Legal support of projects in the sphere of culture and art

In view of the recent trends in the modern art market, such as:

• the globalisation of the market, greater trading in valuable cultural property, enhanced international collaboration in the sphere of art;
• new forms of exhibiting and selling art, and the digitalisation of the art market;
• closer attention to the art market on the part of state authorities; the development of legislation regulating the art market, players in the art market inevitably find themselves in need of qualified legal support. 

For many years Pepeliaev Group has been working with clients in the area of culture and art. Understanding the specifics of the industry, we offer legal assistance in resolving both the general and the highly specialised legal issues emerging in this area.

Among our clients are:

• private and corporate collectors;
• art galleries, state and private museums, foundations and other cultural institutions;
• auction houses;
• organisers of exhibitions;
• creators of artwork and their heirs;
• representatives of associated cultures: the music and film industries, etc.

Our services

• legal support of transactions with works of art;
• defence in court cases involving the turnover of works of art and rights to them;
• legal support for exhibitions;
• drafting agreements for the use of the works of art (licence, exhibition and others);
• preparing agreements on the interaction of authors with galleries, art dealers, publishers, auction houses;
• advising on the legal issues connected with the use of the modern digital technologies in the sphere of art;
• protecting rights of creators of artwork;
• advising on importing and exporting valuable cultural property, on customs issues and payments;
• advising on tax matters connected with acquiring and selling works of art;
• assisting in collaboration with law enforcement authorities during investigations with respect to works of art being stolen or fake items being sold;
• assisting in collaboration with societies that perform collective management of the rights to artworks;
• providing comprehensive legal support to museums, art galleries, theatre and concert halls.