Overview

Since 1983, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts has supported artistic expression and creative innovation by serving the legal needs of Washington, Maryland, and Virginia’s arts and cultural communities. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization WALA provides education, advocacy, and volunteer legal services through workshops and seminars, legal clinics for artists and arts organizations, and pro bono referral services. More than 350 of Washington’s top lawyers and law firms participate as volunteers in WALA’s legal services program. The business of the arts is about more than just a creative spirit. From concept to creation, sale to distribution, art also involves complicated legal issues such as intellectual property, copyright, licensing, 501(c)(3) incorporation and trademark, as well as the infinite possibilities of contract provisions. For artists, arts and cultural organizations, entertainment start-ups and the attorneys who represent them, WALA offers workshops to help navigate the complex convergence of arts and law. • Pro bono or discounted legal services for artists, art-based nonprofits, and/or creative entrepreneurs. Free walk-in Legal Clinics • 30 educational workshops serving Greater Washington area artists/creative entrepreneurs. o Two (2) six-part creative entrepreneurship education series o 12 monthly Art Law Basics education series sessions o Six (6) supplemental ad hoc educational sessions • One-on-one engagement with at least 3,000 DC Greater Washington area residents through community-level outreach programs. These workshops are free for WALA members. Join or renew online at www.WALADC.org\membership View all upcoming events at www.WALADC.org\ calendar.htm Funded in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. http://waladc.org Facebook: thewala Twitter: @waladc