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Negotiations + Contracts for Artists

  • CUE Art Foundation 137 West 25th Street New York, NY 10001 (map)

Negotiations + Contracts for Artists
Saturday, April 1, 2017. 2:00-3.30PM
Cost: $25 / or $5 for members*
Limited members tickets available

How can artists protect their interests when doing business with collectors, galleries and institutions? In this workshop, we’ll explore two parallel strands of the struggle: the nuts and bolts of contracts and legal issues; and the psychology of negotiation. John S. Kiely will provide insight on topics such as: what should be in a well-drafted consignment contract, representation agreement, sales agreement and commission agreement; addressing issues such as gallery commissions, exclusivity, required marketing efforts, damage while art is in the possession of a third party, oral agreements, breaches of contract and more. We will then walk through the basics of negotiation strategies. John S. Kiely and a special guest will conduct mock negotiations about the terms of agreements discussed in the first part of the program and will illustrate how artists can effectively advocate for themselves and both extract and give appropriate concessions during the process.

John S. Kiely is an Associate with Blank Rome LLP where he concentrates his practice in the areas of trust and estate planning, administration, and litigation. Mr. Kiely received his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law and his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Mr. Kiely received his B.A. in History, cum laude, from Washington & Lee University.

Mr. Kiely has written articles for the New Jersey Law Journal on estate litigation and frequently lectures on estate planning topics. He is a board member of the CUE Art Foundation, a member of the Young Professionals Board of the Pajama Program, a charity which provides pajamas and books to impoverished children, vice-president of a coop board, and an active member of The Junior Associates of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Mr. Kiely regularly provides pro-bono advice to artists, and has provided pro-bono counsel to multiple federal inmates seeking amnesty.


This workshop is presented as a part of Meeting Artist's Needs, CUE’s professional development program for artists.