Jay, I would hesitate to compare the issues of this topic to the payola controversy and/or to copyright law and the rights of performance artists or recordings being sold at retail outlets. For one thing - performances, recordings and songwriting fall into different categories, all unrelated to other works of art. For songwriters for instance...'words and music' , or just the lyrics or the music alone are protected under copyright law (with such being properly registered and copies deposited with the Library of Congress). For the recordings of the songs, 'royalities' are collected by performance rights' organizations on behalf of songwriters. The major organizations are (acronyms) BMI, ASCAP and SESAC. You will find these names or that of a smaller organization, listed on every musical recording and sheet music too. This is a separate organization than that of the recording company. Fees to the musicians, performers and songwriters fall under different laws and venues for collecting fees and royalties. Just the same as the copyright laws that are in place for artwork and visual media - comparing performance, recording artists and songwriter's, etc., to the artists and artwork are like comparing apples and oranges. Pam In a message dated 9/28/2005 11:55:36 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Dear Allen et al., For a parallel/related discussion, see the following article (_http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60906,00.html_ (http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,60906,00.html) ) about legalities surrounding royalties for radio and webcast music. Of note is the following line: “Traditional radio broadcasts haven't been subject to royalties to recording companies and performers because they have served to promote sales of recordings.” Thankfully, Timothy’s explanation of Canada’s copyright laws concerning Canadian artists is clear and logical. During my proto-professional year in Canada, I never heard of a venue paying a fee directly to an artist to exhibit their artwork. This notion that paying an artist a fee to exhibit strikes me as blurring ethics. (Ethical blurring different from being paid to exhibit specific artworks . . . but ethical blurring nonetheless.) For this, and other reasons, art venues don’t jump at the opportunity if/when artist(s) approach them asking to be exhibited. Rather, venues develop their projects independently OR, if they can afford the rental fee(s), might sign a contract to participate in an exhibition organized by a different venue or an independent scholar. Decisions affecting exhibition ought to be based on merit, as neutral as possible – with reasonable understanding that numerous forces and variables affect such decisions . . . marketing/popularity (demographics and cross-comparison with other vnues), donors/sponsors (what will they fund?), publication possibilities (what can be added to the literature?), potential educational programming (living artist, knowledgeable speakers, etc.), and more. Allen, I understand what you are saying. Artists need money. But there are specific systems – commercial galleries -- set up for artists to earn money. Just as musical recordings are sold at HMV, Barnes & Noble, Border’s, Mediaplay, etc. for musicians to earn royalties BUT radio stations don’t have to pay royalties. [Quite the opposite of radios paying royalties, there was a major scandal 40+ years ago in the USA of graft in the radio industry of recording companies bribing radio stations to play certain music and ignore other music.] Best wishes, sincerely, Jay Heuman Curator of Education Salt Lake Art Center 20 South West Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Pamela Silvestri, Museum Assistant Northeast States Civilian Conservation Corps Museum Shenipsit State Forest 166 Chestnut Hill Road Stafford Springs, Connecticut 06076 (860) 684-3430 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).