The ACS copyright service manages copyright of visual works on behalf of our member artists and their estates. It was established to increase the income of artists and artists’ estates and to relieve them of the administrative burden of handling the copyright themselves.

How does the copyright service work?

As with the Artist’s Resale Right, registering with ACS for our copyright service is entirely free. We charge copyright fees for all usages of the visual work of our members on behalf of the artist or estate. Copyright fees are distributed on a quarterly basis with a statement detailing the usage of each image.

Our service is personalised to provide for the wishes of our members so that artists and artists’ estates are able to maintain total control over the usage and distribution of their visual work. Artists and estates are able to specify instances in which they might wish copyright fees to be waived, for example in the use of educational materials.

We will always insist that the artists or artist’s estate is fully credited when any images of their visual work are reproduced. We do our best to police all reported licensing infringements and to act accordingly.

ACS represents a number of artists’ estates for both the Artist’s Resale Right in Europe and for copyright of their visual works worldwide, such as the Violet Mimpriss and Alexander Goudie estates. For a full list of artists we represent for both services, please consult the list here.

To register with the ACS copyright service for visual works, or to clear copyright for the artists’ estates listed above, please contact a member of the ACS team at info@artistscollectingsociety.org.uk who will be delighted to help.