Photographers Stand Out in Letter Delivered to White House - November 2009

Photographers Stand Out in Letter Delivered to White House

We asked and you responded! Stock Artists Alliance (SAA) members turned out on behalf of professional photographers to sign The Copyright Alliance's letter asking President Obama and Vice President Biden to pursue policies supportive of artists' rights.
 
On Monday, November 16, the letter—signed by over 11,000 artists nationwide—was delivered by a select group of artists who met with Kalpen Modi and Greg Nelson, key personnel on technology and the arts in the White House Office of Public Engagement.
 
"Copyright, the basic tenet that allows these artists and millions of others like them to earn a living from their work, is increasingly under attack,” said the Director of Outreach Initiatives, Lucinda Dugger. “The goal of this effort is to remind our nation's most powerful leaders that creativity and art and entertainment don't just happen. They require investment, hard work and talent."
 
The delegation included Chad Cameron, an illustrator from San Francisco; Jonathan Ifergan, a musician with the band Color Radio from Chicago; Margot MacDonald, a singer/songwriter from Washington, DC; and Natalie Neckyfarow, an actress from Charlotte currently living and working in New York City.

"Photography is so often overshadowed in the ongoing copyright discussion by the movie and music industry. This letter allowed professional photographers to come out in a huge way, telling the president and vice president that strong copyright laws are important to our industry as well,” said AVA’s Chief Executive Officer David Trust. “It is hard to tell if this letter make a difference. But we know that making a statement as individual creators resonates loudly on Capitol Hill and in the White House.”

Professional photographers feel strongly about their rights…as proven by the thousands of photographer signatures on the letter delivered to the White House. Other signers included authors, songwriters, graphic designers, filmmakers, musicians, publishers, jewelry designers, web designers, illustrators, video game developers, architects, cartoonists, composers, playwrights, voice actors, animators, sculptors, painters and videographers.

"The Obama Administration repeatedly has opened its doors to artists showcasing their talents. We are gratified the Obama Administration has opened the White House doors to creators concerned with copyright infringement and its toll on artists nationwide," Patrick Ross, the Copyright Alliance’s executive director, added.

Complete text of the letter and signatures can be viewed at www.copyrightalliance.org/letter. If you’re interested in signing on, please do. The Copyright Alliance has kept the signature portal open to allow even more creators to speak up for their copyrights.