AMG Attorneys is a lawyer for artists in Belgium and Spain, including Brussels and Madrid. We help painters, sculptors, photographers, designers and other makers protect their work, read what they are asked to sign, and sell or exhibit across borders. You can ask us before you sign, before you ship, or when something has already gone wrong.

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When artists ask us for help

• A gallery, curator or buyer sends you a contract and you want it checked before you sign.

• You sell your work online and want to know what rights you keep.

• Someone copies or uses your work without asking.

• You exhibit or ship work abroad and need the agreement and the insurance in order.

• You work with a collaborator, an agent or a publisher and want the split of rights in writing.

What we do

• Contracts: we prepare and review agreements for sales, exhibitions, commissions and consignment.

• Your rights: we advise on protecting your work, including your moral rights (being named as the author and protecting the work's integrity) and your economic rights (being paid for its use).

• Online and offline sales: we advise on selling through galleries, platforms and your own site.

• Insurance and transport: we advise on what to cover when work travels.

• Disputes: we help you assert your rights, from a first letter to a claim.

What helps you before you call

• Read every agreement in full, including the parts about exclusivity, commission and how long it lasts.

• Keep records of your works: dated files, sketches, sales invoices and emails with buyers and galleries.

• Avoid posting large, high-quality images of your work online without protection, because they are easy to copy.

Unregistered work can be hard to prove as yours. Records make the difference if you ever need to go to court.

Questions artists ask us

Do I need a contract for a gallery exhibition?

It is wise to have one. A written agreement sets who pays for transport and insurance, how long the work stays, what commission applies and what happens if a work is damaged or not sold. Without one, each side relies on memory and goodwill.

Who owns the copyright in my work after I sell it?

In general, selling a physical work does not by itself transfer the copyright in it. What you and the buyer have agreed in writing matters, and the rules differ by country. Check before you sign anything that mentions "all rights".

What can I do if someone copies my work?

Gather proof of your authorship and of the copying, such as dated files and screenshots, and do not respond in anger. Then talk to a lawyer about the options, which range from a letter asking them to stop to a court claim.

Can you help me if I sell in Spain and live in Belgium, or the other way round?

Yes. We work in both countries and can look at which rules apply to your sale, your exhibition or your agreement.

Our article "Top 5 questions that artists ask a lawyer in Belgium" goes deeper on the first questions.

Who is behind this page

Gunna Freivalde, Senior Partner, leads our art law work. She has over 15 years of experience advising artists, collectors and institutions.

Your next step

Send us the contract or describe your situation, and tell us any deadline. Your first 15-minute consultation is free. Book it online, call +32 471 74 14 21 or write to info@amg-attorneys.com.

This page is general information, not legal advice. No result is guaranteed.