General VARA Waiver for Works of Visual Art

This form is used by Center of Southwest Studies staff to obtain authorization from the creator of work{s) of visual art in the Center's holdings to waive that artist's rights of attribution and integrity conferred by Section 106A(a), paragraphs (2) and (3) of Title 17 of the U.S. Code, and any other rights of the same nature granted by U.S. federal, state, or foreign laws.  Congress passed the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) in 1990.  These rights only apply to paintings, drawings, prints of single or no more than 200 copies, sculptures cast in lots of 200 or fewer, and still photographs produced for exhibition and are signed and numbered in less than 200 copies.  VARA rights are the rights of attribution and rights of integrity.  Rights of attribution include the right to claim authorship (the name must be associated with the work) or the artist may insist his name not be associated with the work if it is distorted or modified in way that might damage his reputation.  Rights of integrity prevent the intentional distortion or modification of a work.

The Artist hereby acknowledges the rights of attribution and integrity conferred by Section 106A(a), paragraphs (2) and (3) of Title 17 of the U.S. Code, and any other rights of the same nature granted by U.S. federal, state or foreign laws, and of his/her own free act hereby waives such rights with respect to the uses specified below by the Center of Southwest Studies, Fort Lewis College (or anyone duly authorized by the Center of Southwest Studies) for the following work(s) of visual art:  

(Name of work)                                                                       (Medium)

Specified uses: exhibition, installation, conservation and any other standard museum activities in which the attribution right and/or the integrity rights of the artist might be implicated.  

Date: _________________     Signature of Artist: __________________________ 

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Page last modified: February 19, 2007