Orphan Works Bill Art Registry Solution

Kudos to ConceptArt.org founders for creating a solution to keeping the profiteers at bay if the Orphan Works Bill is introduced in the USA. (For more info about the OWB check out our previous post 1 & 2).

Although Congress is supposedly dumping the Intellectual Property (IP) Subcommittee on Judiciary Panel responsible for pushing for the Bill, artists are not out of danger yet. In an email sent to members on 2 January 2009, Jason Handley, ConceptArt.org Founding Director, said:

Artists having to be in searchable registries is potential problem number one. I believe this will be left to the private companies based on my research into who is supporting this horrible bill and what businesses are opening preparing for it. I went and checked the domain registry to search to see if people were buying domains (registermyart.com, artregistry.com etc...etc...) and everyone I serched for was gone. This was the red flag that began the real push to solve this assault on artist rights. The corporate sharks are already preparing to feed it seems.

... My guess is the art registries will launch as soon as the law passes or shortly thereafter.

... ConceptArt.Org has created a search system for locating art and artists, essentially cutting off the paid registry industry before they can even get off the ground. Click the images and find the original thread. Click the artist name and contact them directly. This also keeps these readying companies from acting as middlemen, between the searcher and the artist who they wish to hire. There is no room for that in our business.

The service is free so it might be a good idea to add your images to this database and/or other online galleries such as DeviantArt.com where BMP Director and artist Jozef digitally displays the majority of his artwork. Don't forget to watermark your pieces and put your signature and year of rendering onto them.

Thanks to artist Matt Elder for providing info on this initiative.