Contracts, IP & rights
Media, entertainment & performance
Theatre, film, television, music and live performance run on agreements, and the agreements are rarely simple: rights, talent, credit, income and risk all have to be shared out fairly and clearly. This is work we know inside out.
Who this is for
Producers and production companies, theatres and venues, artists, performers and creative teams, and organisations putting on work of any kind, from a single show to a slate of productions.
If you are making or presenting something and there are contracts to get right, we are the people to have alongside you.
At a glance
- Production and co-production agreements
- Engagements for creative and performing talent
- Underlying rights, options and adaptations
- Touring, presenting and licensing work
How we help
We draft and negotiate the agreements that make productions happen: production and co-production agreements, engagements for creative and performing talent, commissions, rights and option agreements, and the arrangements that decide who owns the work and who shares in its income.
We handle the rights that run through all of it, from underlying rights and adaptations to recordings and the exploitation of a show or catalogue, and we advise on the practical realities of touring, presenting and licensing work. We are equally at home with a modest fringe production and a complex multi-party deal.
Talk to us
Not sure where to start? Book an online appointment and we will point you to the right help.
Email hello@proartsplus.co.uk or call 0330 127 1414 during office hours.
How it works
- Understand
We get to grips with the production and what everyone brings to it. - Structure
We agree who owns what and who shares in what. - Draft
We put the agreements in place. - Support
We stay on hand as the production develops.
We keep it proportionate: the paperwork should serve the production, not smother it.
Why ProArtsPlus
This is our founder’s home ground. His career has been spent where law and culture meet, advising across theatre, film, television and music, and he was the first project director of WorkWise for Screen. We speak your language and know where these deals tend to come unstuck.
Frequently asked questions
What is a co-production agreement?
The contract between organisations jointly making a production, setting out who contributes what, who owns the rights, how income and credit are shared, and who carries which risks. Getting it clear at the start prevents most later disputes.
Do we need contracts for performers and creatives?
Yes. Clear engagement terms protect both sides and settle the questions about fees, rights, credit and availability that otherwise cause friction.
Who owns a show or production?
It depends on what the agreements say, which is why they matter. Ownership can be shared, licensed or held by one party, and we make sure it is decided deliberately rather than by accident.
Can you help with touring and licensing a production?
Yes. We advise on presenting, touring and licensing work to others, and on the rights and agreements that make it possible.
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Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you are dealing with and we will point you to the right help.