CAFTA Case List
Here is the list of arts-related pro bono opportunities that are currently seeking a referral through Colorado Attorneys for the Arts (CAFTA). Thanks for your interest in providing legal assistance to support Colorado’s artists, performers, cultural organizations and creative businesses.
If you are interested in taking on one of the CAFTA matters below, please contact CAFTA@cbca.org and reference the case # in the subject line.
Available CAFTA Matters
Updated April 25, 2024
#24027 [Real Estate/Lease Review] NEW
Client is a co-operative nonprofit art gallery. The building where the Client has rented their gallery space for several years was recently sold and their current lease ends on July 1. Client is seeking legal assistance to review and negotiate the new lease with the new owner, which they anticipate will have a substantially increased rental fee. Client is also seeking legal assistance on reviewing lease documents for potential new spaces if they need to move buildings.
#24033 [Contract Drafting] NEW
Client is a photographer. Client is seeking legal assistance to draft a photography service agreement specifically for product photography. Client is looking for a standard agreement to include scope of work, payment, intellectual property and licensing rights, force majeure and other relevant terms.
#24025 [Contract Negotiation] NEW
Client is a dancer who works as an independent contractor and acts as a consultant and performing arts event producer to several entities. Client has been consulting and working with a city agency for a few years and is now experiencing contract issues and late payments for services. Client is seeking legal assistance to determine the status of her current contract with the agency and to determine the relationship she will have with them moving forward.
#23098 [Contract Dispute] NEW
Client is an audio producer and podcaster. Client was contracted by a nonprofit that advances podcasting in 2022 for audio production work and teaching. The contract was for one year, and Client agreed to be paid a monthly honorarium for her work. Four months into the contract, the nonprofit notified the Client that they could no longer pay the agreed honorarium. Instead, Client was offered lower hourly rate to complete a smaller amount of work, which the Client completed in 2023. Client is seeking legal assistance to address the potential breach of contract and recover the remainder that was due on the original contract.
#24031 [Contract Drafting] NEW
Client is a filmmaker. Client is seeking legal assistance to draft an agreement between herself and her co-director on a documentary. The documentary has been filmed and is being edited. The co-directors are on good terms and want to put a contract in place now before they pursue distribution.
#24029 [Nonprofit Formation]
Client is a visual artist. Client is seeking legal assistance to form a new 501c3 nonprofit organization. The nonprofit will produce a mural festival designed specifically for the deaf community, featuring deaf visual artists and community programs. Client needs legal assistance forming the entity, filing for tax-exempt status with the IRS, and drafting governing documents.
#24028 [Business Entity Counsel]
Client is a visual artist. Client is working on a project that combines a large-scale public art sculpture with conversations and community engagement about mental health and suicide. Client would like to solicit donations as one way to help fund the project. Client is seeking legal counsel on the ideal entity type for this project. For example, is a 501c3 entity necessary to solicit donations?
#24020 [Contract Drafting]
Client is a 501c3 nonprofit cultural museum. Client is looking to partner with another nonprofit on an exhibit. Client would like to create and provide the other nonprofit with a permanent display in the Client’s building. Client is seeking legal assistance to draft a contract for this partnership. Client has not engaged in a partnership like this previously.
#24016 [Monetized Video Suspension]
Client is a content creator using Facebook Meta with a track record of monetized videos of travels through Colorado and Asia. Client’s account experienced a six-month advertising suspension last year and recently experienced another suspension. Client is unclear how and why their content violates community guidelines, which was the reason stated for the suspensions. Client is seeking legal assistance to prevent further advertising suspensions and to determine if their past suspensions, which led to lost revenue, were appropriate
#24001 [Employment and Copyright]
Client is a visual artist. Client is seeking legal assistance for alleged wrongful termination and potential copyright infringement. Client was hired as an art instructor for a “sip and paint” company. In addition, Client was commissioned to paint a mural on the building as part of a local mural festival. Client claims she was underpaid for the mural. Client claims she was harassed by a manager of the company and was then wrongfully terminated. Client is seeking compensation from her former employer and either a licensing fee for the mural or its removal from the building. Client believes she signed an employment agreement with the company, but does not have a copy of that agreement.
#24004 [Music Copyright Infringement]
Client is a musician and songwriter. Client is seeking legal assistance for copyright infringement of one of his songs. In 1995, client wrote and recorded an original musical composition and registered it with the Copyright Office. In 2010, a musical duo in Nashville released a song with the same title and a similar key signature, tempo, structure, feel and hook. Client retained an attorney in Nashville at that time and got a musicology report, but the attorney dissuaded the client from continuing since it could damage the client’s ability to publish other songs in the future. Client sent a cease and desist letter to the infringing music publisher on his own, but the matter is still not resolved. Ideally, client is seeking financial compensation and songwriting attribution for the infringing song.
#23087 [Licensing and Copyright Issue]
Client is a visual artist based in Colorado. In 2011, an academic institution in Florida commissioned the Client to paint a design that then became the concept for a floor mosaic. Client retained the copyright in the artwork and has a licensing agreement with the university that allows them to use the design for certain commercial purposes. In 2013, the university notified Client that they created merchandise with the design, and Client received the licensing fee for that year. Since then, Client has not been paid the annual licensing fee. Client continues to discover additional and ongoing unauthorized uses of his artwork in commercial spaces, including a simplified line-work variation of the design used to promote university events. Client is seeking legal assistance with recovering the licensing fees.
Check out CAFTA’s Description of Pro Bono Services to learn more about the referral process and expectations for volunteer attorneys.
