AMICO Annual Members Meeting 2001
Final Report

Rights Committee Meeting Report

1. ARS Agreement
   
   AMICO has extended our agreement with the Artists Rights Society to include rights to worldwide distribution of The AMICO Library beginning with the 2001 Edition. This new agreement also extends additional rights to members. The provisions are summarized below:

   1.1 AMICO members may contribute any number of works whose copyright is represented by ARS to The AMICO Library without prior rights clearance

   • Follow the instructions on the AMICO Members Web Site at http://members.amico.org/comm/rights/ars.html
   • Identify works IN COPYRIGHT for which you wish AMICO to clear rights with ARS by including the following in the catalog record submission:
   • Object Rights Statement (ORS) Artists Rights Society, New York (this may be replaced by the full artist/estate copyright if known)
   • Object Rights Link (ORL) http://www.arsny.com
   • Only include works in copyright - not those in the public domain.
   • This data must be in your final data submission - DUE March 15, 2002.
   • There is no resolution limit on the images submitted to The AMICO Library.
     
     

   1.2 AMICO Reports to ARS

   • Based on the information provided by members, AMICO provides ARS with a list of works

   
   1.3 AMICO Pays a Royalty to ARS

   • AMICO pays ARS a royalty to ARS based on the number of works contributed to The AMICO Library.
   • Identifying ARS works in your preliminary list of contributions (due October 1) is VERY important to AMICO as it assists in our planning and helps in our negotiation.

   
   1.4 ARS provides AMICO with Copyright Statements

   • Based on the list supplied by AMICO, ARS provides copyright statements for inclusion in The AMICO Library.
   • These are entered by AMICO into the Object Rights Statement (ORS) field of the Catalog Record, and replace the statement provided by members above.

   
   1.5 In addition to the use of high-resolution digital reproductions in The AMICO Library, US-Based AMICO Members may use ARS-represented works they have ALREADY CONTRIBUTED to The AMICO Library on their public web site, provided:

   • Maximum resolution is 800 x 600 pixels and 96 dpi
   • Works may not be featured on the home page (without further permission from ARS)
   • Works may not be used as a 'clickable icon'. This was discussed at the meeting: The concern is that a particular work, or part thereof, not be featured as part of a site's navigational elements without further permissions from ARS. AMICO's understanding (to be clarified with ARS) is that thumbnails of an entire work in a list of works that when clicked link to a larger view of that work are OK.
     
     

   Members MUST report Web Site use to AMICO using the form linked to the Members web site.
   Members MUST use the copyright statement provided by ARS for the work.
   Linking to the ARS web site from the work is suggested but not required.

   Some restrictions apply to public web site use - see Schedule A distributed at the meeting and linked to http://members.amico.org/comm/rights/ars.html
   
   Unfortunately, ARS was not able to grant AMICO with rights for Canadian Members to use works on their Web Sites. We will be coordinating the best way to seek these rights with our Canadian Members.

   ACTION:

   • AMICO staff to update Rights Committee Web page with full instructions and electronic version of list of artists.
   • Rights Committee Members to liaise with those who produce AMICO Export to ensure that the Rights Statements are correct (both for this and all other purposes).
     
     
2. Worldwide Distribution

   Members are reminded that now that we are going to have subscribers beyond North America, they should check their permissions, and make sure that they have appropriate rights.

   ACTION:

   • Members check permissions. Request extension of granted rights if required.
   
   
3. VAGA Update

   AMICO and VAGA have discussed the possibility of an agreement between VAGA and AMICO (along similar lines to that of the ARS agreement). Right now we are stalled on expectations of remuneration.
   
   This past year, at the Walker Art Center worked with the Dedalus Foundation and VAGA to include works of Robert Motherwell in The AMICO Library. AMICO has created a special page to be the 'VAGA rights link' as VAGA does not have a web page. This is at http://www.amico.org/rights/vaga.html
   
   No members reported clearing rights individually with VAGA for AMICO Library uses.
   
   ACTION:

• · Members are encouraged to facilitate an agreement with VAGA wherever possible, and not to negotiate independently with VAGA for rights to use works in The AMICO Library.
  


4. Umbrella AMICO Rights for Individual Artists

Members reviewed the model request letter drafted at the last members meeting, and suggested minor changes. The value of coordinating requests of individual artists was reaffirmed.



ACTION:

• AMICO to make minor changes to the text in the model letter (removing references to North American Members, and deleting reference to cropping and overprinting).
• AMICO to review Artists FAQ to see if any changes needed.
• Each member to identify [one] artist or estate they are willing to approach on behalf of all AMICO Members.


5. Rights Request Form Implementation

   Peter Walsh, Chair of the College Art Association (CAA) Intellectual Property Committee joined the group for this discussion.
   
   Both the CAA Committee and AMICO's Rights Committee have produced model forms for requesting rights. The CAA form is available at http://www.pipeline.com/~rabaron/CIP/CAAdoc2.htm, AMICO's form is at http://members.amico.org/comm/rights/RequestForm.html
   
   After a discussion of the particular needs of scholarly publishing the group agreed that most museums have a sliding scale that respects the different motivations of non-profit and for-profit uses of reproductions. The group felt it was important for Art Historians to know that they were not 'gouging' the profession, and that fees where charged were most often based on an attempt to recover some costs in the production of photographic materials.
   
   It was suggested that further information exchange and education would be appropriate to facilitate an increased understanding between these two groups. The possibility of an Affiliated Society session at CAA that explored issues in the reproduction of works of art was discussed and will be explored further.
   
   ACTION:

   • Committee Members to review final draft of AMICO form, and recommend implementation (on thumbnail catalog and possibly in i4i interface).
   • Committee members to review CAA form and offer comments to list.
   • AMICO staff to explore possibility of CAA session (volunteers to speak are requested!).
     
     
6. Video Art (Joint with Editorial)
   
   Issues of documenting Video and Web art were discussed. Rights issues became much clearer when it was realized that the 'work itself' would not be in The AMICO Library, just like the Painting or Sculpture is not in The AMICO Library. Rather, screen shots, or clips will illustrate the work. The form of representation will be left to each individual institution. The Related Works Group (RMG) can be used to link to Web-accessible works of art.
   
   ACTION:
   • Members are encouraged to include documentation of new media in their AMICO Library contribution. Please feel free to contact AMICO for clarification if needed on how to use particular fields.
     
     
7. Committee Chair

   The committee expressed its wish to be chaired by Martha King, of the National Gallery of Canada.

   ACTION:

   • AMICO Staff to confirm new Chairman; Committee Members to encourage Martha to take this on!

   
   

Top

Summary

General Session

Users Session

Committees

Closing

Background

 

Last modified on  October 10, 2001