Cramb, Alex --- "Arts Law Centre" [1985] AboriginalLawB 75; (1985) 1(17) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 4

• Arts Law Centre

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Arts Law Centre

by Alex Cramb

It is inevitable that all artists from visual to performing arts are faced, at some time, with legal problems in relation to their work. These problems frequently require the help of lawyers with an understanding of the artist's environment and a particular legal expertise.

it was with this in mind that Shane Simpson took steps to establish the Ms Law Centre in Randle Street, Surry Hills. Since its inception in 1983 the centre has dealt with over 3,500 problems and the number of artists utilising the facilities increases every year.

The centre is a non-profit organisation, with the majority of its funding coming from the interboard of the Australia Council. This year the centre recieved an extra grant providing for travel and telephone charges, enhancing its ability to operate as a national service (it is the only service of its kind in Australia). Subsequent funding comes from the NSW and Queensland state governments.

The general policy of the Arts Law Centre is to provide legal assistance and educational facilities: an area in which Simpson sees more work is needed to be done, especially with regard to the Aboriginal community. With an education programme the aim is to avoid problematic situations rather than face them.

When AboriginalLB spoke to Simpson, he was preparing to leave the centre alterthreeyears of participation as its director. in reference to the Aboriginal community he sees a varying level of attitude within the profession to the specific needs of the community, an area which must recieve more than a 'pat on the head'. A service must be developed to serve these needs but this requires exposure to existing facilities and input from Aboriginals themselves. Simpson, however, does not wish to see this as an appropriate approach.

This view is upheld by Simpson's successor, Natasha Serventi, who sees the centre as a community service, i.e. community defined by professional. Together with her assistant Lesley Power and an accountant, she runs the entire organisation. They are backed up by staff of volunteer lawyers who can assist in most litigious matters and provide local advice when necessary.

The problems dealt with are wide ranging covering the areas of artists contracts and extending to the issues of defamation, obscenity, group formation, wages and taxation. The centre provides contracts for common situations such as employment, commissions, exhibitions and sale of work.

Natasha and Lesley are themselves actively interested in the arts (Natasha is a dancer and both her parents are writers). Their enthusiasm and empathy toward the artistic community takes them on the road, giving lectures and conducting seminars on various topics to colleges and interested groups.

The majority of their clients are involved with the visual arts, as these people tend to work individually. Most craft oriented and performing artists have unions or organisations to work on their behalf. Figures pertaining to the average income of clients of the Arts Law Centre showthat 76% earned less than $10,000, and that 50% of this group earned less than $6,000.

So far the operation has been a great success, Natasha Servenfi sees the future as a period for consolidation of the experiences of the past three years. if the work load continues to increase at the present rate, they certainly have their work cut out for them.

For further info contact:
The Arts Law Centre
11 Randle St Surry Hills
Phone: [phone]
Toll free line for callers outside Sydney: [phone]