Arbitration in the Art Market: Venice Conference Previews

Arbitrando, an Italian association promoting arbitration, organized a conference on arbitration in copyright, entertainment, and art disputes at the Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia on November 9-10, 2018. The event aimed to foster dialogue among legal professionals and art market operators, highlighting arbitration as an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) method. Arbitration offers speed, flexibility, confidentiality, and specialized arbitrators compared to ordinary court proceedings. The conference featured Paolo Baratta, president of the Biennale, as opening speaker, and lawyer Elena Olivetti, a board member of Arbitrando, was interviewed. Arbitration is increasingly used internationally, with a specialized art tribunal recently established in The Hague. In Italy, institutions like the Camera Arbitrale di Milano and Camera Arbitrale di Venezia are developing art-focused sections. Arbitrando, founded in 2011, has over 40 members and offers arbitrator nomination services. The conference sought to raise awareness of arbitration in the art and copyright sectors, leveraging Venice's international profile and its Chamber of Arbitration's growing expertise in art disputes.