Creative Lunchbox Session: Basics of Intellectual Property

Surf Coast Shire’s Arts Development Team has invited Alana Kushnir and Sarah Wei from Aurelian Lawyers & Advisers (formerly Guest Work Agency) to lead a one-hour online session on intellectual property for artists and creatives.

Alana and Sarah will explain how intellectual property applies to creative practice, covering copyright, moral rights, licensing and ownership. They’ll explore what happens when someone copies your work and what to consider when entering agreements with galleries, commissioners and collaborators.

The session will also touch on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), public art commissions and emerging issues around copyright and artificial intelligence (AI).

Suitable for artists at all stages of their practice, this session will help you understand your rights, navigate agreements and make informed decisions about how your work is used and shared.

Please note, this session is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have specific legal questions or require advice, you should seek independent legal advice from a qualified lawyer.

About the presenters

Alana Kushnir is a Melbourne-based art lawyer, advisor and curator, and the Founder and Director of Aurelian Lawyers & Advisors (formerly Guest Work Agency), Australia’s first dedicated art law and advisory practice. She works with artists, organisations and collectors, providing legal and strategic advice across areas including copyright, commissions, exhibitions and cultural projects. With a background spanning private legal practice, academia and the creative sector, her work focuses on the intersection of art, law and technology. Alana is widely recognised for her leadership in art law and regularly contributes to research, publications and public programs exploring legal frameworks in the arts.

Sarah Wei is a lawyer at Aurelian Lawyers & Advisers, with a background spanning law, media and cultural production across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. She holds a Juris Doctor from Monash University and was admitted to legal practice in Victoria in 2026. Before pursuing law, Sarah worked internationally as a writer, editor and cultural producer, publishing more than 200 articles and developing talks, workshops, exhibitions and events across the creative industries. She is also the co-founder of Paradigm Haus, a magazine and creative agency specialising in art, culture and lifestyle. Drawing on her experience across the legal and creative sectors, Sarah brings an international perspective and practical understanding of the relationship between art, culture and the law.

More information, please visit www.aurelian.art

Image credits:
Alana Kushnir Photograph by Justin Ridler
Sarah Wei courtesy of Sarah Wei

When

Location

Presented on Microsoft Teams and registrations are essential.