Recent News

October 8, 2010

Legal Aid for Arts and Artists

The Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Bar have designed a pro bono legal assistance program for Franklin County artists and small arts organizations.

The Arts Legal Assistance Program will be offered for arts related issues based on defined areas of legal support (i.e., contracts, copyright and trademark issues, business structure issues and lease agreements). The effort is intended to support individual artists and smaller arts groups. As an initial guideline this would include arts organizations with annual budgets of less than $200,000.

“Because the arts, emerging artist and art related organizations are such an important part of this community, the Columbus Bar is looking forward to providing legal assistance to these individuals and groups. It is a significant way for lawyers with the right expertise and commitment to support the arts,” said Judge Stephen McIntosh, Columbus Bar President.

To ensure pro bono services are available to the broadest group, it is expected that program participants will be limited to using the program twice over a 12-month period.

Artists and organizations seeking a referral to the appropriate attorney will contact GCAC who will do a preliminary evaluation of the request. For more information or to request referral for the Arts Legal Assistance Program, contact Ruby Classen at GCAC (rclassen@gcac.org) or visit www.gcac.org.