THE TEACHING INSTITUTE FOR ART & LAW

The Teaching Institute for Art & Law

The Teaching Institute for Art & Law (TIAL) is a groundbreaking initiative aiming to revolutionize intellectual property (IP) licenses through decentralized structures, leadership, and governance.

  • Empowering Artists: We are committed to educating artists on utilizing intellectual property and patent law as tools to redefine the value of their creative endeavors and labor within the framework of a collaborative sharing economy.

  • Restoring Connections: We strive to mend the fractured relationships between artists and their communities, fellow artists, and the sites and means of production, fostering a culture of collaboration, collectivism, and mutual support.

  • Open Knowledge Platform: Our institute serves as an open-source platform for artistic research, exchange, and pedagogy, nurturing a digital commons where knowledge flows freely to advance the open knowledge economy.

  • Critical Exploration: We aim to sustain critical inquiry, textual exploration, and artistic expression at the intersection of art, law, and economics, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of creativity.

  • Innovating Pedagogy: Through the development of pedagogical materials, curricula, and performance art, we embody the principles of commoning in art, law, and economics, inspiring a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and engage with intellectual property.



Can a work of art possess direct political agency, not merely through its aesthetic or content, but through artists reclaiming the legal and economic scaffolding surrounding it?

The Teaching Institute for Art & Law trains artists and intellectual property producers to understand the social power of the IP they create and to pool their IP into a commons where it can be collectively monetized, and where profits are equitably redistributed to everyone in the commons. This is a new business model for artists who are otherwise almost entirely dependent upon grants and sales to sustain their art practice. The morals clause is a space inside of a contract between the artist and the rest of the world, where the artist can create new economic imaginaries with real-world economic effect. 

The Teaching Institute for Art & Law is intended to embrace the anarchy of any diverging morals between and among artists. As such, the platform is designed to transform points of conflict into co-created art and to bring healing attention to the alienation that exists between artists and the commercialization of art. As praxis of ‘recognition,’ Performing the Commons IP licensing enables artists to define their own ‘terms of creation,’ while simultaneously contributing to the collective power of the commons. The constellation of licenses is stitched together to create a governing constitution of the commons reflecting the morals clauses of each artist. 

The curriculum of The Teaching Institute for Art & Law will be distributed to its members in the form of sequencing kits and the crypto-currency connected to this project so that the members can co-own their collectively produced intellectual property, including curriculum, pedagogy, performance, and art (including ideas, objects, or concepts).

If artists are willing to strategically activate the terms upon which their art enters the market, could we relocate the political agency of Art? 

By recording a regular signature combined with an IP morals clause, we create a registry that artists can use to tag their art with their morals. These tools empower artists to wield their IP, individually or collectively, in solidarity actions (or “performances”). IP can be used powerfully in protest against gentrification and surveillance. They also easily enable solidarity actions with IP producers across the globe. 

The idea is to really expand the field of who is considered an Artist and allow everyday life-art and all kinds of creators to unite and create a sustainable economy through the innovative PPAC Art License. Performing Pro Arts COMMONS (PPAC) transmedia performance script is a copyright license and experimentation in using the law as a medium for building an Activist Art machine and practicing community self-defense and care, through the act of occupying intellectual property.  Dadais Americanus is a pseudonym used for Art made in the COMMONS that was registered with the US Copyright Office in 2020. Any creator can assume this name for a DaDA performance under the PPAC copyright license, and for artistic transgressions that defy the systems of power. 


A new currency for the art world 

If we are creating a new art market, it follows that we will reconsider what constitutes fair labor and how the value of art is appraised. We will create an alternative currency that builds community assets and social capital, as well as solidarity among all participants, and private and public partners. By linking art to IP-defined Art, an alternative currency used for the exchange of art could be backed by IP. The value of IP is already recognized within the world of fiat currency, which would enable the alternative currency to have immediate and recognized value within the current economy

An IP-backed alternative currency could have real potential to compete alongside fiat currency, and at least theoretically (IP is deemed to constitute upwards of 84% of the value of Fortune 500 companies), replace fiat currency. By linking the availability of the alternative currency to compliance with the morals clauses that exist inside the IP licenses used by the commons, the morals clauses could function as the means for reconfiguration of the capitalist structures. 

If we sufficiently expand the commons to incorporate as many artists as possible who wish to participate in a world of basic income and profit sharing (e.g., including artists like inventors who create high-value industrial art), the commons could become a self-sustaining vehicle for self-governance and equitable redistribution, co-created by all commoners. The sense of self and purpose that could arise from a group of Art commoners, all creating and producing art for the purpose of collective liberation, could be an explosive source of creative inspiration. Such inspiration may create positive feedback loops for creating more and more inspired Art.



Background & Vision:

We have been laying the groundwork for The Teaching Institute for Art & Law, a project born from the visionary alternative economy model of Pro Arts Gallery & COMMONS in Oakland, CA for the last five years. We are on a mission to transcend conventional notions of value creation within the art world, seeking to mend the fractured bonds between artists, communities, and institutions.

At the heart of our vision lies a radical reconceptualization of the value of art and labor within a legal framework. We position intellectual labor as a valuable trading output of the artist's service to the social whole, aligning with solidarity labor and union movements of free culture and knowledge. Our approach not only aims for efficient monetization through pooling intellectual property but also introduces unprecedented elements such as morals clauses and equitable redistribution.

Achievements:

Since our inception, we've achieved significant milestones. We launched the PPAC Art License and the Dadais Americanus collective in 2020, followed by the PPAC Incubator for Social Impact. In 2021, we established the PPAC Seed Fund, commissioning transmedia works under the pseudonym of Dadais Americanus to transform points of conflict into co-created IP Art.

International Impact:

Our initiatives have resonated globally. Natalia Ivanova directed The Teaching Institute for Art & Law in Berlin, Germany, fostering connections with individuals, collectives, and institutions. Meanwhile, Chris Byrnes and his collective OccupyIP in Madrid, Spain, have been instrumental in developing the architecture for The Teaching Institute for Art & Law DAO, exploring mechanisms for morals clauses and artist empowerment.

Empowering Artists:

In Oakland, CA, Praba Pilar has worked tirelessly with artists on occupying intellectual property for collective liberation. We are distributing our curriculum to DAO members, enabling co-ownership of collectively produced intellectual property, including curriculum, pedagogy, performance, and art.



Teaching Institute for Art & LAW: OBJECTIVES 

  • Develop Governance and Methodologies for IP Licensing:

    Create a framework for intellectual property (IP) licensing that prioritizes transparency, fairness, and accessibility.

    Develop methodologies for artists to navigate the complexities of IP law, ensuring their rights are protected while fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

  • Develop Architecture, Pedagogy, and Curriculum for The Teaching Institute for Art & Law DAO:

    Design the infrastructure and governance model for The Teaching Institute for Art & Law DAO, ensuring it operates efficiently and transparently.

    Develop a pedagogical approach that integrates legal theory, practical skills, and real-world application to empower artists, scholars, and activists.

    Create a comprehensive curriculum that addresses key issues at the intersection of art, law, and economy, providing participants with the knowledge and tools they need to effect change.

  • Establish an International Network:

    Forge partnerships with artists, educators, lawyers, economists, and cultural institutions worldwide to create a robust network of collaborators.

    Establish physical and virtual hubs for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and resource sharing.

    Facilitate cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration to foster diversity, inclusivity, and global solidarity within the arts community.

  • Establish Collaborative Economic Models:

    Develop and implement collaborative economic models within the arts community that prioritize mutual support and equitable distribution of resources.

    Introduce contractually binding morals clauses into the commercial terms of art sales to promote ethical practices and social responsibility.

    Pool art into a portfolio for equitable redistribution of royalties, ensuring artists receive fair compensation for their work while promoting a more just distribution of creative resources.

  • Monetize the Art Portfolio through Blockchain and Alternative Currency:

    Utilize blockchain technology and alternative currencies to monetize the art portfolio in a transparent and decentralized manner.

    Implement smart contracts to automate royalty distribution and ensure funds are redistributed to commoners and artists according to predefined criteria.

    Promote financial inclusion and empower individuals to participate in the art economy, regardless of their background or financial status.