Check Artist's Resale Right (ARR) eligibility
When an artwork resells with the involvement of a gallery, auction house or art dealer for £1000 or over, a royalty payment is due under the Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006. Find out when a royalty payment needs to be made.
When an ARR payment is due
This right gives artists and their beneficiaries a proportion of the ongoing value of their work. ARR royalties are payable:
- to UK, Australian and EEA artists and their beneficiaries
- on artworks which resell for £1000 or over in the UK
- by galleries, auction houses and art dealers
Works covered
Any work of graphic or plastic art including:
- pictures
- collages
- paintings
- drawings
- engravings
- prints
- lithographs
- sculptures
- tapestries
- ceramics
- items of glassware
- photographs
- a copy of a work – if it is one of a limited number made by the author, or under their instruction
Furniture, silverware and jewellery
Some pieces may be eligible for ARR. To qualify, they must:
- be created by a named artist or craftsperson in a limited number
- qualify for copyright protection
Posters, copies, and limited editions
Graphic work, like lithographs, etchings, or original prints that are authored by a named artist are eligible.
Limited copies are eligible. This includes prints which are bought directly from a publishing house and then resold to the public.
Mass reproductions of works, like unlimited posters and print copies are not eligible.
Authorship proof
If there’s a name on the work, which appeared when it was made and signifies the maker, it’ll be presumed that person created it.
Joint authorship
Where the artwork has joint authorship, that is it was created by more than one person, the resale right belongs to all the artists. They’ll divide the amount payable between themselves equally, or in pre-agreed shares.
ARR assignment
As an artist or beneficiary you cannot opt out of receiving ARR royalties, or assign the Right to anyone else during your lifetime, except to charities.