Resale royalty – getting on with business
Since the Australian Government’s resale royalty scheme for visual artists commenced in June, CAL has continued working with artists and art market professionals to support the industry as it starts working to meet the scheme’s requirements.
Just one aspect of CAL’s support has been a series of information sessions for artists and art market professionals around Australia. In fact, by the time you receive this issue of Calendar, more than 300 people will have attended a CAL resale royalty scheme information session.
At the same time, many of Australia’s art galleries have been getting on with the job of making the resale royalty scheme work. One such example is Central Art in Alice Springs, owned and operated by Sabine Haider.
Central Art represents one of the largest online galleries in the world for contemporary Australian Aboriginal art and paintings, and specialises in works from the central desert and western desert regions.
The gallery was established in 2004 by Sabine with the encouragement of the artist Ada Bird Petyarre, one of the famous Petyarre sisters from Utopia. Sadly, Ada Bird Petyarre passed away in 2009.
According to Sabine, the key to making the resale royalty scheme a success is information. ‘Once I’ve sat down with my artists and explained what the scheme is all about and how it will affect them, they’ve been much more comfortable and reassured, even if they were initially nervous.’
Sabine says the majority of artists are delighted to hear that, thanks to the scheme, they might soon be able to enjoy a greater benefit from the value of their art as it appreciates over time. ‘Some might have to become a bit more disciplined with how they manage their personal affairs, but I think with the right support and information, this will bring tremendous benefit to artists all over Australia.’
When questioned on her experience of some of the factors the scheme’s critics raised as problems, Sabine takes a pragmatic view. ‘In my own case, the requirement to report all commercial resales to CAL has not been the burden others suggested it might be,’ she explains. ‘Our business has always kept meticulous records concerning our artists and their works and we’ve applied stringent stock-taking rules. What this means is that we only end up having to spend about an extra half-hour a month on preparing a resale report for CAL.’
So far, since the commencement of the resale royalty scheme, Central Art has not yet reported any commercial resales eligible for the royalty. ‘It’s only a matter of time, though,’ says Sabine. ‘And I’m looking forward to that first payment and being able to play my part in ensuring Australia’s artists receive the financial reward they’ve been missing out on for decades.’