Art and Cultural Property

One of the first practices in the UK to advise on art and cultural property law, we have substantial knowledge of and a longstanding reputation in the art world. Since 1982, we have provided practical and sophisticated advice to a wide range of clients within the art world, from advising on transactions to resolving disputes involving art.

The art world is a notoriously opaque and often unregulated market with its own rules. This world can seem daunting and impenetrable to outsiders. With our knowledge and expertise, we empower our clients to navigate it. 

We act for artists and estates; galleries, auction houses and dealers; collectors and foundations; museums and public collections; charities and public organisations - as well as governments and nation states. Our clients value our insights and holistic advice and the fact that they don't have to teach us how the art world works before they retain us. We are also able to connect our clients with appraisers, insurers, storage companies, art-secured lenders, foreign lawyers, and art advisors around the world. 

We advise artists and estates who are household names, and emerging artists at the start of their careers. Galleries and dealers entrust their most important commercial agreements to us and instruct us to resolve their most consequential disputes. Nation states turn to us when the heritage on which their national identities are built is at stake. 

Our clients in this sector seek our advice on their interactions with other sectors, including technology, media, music, fashion, publishing and entertainment. We help them make the best strategic decisions which align with their brand and creative ambitions, whether the specialism they need is intellectual property, commercial contracts, employment, regulatory compliance, banking, tax or real estate. When business cannot be separated from what is personal, as is so often the case in art, we have the right experts in private client, family law and immigration. 

Unlike a lot of law firms that operate in this sphere solely as a result of their having to handle expensive objects for wealthy clients, Howard Kennedy works hand in glove with every aspect of the art world. Our work spans almost every legal specialism within the firm, and whether the matter at hand involves antiquities or artificial intelligence – Howard Kennedy has expertise that we can field to assist you.