Intellectual Property for Producing Theatres

Intellectual Property for Producing TheatresIn todays cultural atmosphere, new art increasingly borrows from preexisting work, references todays popular culture, or incorporates fact or rumor. However, few artists or managers have ready access to a lawyer in their organization, or even know someone to turn to when questions arise. Unfortunately, the legal environment surrounding these concepts is slow to adapt to new trends, and increasingly complex and difficult to understand. This text

In todayÕs cultural atmosphere, new art increasingly borrows from preexisting work, references todayÕs popular culture, or incorporates fact or rumor. However, few artists or managers have ready access to a lawyer in their organization, or even know someone to turn to when questions arise. Unfortunately, the legal environment surrounding these concepts is slow to adapt to new trends, and increasingly complex and difficult to understand.
This text outlines the core principles of copyright and other protections that are often mistaken for copyright, such as reputational torts and trademark law, to give the reader an understanding of the terminology and basis for each protection.
Everything from the brand logos on props and costumes onstage to the TV show an actor parodies in an ad-lib opens your theatre to some degree of legal risk. The difference between an immoral theft and an inspired homage is slight, but important for producers of new work to ask of each piece they create.