Willa Cather famously told her literary trustee to prevent publication of her draft manuscripts and letters. Tennessee Williams forbade his plays from being changed in any manner after his death. And Beastie Boys Adam Yanuch directed in his will that his image or music never be used for advertising purposes.

Are these restrictions enforceable? Should they be? Copyright descends to heirs, who become the owners of the intellectual property with all the rights and responsibilities IP provides. As we have seen in headline lawsuits, such as by the family of Marvin Gaye (about the song “Blurred Lines”), heirs can also be litigious. How can artists and authors provide for their heirs without the burden that caring for the art provides? These are complex and somewhat unsettled issues in intellectual property law.

Speakers are Jim Grace, Executive Director, Arts & Business Council of Boston; Tonya Evans, Professor of Law, University of New Hampshire School of Law; and Peter Riley, Principal, Riley & Associates

While this workshop is primarily aimed at attorneys and law students interested in working with artists, if you are considering your own artistic legacy this session should be an eye-opener.