We ask Dealer Members of the Indigenous Art Code to regularly reflect on power imbalances that exist between yourselves and the artists you work with.
When negotiating a contract or an arrangement we ask that you consider the question –
‘Would I be happy to trade places with the artist in this deal?’
Reflecting on whether this is an arrangement you would accept yourself is a good starting place for considering fairness to the artist.
The Indigenous Art Code defines fair as ‘without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantage.’ Considering that for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists often do not enter a negotiation on a level playing field, the onus of actively working to correct this power imbalance rests with the Dealer Member wishing to engage with them.
We recognise that for many of our Dealer Members addressing these concerns sit at the heart of their operating model.
Dealer Membership of the Indigenous Art Code demonstrates a commitment to treating artists fairly. This is a commitment that needs to be embedded within every negotiation, exchange and transaction between dealers and artists.