Moral rights recognise the ongoing connection between an artist and his/her work.
Under Australian law the words “moral rights” have a special meaning, referring to three specific rights:
- A right of attribution: this means that the artists must be named or acknowledged in relation to their work
- A right of integrity: this means that an artist’s work must not be used in a way that would harm the artist’s honor or reputation
- A right against false attribution: this means that another artist cannot be wrongly named as the creator of your work.
Moral rights are personal to the artist, and cannot be given away, sold or transferred. They generally last for an artist’s lifetime, plus 70 years after their death.
