About GUEST WORK AGENCY

Guest Work Agency® is an art law and advisory firm that provides innovative legal solutions for the art industry. Our clients include a variety of individuals and organisations in the art field, including artists, curators, collectors, galleries, museums, art fairs and art tech start ups.

Guest Work Agency is also a curatorial practice, initiating and collaborating on projects, exhibitions and writing at the intersection of art, technology and the law. A selection of our projects are available to view here.

Our name draws its inspiration from the first independent curating enterprise which was initiated by the groundbreaking Swiss curator Harald Szeemann, Agentur für Geistige Gastarbeit (Agency for Intellectual Guest Work).

Emily Floyd, Jackalope, 2017, in collaboration with UAP Studio and Anna Schwartz Gallery. Photo by Sharyn Cairns, courtesy of the artist.

OUR APPROACH

Guest Work Agency’s legal and commercial advisory work spans a wide spectrum of expertise, including helping clients protect their creative output, diversify their income streams, negotiate multi-party public commission projects, and launch art tech platforms and marketplaces.

Being an art industry specialist firm greatly benefits our clients. The art world contains certain rules, social codes and intricacies that professional advisors must consider when providing advice. These include commercial nuances - for example, how artist-gallery relationships are governed and regulated - that make the industry unique.

Guest Work Agency advised renowned First Nations artist Reko Rennie on the commissioning of a series of art works by Heineken® 0.0 for the Formula 1® Heineken® Australian Grand Prix 2022. Reko’s artwork featured on a specially designed racing helmet, unveiled by F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. Read more here.

ART AND LEGAL INDUSTRY EDUCATION

Guest Work Agency places a high priority on industry education, helping art industry participants become more business savvy and understand how to use the law as a commercial - rather than defensive - tool.

Beyond the art community, Guest Work Agency’s thought leadership extends to educating peers in the legal industry on navigating the complexities of Web 3.0 and blockchain technology.

OUR TEAM

The Guest Work Agency team - led by Director and Founder, Alana Kushnir - is made up of art industry all-rounders. We are lawyers, advisors, curators, exhibition-makers, writers, policy strategists, administrators, studio-managers and designers. Read more about our team here.

Guest Work Agency Director and Founder Alana Kushnir. Photo credit: Justin Ridler.

professional memberships

Law Institute of Victoria Member 2022/23

Member of the Art Law Foundation 2023

Member of the Institute of Art and Law 2022/23

Member of the International Bar Association - Art, Cultural Institutions and Heritage Law Committee 2023

Member of Copyright Society of Australia 2023

Guest Club hosted a Celebrating Ceramics event in August 2022 with artist Alexandra Standen at This Is No Fantasy. Photo credit: Gianna Rizzo.

GUEST CLUB

In 2019, Guest Work Agency launched the Guest Club to support the next generation of art lovers and collectors in Australia.

We offer art experiences, travel tours and masterclasses for our members. Read more about our upcoming events here.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES an art lawyer do?

WHEN SHOULD YOU HIRE AN ART LAWYER?

READ MORE IN our frequently asked questions.