Bill Overview
Title: ARTS Act
Description: This act directs the Copyright Office to waive various copyright registration-related fees for works that win certain competitions sponsored by the Congressional Institute or established by Congress. To qualify for the fee waiver, the copyright registration application must be filed within a specified time frame, but the Copyright Office may waive fees for a qualifying work even if the application is filed outside the time frame.
Sponsors: Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Target Audience
Population: Students participating in and winning art competitions sponsored by the Congressional Institute or Congress
Estimated Size: 10000
- The bill focuses on works created by individuals who participate and win certain art competitions sponsored by the Congressional Institute or established by Congress.
- Only those participants whose works win or are recognized in these competitions will qualify for the fee waiver.
- The population includes students, as the competitions tend to focus on young and emerging artists, often from educational settings.
- Given the extent of congressional districts and participation encouraged by such government-sponsored programs, the number of students participating across the U.S. could be in the tens of thousands, but actual winners (and thus potential beneficiaries of fee waivers) will be a smaller subset.
- Globally, awareness and participation in U.S. Congressional competitions are likely restricted to U.S. citizens or those vested in the U.S. educational system.
Reasoning
- Since the policy targets winners of art competitions sponsored by Congress, the direct impact is on a smaller group within the broader student artist population.
- About 10,000 potential beneficiaries are estimated in the U.S., assuming each congressional district has a few competition winners per year.
- The policy's budget is significant; however, the high number of potential applicants means a larger number might not receive the waiver due to limited funds.
- The interviews include a diverse range of students across the country, reflecting different levels of talent recognition and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Some students might not directly benefit, reflecting the need for the policy to consider further inclusivity for non-winning participants.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (New York, NY)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the ARTS Act is great because it helps us save money on copyright registration, which can be quite expensive.
- Winning the competition has been a huge deal for me, and this makes it even better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 17 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I haven't won any competitions yet, but if I ever do, it would be awesome to not worry about the fees with this policy.
- I hope they keep increasing access to more young artists.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
College Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 20 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having my copyright fees waived is incredibly beneficial, especially as a college student.
- The policy shows the government supports young artists, which is encouraging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
High School Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I didn't win first place, so I don't benefit from the fee waivers yet.
- It's still nice to know this kind of support exists for artists at my level.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The ARTS Act is a great initiative, though I didn't take first place to qualify for the fee waiver.
- I hope they expand it to include more winners.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
College Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Waiving the fees massively helps in reducing my college expenses.
- It encourages me to continue pursuing my passion and apply to more competitions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Graduate Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy significantly reduces my financial stress regarding releasing my work.
- It is a motivational boost knowing my work is recognized and supported.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
High School Student (Denver, CO)
Age: 18 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I haven't won any competitions yet, but I'm planning to enter several this year.
- If I win, it would be amazing to have this financial relief through the policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Freelance Artist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy doesn't affect me directly as I'm not in a competition recently.
- It would be nice if more general freelance work could also benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 20 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've joined many contests but haven't won yet.
- Knowing about this policy encourages me to keep striving for a win.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Year 2: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Year 3: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Year 5: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Year 10: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Year 100: $550000 (Low: $400000, High: $700000)
Key Considerations
- The primary focus is on supporting emerging artists through fee waivers, highlighting cultural rather than economic objectives.
- Estimating the actual number of winners can be complex due to variations in participation and district-level decisions.
- Administrative adjustments may be needed for the Copyright Office to implement fee waivers efficiently, though these costs are minor.