Artists' Collecting Society (ACS) celebrates its first year and tracks over £12 million of sales for member artists

  • ACS artists including Lucian Freud, Howard Hodgkin and Anthony Caro benefit from Artist’s Resale Right legislation, implemented after 2006 EC Directive
  • Key art market professionals and members attend party at Chelsea Arts Club

LONDON -11 September, 2007 - Artists' Collecting Society (ACS), the UK's alternative, not for profit collecting society for the collection and distribution of Artist's Resale Right (ARR) royalties, has celebrated its first year with a party at the Chelsea Arts Club. The event was attended by many member artists such as Lucian Freud, who has received over £22,000 in royalties from ACS over a six month period. Key art market professionals were also in attendance, including Penelope Govett, Chairman of the Tate Patrons and Christie's Legal Director Richard Aydon. Unity Spencer, daughter of the late Stanley Spencer, also attended.

Artist's Resale Right is a new intellectual property right that entitles authors of original works of art to a percentage of the sale price whenever one of their works is resold on the commercial market. ACS manages the collection and distribution of these resale royalties for over 200 artists including Frank Auerbach, Paula Rego, Mary Newcomb, Paul Feiler and Bernard Dunstan. Its membership is growing rapidly as more artists realise the benefits of joining ACS, which include its close partnership with the Bridgeman Art Library, the world's most extensive and prestigious fine arts archive.

Leading contemporary artist PJ Crook, a member of ACS said: "It's right that there should not be a monopoly in collecting royalties. I'm pleased about the reduction of the fees to 15 per cent and like the idea that if, at the end of the year, ACS makes a profit, it will be shared between the artists. Throughout my career, I have been trying to 'give back' and encourage others through a series of awards and bursaries - particularly at the National Star College for disabled students (of which I am a Patron). I would like to continue to do this for as long as possible, so a small income that will still come in after my demise, could help make this a reality."

ACS was founded by Harriet Bridgeman as a 'Community Interest Company' that is separate but affiliated to The Bridgeman Art Library. Since 1972 the Bridgeman Art Library has been supporting artists through the promotion of their works all over the world and distributing reproduction and copyright royalties back to these artists in a timely fashion. With offices in London, Paris, Berlin and New York, it supports the global art market and manages complex international arts policies.

When asked to comment Lady Bridgeman said: "Artist's Resale Right is an important piece of legislation that has finally given artists a right that has been enjoyed by writers and composers for years. Before ACS was formed, DACS was the only society that could represent artists, and their commission rate on each resale could have been as high as 25 per cent."

"ARR is designed to benefit living artists and as much money as possible should go directly to them. We established ACS in June 2006 to ensure that collecting societies only retain as much money as is necessary to cover basic administrative costs. Only artists should profit from this legislation. Artists now have an alternative to DACS (which has since declared it will match the commission rate of any other organisation 'until the true costs are known'). It is now up to artists to decide which collecting society - ACS or DACS - best represents their interests and opinions." Lady Bridgeman continued.

To view a high resolution photo image by Howard Hodgkin please click here

Photo Caption:
'Robin Denny and Katherine Reid,' 1973-75 by Howard Hodgkin.

Howard Hodgkin is a member of Artists' Collecting Society (ACS) - the UK's alternative, not for profit collecting society for the collection and distribution of Artist’s Resale Right (ARR) royalties- which has tracked over £12 million of sales for member artists since the 2006 EC Directive on Artist's Resale Right.

About Artist's Resale Rights (ARR)
Artist's Resale Right came into force in the United Kingdom (UK) on 14 February 2006. This right entitles authors of original works of art (including for example paintings, engravings, sculpture, ceramics) to a royalty payment each time one of their works is resold in a sale involving an art market professional. The royalty is subject to compulsory collective management so artists cannot claim their royalty independently but must receive it through a collecting society.

When Artist's Resale Right was implemented in February 2006, Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) was the only operating collecting society. Many artists and dealers were dismayed by the potentially monopolistic implication of this and campaigned via The British Art Market Federation (BAMF) and The Society of London Art Dealers (SLAD) for artists to be provided with a choice of collecting society for the management of their ARR royalties. In response to these requests, Harriet Bridgeman chose to sponsor the establishment of an alternative collecting society-ACS.

About Artists' Collecting Society (ACS)
ACS was set up in June 2006 following the EC's Directive and new UK legislation on Artist’s Resale Right, which provides artists with the right to receive a royalty, based on the price obtained for any resale of an original work of art. ACS was set up by Lady Bridgeman of the Bridgeman Art Library, in response to requests from artists and from their dealers via the British Art Market Federation (BAMF) and The Society of London Art Dealers (SLAD) for artists to be provided with a choice of collecting society for the management of Artist’s Resale Right.

ACS collects Artist's Resale Right on behalf of member artists from dealers, agents, auction houses and other art market professionals and distributes the royalty payments directly to artists. ACS is the only collecting society incorporated solely for the collection of Artist’s Resale Right, which means that unlike other collecting societies, it is totally dedicated to administering the most time and cost efficient collection and distribution procedures of the royalty to member artists.
For more information, please visit: www.ArtistsCollectingSociety.org.uk

About The Bridgeman Art Library (BAL)
Established for 35 years and with four international offices, Bridgeman Art Library is the world's leading source of fine art, history and culture with some 300,000 images available on-line, plus 750,000 historical photographs, from 8000 locations. It represents museums, galleries and artists throughout the world by providing a central source of fine art for image users.

BAL also develops educational resource packages, publishes art catalogues, offers copyright advice, licenses reproduction rights and provides sales services. The organisation has a long history of feeding monies back into museums, of figures up to £1.5 million per year. For more information please visit www.bridgemanart.com

Louise Sambells
The PressOffice - PR for Bridgeman Art Library
Tel: 01780 721433
Email: lsambells@pressoffice.targetwire.com

Issuers of news releases, not Targetwire, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.