What is Artist’s Resale Right (ARR)?
The Artist’s Resale Right gives artists and their beneficiaries the right to a payment when their work is resold for £1000 or more with the involvement of a gallery, auction house or art dealer. If the artist created a work with other artists, ARR is shared.
ARR explained
ARR is a law that was introduced in the UK in 2006. Under ARR, artists and their beneficiaries are entitled to a royalty payment when their work is resold on the secondary market.
To qualify for an ARR royalty in the UK, the work must be sold:
- for the equivalent of £1,000 or more – as of 1 April 2024, the currency for ARR has changed from Euros (€) to GBP Pounds Sterling (£)
- with the involvement of an auction house, gallery, or art dealer based in the UK
and
- the artist must be a national of the UK or a country that protects UK citizens under a similar resale right
Countries with resale right laws
Over 100 countries have resale right laws.
Learn more on the European Visual Artists (EVA) website
Dual nationality
If you have dual nationality, for example if you are American but also hold a British passport, you may also be entitled to a resale royalty. If you decide to sign up for DACS ARR, enter both your nationalities to help us understand your eligibility.
ARR after an artist dies
ARR continues to apply for 70 years after the artist dies. You can leave the Right to someone in your Will.
The value of ARR
ARR gives artists and their beneficiaries an ongoing share in the value of their work and keeps them connected to it after it’s sold.
It’s also a useful support system, providing artists with additional income that they can reinvest in their work, and supporting their beneficiaries, estate or charitable trusts after their death.
Who pays for ARR
The ARR royalty is usually paid to DACS by the art market professional who resells the work. This could be a gallery, an auction house or an art dealer.
By law the art market professional and the seller of the work are both responsible for payment of the royalty. The royalty is paid by the art market professional to DACS, to pass on to the artist or beneficiary.
In general, sales between museums and private individuals do not qualify for ARR.