News | Gadens goes on Outreach with Arts Law to WA

As part of our pro bono program, Gadens has an established partnership with Arts Law. Our lawyers have been assisting Arts Law with its Document Review Service since September 2021, and we have since expanded our partnership to participate in Arts Law’s Adopt a Lawyer and Outreach programs.

Sharna White, Associate recently attended Gadens’ first Outreach trip to Western Australia with Donna Robinson, Lawyer and Director of Artists in the Black at Arts Law. Donna and Sharna visited three Indigenous art centres: Yamaji Arts Centre in Geraldton, Ku’arlu Mangga (Good Nest) Aboriginal Art Gallery in Northampton and Mullewa Women’s Arts Centre in Mullewa.

Photo taken by Dylan Kerley (Arts Worker from Yamaji Art) of Sharna White (Associate, Gadens), Mauretta Drage (Artist, Ku’arlu Mangga (Good Nest) Aboriginal Art Gallery in Northampton) and Donna Robinson (Lawyer and Director of Artists in the Black, Arts Law).

During the Outreach trip, Donna and Sharna started each day with a scenic drive to the art centre. Once they arrived, they met the artists and art centre staff and Donna then provided a workshop on artists’ rights, which covered important topics ranging from copyright to contracts and wills. After the workshop, Donna and Sharna would then spend time providing legal advice to the artists and art centre staff, and drafting wills for the artists.

Photo taken on the road from Geraldton to Mullewa by Sharna White, Associate.

Arts Law’s Outreach program is an invaluable and unique service, which provides artists and art centre staff from all over Australia to have the opportunity to meet with Arts Law face-to-face and to receive legal advice, address what happens to their artwork and the use of their artwork when they pass away through a will, and to gain a better understanding of the legal landscape that impacts their arts practice.

Sophie McNamara, Partner and Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, said:

“Our work and connection with First Nations peoples/communities is a cornerstone of our pro bono program as well as the firm’s wider priorities. Arts Law provide an invaluable service to Indigenous artists and art centres and we are proud to support them.

“Sharna’s commitment to this work sets an example for all young lawyers, and shows that with the right support, lawyers can make an extraordinary social justice contribution all throughout their career.”

Donna Robinson, Director of Artists in the Black (AITB) Legal at Arts Law, commented on the Gadens partnership:

“The valuable support Gadens provides to Arts Law as part of our AITB outreach program enables Arts Law to extend its reach to artists in remote locations throughout Australia through face to face contact and building connections to empower First Nations artists.  It is also a tremendous opportunity for the participating Gadens lawyer to gain insight into life and culture in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities. ”

Gadens is proud to partner with Arts Law and is looking forward to continuing to expand its partnership and assist with this valuable work.

For more information on Sustainability and Social Impact at Gadens, please see this link.

Photo taken of Yamaji Art studio by Sharna White, Associate.

About Arts Law

Arts Law is a not-for-profit, independent national community legal centre for the arts that provides free or low cost specialised legal advice, education and resources to Australian artists and art organisations across all art forms, on a wide range of arts related legal and business matters. Arts Law services an enormous geographic area and is able to identify and respond to systemic issues and themes impacting artists around Australia.

Through its work, Arts Law aims to improve the range and quality of legal services and resources that are currently available to Australian artists, specifically Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, as well as the organisations that they work with and are supported by.

Photo taken by Dylan Kerley (Arts Worker from Yamaji Art) of Donna Robinson (Lawyer and Director of Artists in the Black, Arts Law) presenting a workshop on artists’ rights at Mullewa Women’s Art Centre.