IP Management in Arts Festivals

Arts festivals provide a valuable opportunity for rich and diverse cultures to be performed, shared and preserved.

Intellectual property issues arise when commercial companies, broadcasters and other media representatives and the general public wish to record and disseminate the cultural expressions and skills being exhibited, which often include culturally sensitive materials.

Furthermore, festival organisers wish to explore how to better brand and benefit from their festivals, whether through merchandising opportunities or through the sale of recordings.

Intellectual property tools, such as copyright and related rights and certification and collective trademarks, can be useful in practice, especially if used in conjunction with appropriate licensing arrangements, codes of conduct and protocols.