The Artist’s Resale Right will continue to benefit artists and estates post-Brexit

The Artist’s Resale Right is a royalty that provides fair and essential income for artists and artists' estates when their work is resold through a gallerist, art dealer or auction house. Since the Artist’s Resale Right legislation became the law in the UK in 2006, DACS has paid out £94 million in Artist’s Resale Right royalties to artists.

Providing certainty to artists in the UK and abroad

The transitional period for the UK to leave the European Union is due to end on 31 December 2020, which means the UK will have a new relationship with Europe from 1 January 2021.

The government has reviewed the Artist’s Resale Right legislation to ensure that it remains effective from 1 January 2021. Regardless of the outcome of the current Brexit negotiations, or whether the UK reaches a deal or not, artists will continue to benefit from this crucial right when the UK leaves the European Union.

We are pleased to see that the Artist’s Resale Right is included as a clause in the final UK-EU Brexit agreement, providing further security for the royalty. Please find more details here (Article ip.13, pg 144).

Fair Share for Artists

In what has been a particularly challenging year, there has never been a more urgent time to support visual artists. The Artist’s Resale Right is an essential source of income, helping keep artists making works, and artists’ estates fund activities such as cataloguing, archiving and restoration

DACS proud to collect and pay these royalties to thousands of artists and estates and we look forward to continuing to support artists in 2021 and beyond.