Are Calls for Art Ethical?
Is putting out a call for art as an agency or non-art-related organization ethical? We think they can be, so long as you stick to practices that respect the skill, talent, and vision of the artists.
A call for art is when a group makes a public request for artists to submit work that the group can then use. It’s a great way to add originality and meaning to the brand visuals, and we see them work especially well with events. In a design world that’s starting to feel overrun with AI-generated graphics, calls for art not only support human artists with fair compensation, they also connect us across disciplines and communities.
If you’re thinking about doing a call for art, here are some things to consider:
Ask artists to submit work that’s already completed rather than new work. Another approach is to ask artists to submit their completed portfolio, then select an artist based on their submitted work and commission them for a brand-new piece.
Make it clear the chosen artist will be compensated for the use of their piece(s), including how much.
If you think you’ll be altering the artwork in any way, include this detail in your call so artists only submit pieces they’d be comfortable having adapted or tweaked.
If you’re not interested in AI-generated art, state this upfront.
Once you’ve chosen an artist, make sure you only use the piece(s) that you’ve paid for.
Sign an artist agreement that outlines your use of the art.
Whenever possible, give a shoutout to the artist when you use their art in a social media post (and be sure to tag them!) or on the website where it’s featured.
Be sure to get a high-quality digital image of the art you choose.
One of our favorite examples of a call for art happens once a year with a longtime client, the Tribal In-House Council Association (TICA). Every year for their annual conference, TICA puts out a call for art to Native artists. This practice is a reflection of TICA’s commitment to contributing to an interconnected community where everyone from artists to attorneys can thrive. Our services support the application and amplification of the artwork.
So how do they use the art? When we lay out TICA’s conference program booklet and other event materials, we beautify it with colors from the piece and graphics made from the original artwork. TICA chooses high-quality, practical conference gifts like tote bags, travel mugs, or mouse pads and sends the vendor the high-quality digital art files for decoration. When their conference guests return home, they see the artwork on a regular basis, experience a sense of connectedness with the community beyond the legal world, and feel excited to see what next year’s conference art will look like.
What Makes A Call For Art Unethical?
Asking artists to create new work for you without compensation. (These are often framed as “competitions.”)
Not being transparent and timely about compensation or contract/agreement terms.
Passing off the work of an artist as something your agency or organization created.
Plugging human-made art into AI to create variations, alternative text, or anything else.
Ethically done, incorporating visuals from a call for art can build a more connected, inspired, and beautiful community in just about any field. Whether you’ve been the artist submitting your work, or the organization calling for art submissions, what dos and don’ts have you experienced? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
