Safeguarding artists' rights in the digital age

As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain reshape the art world, they bring both transformative opportunities and complex challenges. This is the first of a new blog series in partnership with Arcual, a blockchain platform ensuring secure, seamless transactions for artists, galleries, fairs, and collectors.

Together, DACS and Arcual share a vision of placing artists at the heart of the art ecosystem, enhancing transparency and protecting their rights in the digital age. This collaboration combines DACS’ unparalleled expertise in copyright advocacy with Arcual’s groundbreaking blockchain technology, which ensures secure provenance, simplifies royalty collection, and empowers artists with tools to future-proof their digital and traditional artworks. Through this blog series, we’ll explore how innovation can address critical issues such as resale royalties, verified provenance, and fair compensation, offering artists and galleries a more equitable art market.

Our series begins with reflections from a summer panel event, Art & Tech: Protecting Artists and Enabling Creativity, part of DACS' 40th anniversary series of events. The panel brought together industry leaders, including Rodrigo Esmela, Arcual’s Chief Commercial and Product Officer (CCPO); Alasdair Milne of Serpentine Galleries’ AI Creative Lab; Beverly Hood of the University of Edinburgh; and Reema Selhi of DACS. Together, they shared strategies for navigating the evolving digital art landscape, empowering artists, and fostering collaboration across the industry.

Key takeaways

1. The power of collaboration and innovation

The digital transformation of the art industry requires artists, legal professionals, policymakers, and technology firms to collaborate to safeguard artists’ rights. Reema Selhi, DACS' Head of Policy and International, emphasized that collective efforts amplify artists' negotiating power and visibility in the market.

One example is the Artist’s Resale Right (ARR), introduced into UK law in 2006 following a campaign by DACS and artists. Since then, DACS has facilitated resale royalty payments for over 6,000 artists, showcasing the tangible benefits of united advocacy. Arcual contributes to this effort by offering blockchain-secured solutions that provide automated royalty distributions, ensuring artists receive their fair share when their works are resold. As the industry adapts to new technologies, shared tools like Arcual’s Digital Portfolio are vital for fair compensation and sustainable practices.

2. Bridging the knowledge gap: supporting artists through education

To make digital tools like AI and blockchain accessible and beneficial, ongoing education and support are essential. Alasdair Milne, PhD researcher with Serpentine Galleries’ Creative AI Lab, highlighted the importance of supportive networks like Creative AI Lab, which develops resources to make incorporating machine learning (ML) and AI approachable for artists.

Arcual complements these efforts by equipping artists and galleries with user-friendly platforms, ensuring they can confidently navigate digital spaces while maintaining creative control. Through our intuitive tools and educational content, Arcual empowers artists to unlock the potential of emerging technologies while safeguarding their rights.

3. Leveraging technology for fair compensation

Blockchain technology is a secure digital record that keeps track of transactions openly, allowing everyone involved to verify ownership and provenance. This technology enables artists to track their works and ensure they are paid fairly when their work is resold.

Arcual’s blockchain-secured smart contracts simplify this process by automating royalty payments under predefined conditions, such as secondary sales. As Rodrigo Esmela, Arcual’s CCPO, explained:

4. Strength in partnership: collaborating for artist-centered solutions

DACS and Arcual’s partnership reflects a shared commitment to putting artists at the center of the art ecosystem by establishing new standards for rights protection and financial transparency. Arcual’s Digital Portfolio enhances this effort by future-proofing artists’ work with blockchain technology, ensuring that archival documentation and provenance are preserved as technology evolves. Together, we are building a transparent, fair environment where artists are recognized and compensated equitably.

5. Continued progress in artist advocacy

DACS has long been a leader in advocating for artists’ rights, achieving milestones, such as securing ARR royalties for thousands of artists. Arcual builds on this progress by providing tools like blockchain-backed Certificates of Authenticity (CoAs), which ensure collectors have confidence in their purchases while safeguarding artists’ authorship.

This ongoing collaboration fosters a more transparent and equitable art market, blending advocacy with cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of artists in the digital age.

How Arcual and DACS are collaborating to protect artists

Arcual is proud to partner with DACS to enhance transparency in secondary market sales and protect artists’ rights. By combining Arcual’s innovative blockchain technology with DACS’ expertise in artistic copyright, we are taking crucial steps to simplify royalty collection and ensure artists receive fair compensation when their works are resold.

Read more

• Curious about how Arcual can protect your art and support fair compensation? Reach out to Arcual to see how it works and explore its potential for your creative journey
• DACS and Arcual come together in their joint vision of creating a more transparent and equitable art landscape