Orphan Works Meeting

Twenty visual arts groups met in Washington Monday to discuss a unified orphan works strategy.

The interest groups included freelance artists and photographers, graphic designers, picture agencies and the estates of deceased fine artists.

Since we expect the Orphan Works bill to be resurrected soon, with strong congressional support at its back, the groups have agreed that we must work together to counter its negative provisions by supplying Congress with positive alternate suggestions to improve it.

No timetable has yet been announced for the bill's introduction, but the groups will meet again shortly by conference call to discuss this details of this positive strategy.

—The Board of the Illustrators' Partnership

Orphan Works Revisited

It appears that Orphan Works legislation will soon rear its head again.
The word from Washington is that it will again be fast-tracked and its
sponsors will resist “any significant modifications to the existing
draft.

Last year, visual arts groups came together as an informal
coalition. We shared information and coordinated a letter writing
campaign. Monday, Jan. 29 these groups are scheduled to meet in Washington
to discuss a unified strategy. The groups (listed below) will formally be
called The Imagery Alliance.

Each member organization has been asked to make a voluntary contribution
to the Alliance. But since some groups are forbidden by their tax-exempt
status to engage in lobbying, the Alliance must first determine the best
way to collect and distribute money. In some cases, it may be necessary
for groups to simply educate their members by directing those who
wish to contribute to a tax-appropriate orphan works fund. We’ll
update you when this has been determined. We believe that any money raised
in this cause should be used specifically to improve Orphan Works
legislation and not consumed in maintenance, administration or for other
organizational expenses.

The Board of the Illustrators’ Partnership

The Imagery Alliance:

Advertising Photographers of America (APA)
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)
American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP)
Association of Photographers (AOP) (UK)
Art Directors Club (ADC)
British Association of Picture Libraries & Agencies (BAPLA)
Coordination of European Agencies Press Stock Heritage (CEPIC)
Editorial Photographers (EP)
Graphic Artists Guild (GAG)
Illustrators' Partnership of America (IPA)
North American Nature Photography Assoc. (NANPA)
National Press Photographers Assoc (NPPA)
Picture Archive Council of America (PACA)
Picture Licensing Universal System (PLUS)
Professional Photographers of America (PPA)
Society for Photographic Education (SPE)
Stock Artists Alliance (SAA)
White House News Photographers Assoc. (WHNPA)