Should You Copyright Your Art?

If you’ve created good art that has the potential to be replicated, you might want to consider registering for copyright protection. As artists, our work product is unique. Or so we’d like to believe. So when our art is used by someone else, without any credit or attribution given to us, then it can affect an artist on more than just the level of a bruised ego.

Art, whether literary, musical or visual, has income generating potential. In the music world, for example, a song can generate royalties for years to come if its used in an ongoing production.

It’s assumed that if you create a piece of work, it’s automatically copyrighted.

There’s truth to that. Yes, the creator of the work owns the copyright to that work.

So then why would an artist go the extra mile and file for copyright protection? After all, filing the paperwork with the US Copyright Office isn’t an easy task. And it’s costly.

A registered copyright holds up better in court. It’s more solid evidence that the work is yours. Having copyright protection gives you a leg to stand on. In some cases, you can actually collect greater financial damages if your work was registered.

How do I register a copyright?

If you’re registering in the United States, then you need to register with the US Copyright Office. There’s an online registration process and you will have to be ready to upload your work.

In Canada, you need to register with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. They have a good guide on how to register here.

If you’ve registered in either of these two, you have a better chance to defend your work if it’s infringed upon internationally.