{"id":1568615,"date":"2025-10-16T12:37:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T11:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=1568615"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:13:32","slug":"licensing-and-copyright-what-every-selling-artist-needs-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2025\/10\/16\/licensing-and-copyright-what-every-selling-artist-needs-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Licensing and Copyright: What Every Selling Artist Needs to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

As artists, we sometimes face the risk of others replicating our work without our permission. This can be a very challenging and disheartening occurrence for artists to deal with. At Jackson’s, we know this experience all too well and appreciate how frustrating it can be. It is very important to know your rights as a creator, and to know how to protect your artistic property from those who may want to copy it or use it without the correct permissions. In this article, Joanne Milmoe of DACS, a not-for-profit organisation that offers guidance on how to protect your rights as an artist and maximise your royalties, explains the basics of copyright and how you can safeguard your artwork from infringement, as well as profit from licensing your work.<\/p>\n

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\"Licensing<\/p>\n

Licensing and Copyright: What Every Selling Artist Needs to Know<\/h2>\n

By Joanne Milmoe<\/p>\n

As an artist, creating and selling your work is your livelihood. But once your art leaves your studio, what happens to your rights as its creator? Did you know that selling a physical artwork does not mean you have given away all your legal rights to it. Copyright and licensing are important tools that not only protect your work but also help you generate income long after your work has changed hands.<\/p>\n

This guide will walk you through the essentials of copyright, licensing, and new opportunities such as NFTs, so you can sell confidently, protect your legacy, and earn what you deserve.<\/p>\n

Understanding Copyright, Your Automatic Shield<\/h2>\n

Copyright is a legal right that exists automatically the moment you create a work in a tangible form, such as a painting, drawing, photograph, or sculpture. In the UK, you do not need to register your work. Protection begins the moment your idea takes physical shape.<\/p>\n

Copyright does not protect ideas in themselves, but it does protect the material expression of those ideas. An \u2018idea\u2019 includes the thought that prompted the work, such as the subject matter, or the style in which it was created.<\/p>\n

Under copyright law, the creator of a work is considered its author and usually the first copyright owner. If you collaborate with others and your contributions cannot be separated, you all share joint ownership. Copyright typically lasts for your lifetime plus 70 years after your death, ensuring that your estate or heirs can continue benefiting from your work.<\/p>\n

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Self-Portrait<\/em>, 1660
Rembrandt van Rijn
Oil on canvas, 80.3 x 67.3 cm | 31.61 x 26.5 in
In the Public Domain
The Metropolitan Museum of Art<\/a><\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Selling Your Artwork Doesn\u2019t Mean Selling Your Copyright<\/h2>\n

One of the most common misconceptions among artists is that selling an artwork means selling all rights to it. In reality, when you sell a painting, the buyer owns the physical object, but you retain the copyright unless you explicitly transfer it.<\/p>\n

Copyright gives you the following exclusive rights:<\/p>\n