The object of the course is to allow students to understand and comment on current issues in law and the arts from a widely informed perspective. To achieve this, students will be encouraged to broadly analyse these issues through an exploration of changing industry practices, the effect of technological developments and new media, proposed law reforms and international trends. The current atmosphere in law and the arts is one of rapid change. These changes are being driven by intersecting social and technological developments such as the increased commodification of "content", digitisation, the ever-expanding uses of the internet and globalisation. Intellectual property laws are slow to catch up to these changes, resulting in increased reliance on contracts and industry standards adapted to the needs of different art forms. technologies and industries. Law reforms are inundated by local interest groups while attempting to comply with international agreements of increasing significance to trade relations. Drawing on Arts Laws' experience, the course will offer a combination of practical and theoretical approaches. On a practical level, the course will look at different art sectors and the way they are affected by and responding to change. On a theoretical level, the course will use multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional sources to examine proposed law reforms and international trends.