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Artists, arts groups urge Maryland to bar state-funded contracts that force VARA and copyright waivers
Summary
Supporters of HB961 told the Appropriations Committee the bill would protect artists commissioned with public funds from being required to waive Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) protections or copyrights as a precondition of receiving state-funded contracts. Artists said coercive waiver clauses reduce the caliber of applicants and lead to loss or损
Artists, arts organizations and local arts administrators urged the House Appropriations Committee to approve House Bill 961, which would forbid state-funded awards for commissioned artwork from conditioning payment on artists' waiving of Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) protections or copyrights.
Sponsor testimony and a panel of artists described instances where municipal or agency contracts required artists to transfer copyright or sign VARA-waiver forms as a condition of performing…
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