The Art Newspaper

Letter to the editor—Right to resell

I would suggest that the many artists who see their work resold for around €1,000 would not regard themselves as 'successful artists'

By Harriet Bridgeman. Web only
Published online: 01 September 2010

Much as I respect Sonia Coode-Adams as an art adviser and a collector (July/August, p25), I cannot agree with her. The UK has a comparatively low threshold for Artist’s Resale Right (ARR)—royalties are payable when an artist’s work is resold for €1,000 or more.

I would suggest that the many artists who see their work resold for around this figure would not regard themselves as “successful artists”. They may well be worse off than the “impecunious collectors”—surely a contradiction in terms—to whom Sonia Coode-Adams refers. Perhaps she should have seen the letter sent to us by the daughter of an artist whom we represent who sadly died last year. The artist’s sales were modest but the ARR royalty payments made a major contribution to her nursing home costs and thus a great deal of difference to the quality of her life.

Nor, for the moment, is the money going into the “pockets of heirs”, as Mrs Coode-Adams suggests. This will only happen in the UK if and when derogation ends in 2012.

—Harriet Bridgeman, the Artists’ Collecting Society, executive chairman, the Bridgeman Art Library, London

Send your letters to the Editor to: 70 South Lambeth Road London SW8 1RL UK or email: j.morris [at] theartnewspaper.com