fairey and Richard Prince lawsuits will also be discussed.

This VLA workshop is open to artists, arts administrators, and serves as an introduction to copyright law for admitted attorneys. To register, please complete this registration form (registration pdf form coming soon). All registration fees are non-refundable.

This class will be taught by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., VLA's Associate Director. To register, please complete this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org jtodd@vlany.org

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Law School Application Mentoring for Artists

Believe it or not a number of artists also have a viable legal practice. In fact, an increasing number of visual and performing artists are attending law school and working in both law-related and non-law-related fields, not only as a way of furthering their social and artistic beliefs, but also as a means of supporting their own artistic practices. If you’re a visual or performing artist and have thought about attending law school and becoming a lawyer, VLA offers mentoring and advising sessions to help you with this decision as well as helping you with application strategies. The mentoring will be conducted by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., VLA's Associate Director and practicing artist. This mentoring program is open to all visual and performing artists. For more information, please contact Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., at 212.319.2787 x13, or via e-mail.

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Law and Film CLE Ethics Class

* 2.0 CLE Ethics Credits Available (Transitional and non-Transitional)

VLA is proud to announce a new CLE law and film series. Our new law and film series will focus on the study of ethics through the prism of film and cinema. Attendees will be mailed a DVD of the film along with reading material two-weeks before the class. Registered participants will then attend a two-hour class to discuss the film and readings.

Topics covered will include:

-Individual choice (self-interest) vs. collective responsibility
-Personal morality, professional roles, collegial pressures, and economic incentives
-Competing and unfixed ethical values
-Ethical values vs. practical/situational pressures
-Fairness, justice, honesty, loyalty, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest
-Recognition and resolution of ethical dilemmas

To launch our new law and film series, we began with Joel and Ethan Coen’s film, based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel, No Country for Old Men. Please check back with us soon as we will be posting the new film along with class date and time soon.

All registered participants will be mailed a DVD of the film along with reading material two-weeks before the class to guarantee reception of materials. Registered participants will then attend a two-hour class to discuss the film and readings.

The classes will be taught by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., VLA’s Associate Director. He has previously taught critical theory, film, and visual culture at Hofstra University, Harvard University, USC, and UC-Irvine.

When:
TBA
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)

Please visit our site soon for more information on the upcoming Law and Film Ethics Class. All registration fees are non-refundable. For more information please call Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento at: 212.319.2787 x13, or e-mail him at ssarmiento@vlany.org

** 2.0 CLE Ethics Credits Available (Transitional and non-Transitional)

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Forming Your For-Profit Arts Business

This workshop provides valuable information about starting an arts-related business. Covered issues also include: For vs. Non-Profit incorporation, fiscal sponsorship, selecting and protecting business names; the legal and tax characteristics of LLCs an publication requirements, partnerships, and type C and S corporations; choice of jurisdiction; financing your business; employees and independent contracts; and insurance.

Fees:
Arts Professional VLA Member: $50
Arts Professional Non-VLA member: $75
VLA Legal Professional Member: $125
Legal Professional Non-Member: $175

Classes will be held on the following dates and times:
June 18, 4-6pm
July 16, 4-6pm
August 20, 4-6pm
September 17, 4-6pm
October 15, 4-6pm
November 19, 4-6pm
December 17, 4-6pm

All classes will be held at VLA, 1 East 53rd Street (auditorium), NY, NY 10022.

This class will be taught by VLA's Executive Director, Elena M. Paul, Esq. To register, please complete this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org jtodd@vlany.org

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New 2009 Dates and Times for Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exemption Workshop

"I really appreciated the seminar--it fleshed out a lot of the general information I had. The information was presented in a straight-forward and easy to understand way."

"This was extremely informative. It very much helped us decide non-profit vs. for-profit. Thank you."

"Awesome! Very informative and helpful; wish I had more time with you!"

"This class was informational and great in aiding in my assessment of my approach to operating an Non-profit organization."

Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exemption workshop dates for 2009:

Registration Form

Tuesday, July 21, 1-4pm*
Tuesday, August 18, 1-4pm
Monday, September 14, 1-4pm*
Tuesday, October 20, 1-4pm*
Monday, November 16, 1-4pm*
Tuesday, December 8, 1-4pm

*3 CLE credits (Professional Practice, traditional format, transitional and non-transitional) are available on dates indexed with an asterisk.

This workshop provides valuable information about starting a nonprofit organization. State issues to be covered include articles of incorporation, bylaws, and the first organization meeting. Federal issues include the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and corresponding regulations, application for employer identification number, IRS disclosure rules, unrelated business taxable income, charitable contributions, and restrictions on lobbying. This workshop will also touch on the legal and ethical duties for board members; donor requirements; the new Form 990; intellectual property issues specific to nonprofit tax-exempt organizations; insurance; and employment issues.

VLA requires all applicants seeking Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exempt Status services through VLA to attend one of these workshops before a volunteer attorney can be assigned to them.

All workshops held at our VLA location, 1 East 53rd Street (first floor auditorium). For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org jtodd@vlany.org. To register for the Nonprofit and Tax Exemption Workshop please fill out and return this workshop Registration Form.

This program is funded in part by The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation Nonprofit Assistance Program.

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Financial Hardship Policy

Full and partial scholarships to attend VLA’s Continuing Legal Education programs are available to persons with demonstrated financial hardship. To apply, applicants must submit a request, on letterhead if possible, stating the reason for their interest, proof of income or an explanation of their financial hardship, and a completed course registration form. Scholarships will be awarded on a space-available basis, with preference given to applicants in order of date submitted. For more information please view http://www.vlany.org/education/clecredit.php.

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VLA Memberships

A VLA Membership provides individuals and organizations with access to the VLA Legal Clinic, discounts on VLA programs, services and publications, and invitations to member events.

For more information regarding individual and organizational membership benefits, services, and rates, click here.

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VLA Library & Bookstore

VLA has a small but in-depth book library containing a wealth of materials and resources for artists, arts organizations, and legal professionals. Our books and materials cover diverse areas such as nonprofits, fiscal sponsorships, visual art, music, theater, dance, writing, film, internet, and digital media, all in relation to intellectual property, contracts, licensing, legal entities, free speech, employment law, and grantwriting. Access to VLA's library is free and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 12 to 6pm.

Along with providing individuals and organizations with access to the VLA's Library, VLA makes available a wide variety of books for all arts disciplines and organizations. For a list of our publications and books available for sale, please visit our list. For book prices and shipping fees, please contact VLA at our ArtLawLine at 212.319.2787, x1.