Artist Collaboration Agreement (For Artists)

Who Is This Template For?

This template is for artists collaborating with a brand to co-create products.

Use this agreement when you are the artist and a brand or company approaches you to collaborate on a product range. Unlike a licensing agreement (where the company simply reproduces your existing artwork), a collaboration means you are actively involved in creating something new together.

Examples of when to use this:

A fashion brand asks you to create original artwork specifically for their new collection
A homeware company wants you to co-design a limited-edition product range
A retailer invites you to create exclusive artwork for their store
A brand wants your name and artwork on a co-branded capsule collection

You are the Artist (creating the artwork). The other party is the Brand Partner (producing and selling the products).

How is this different from a licensing agreement?

Licensing: The company uses your existing artwork on their products. You grant permission. The artwork already exists.

Collaboration: You create new artwork specifically for the project. Both parties contribute creatively. You may share ownership of the collaboration output, but your original artwork and style remain yours.

Important: This is a template, not legal advice. Always have a qualified solicitor review any agreement before signing. This is especially important for collaborations where new work is created, as IP ownership can become complex.

Artist Collaboration Agreement

Parties

Artist:

Name:

Trading as:

Address:

Email:

Brand Partner:

Company name:

Registered address:

Contact name & title:

Email:

1. Collaboration Overview

1.1 Project Description:

1.2 Products to be created:

1.3 Collection / Project Name:

1.4 Target Launch Date:

2. Artist's Responsibilities

2.1 The Artist shall create the following original artwork(s) for the collaboration:

Artwork / Deliverable	Format	Delivery Date

2.2 The Artist shall be available for rounds of creative feedback and revision.

2.3 The Artist shall participate in the following promotional activities (tick all agreed):

☐ Social media posts (minimum: posts)
☐ Behind-the-scenes content / process videos
☐ Launch event attendance
☐ Press interviews or features
☐ Other:

3. Brand Partner's Responsibilities

3.1 The Brand Partner shall be responsible for:

Product development, sampling, and manufacturing
Quality control and production management
Distribution, sales, and fulfilment
Marketing, PR, and advertising (including the Artist's name and likeness as agreed)
All production costs

3.2 The Brand Partner shall provide samples of all products to the Artist for written approval before production.

3.3 The Brand Partner shall provide the Artist with complimentary units of each product for the Artist's personal use and promotion.

4. Financial Terms

4.1 Artist Fee: The Brand Partner shall pay the Artist a creative fee of £ for the creation of the artwork. Payment schedule:

50% upon signing this agreement (£)
50% upon delivery of final artwork (£)

4.2 Royalty: In addition to the creative fee, the Artist shall receive % of net wholesale revenue from all products sold.

4.3 Minimum Guarantee: £ per year (advance against royalties, in addition to the creative fee).

4.4 Payment Schedule: Royalties calculated and paid quarterly, within 30 days of each quarter end. Sales report included with each payment.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 All original artwork created by the Artist for this collaboration remains the intellectual property of the Artist.

5.2 The Brand Partner is granted a licence to use the artwork on the agreed products for the duration of this agreement. This licence does not transfer ownership.

5.3 The Artist retains the right to display the artwork in their portfolio, exhibitions, and social media, with credit to the collaboration.

5.4 The Artist's name, signature, likeness, and biography may only be used in connection with this collaboration and not for any other purpose without written consent.

5.5 Any use of the artwork beyond the agreed products and territory requires a separate written agreement.

6. Credit & Branding

6.1 All products, packaging, and marketing materials shall credit the Artist as follows: ""

6.2 The Artist's name shall appear on: (tick all agreed)

☐ Product labels
☐ Hang tags
☐ Packaging
☐ Website product pages
☐ Social media posts
☐ Press releases

7. Exclusivity & Non-Compete

7.1 During the term of this agreement, the Artist agrees not to create substantially similar artwork for a directly competing brand within the same product category.

7.2 This non-compete applies only to:

7.3 The Artist remains free to create artwork for non-competing brands, personal projects, exhibitions, and commissions.

8. Timeline

Milestone	Target Date	Responsible Party
Agreement signed		Both
Creative brief delivered to Artist		Brand Partner
First artwork concepts submitted		Artist
Feedback and revisions		Both
Final artwork delivered		Artist
Samples / strike-offs for approval		Brand Partner
Production begins		Brand Partner
Product launch		Both

9. Termination

9.1 Either party may terminate with days' written notice.

9.2 If the Brand Partner terminates before the artwork is delivered, the creative fee paid to date is non-refundable.

9.3 If the Artist terminates before delivering the artwork, the Artist shall refund any creative fee already paid, minus a reasonable amount for work completed.

9.4 Upon termination, the Brand Partner has days to sell remaining stock. All use of the artwork ceases after this period.

10. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by the laws of .

Signatures

Artist

Signature

Print Name

Date

Brand Partner

Signature

Print Name & Title

Date

Pre-Filled Example: Artist Collaboration Agreement

Worked Example

Below is a completed example showing how a textile artist (Maya Lin-Jones) would fill in this agreement when collaborating with a sustainable fashion brand on a capsule scarf collection.

Parties

Artist: Maya Lin-Jones, trading as Maya Lin Studio

Address: 8 Clerkenwell Close, London EC1R 0DY

Email: maya@mayalinstudio.com

Brand Partner: Willow & Thread Ltd

Address: The Old Mill, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BN

Contact: Rebecca Hall, Co-Founder

Email: rebecca@willowandthread.com

1. Collaboration Overview

1.1 Project: Maya will create 4 original abstract landscape artworks inspired by the Somerset Levels. Willow & Thread will produce a limited-edition capsule collection of silk scarves and wool wraps featuring these artworks.

1.2 Products: 4 silk scarves (90x90cm), 2 wool wraps (70x200cm)

1.3 Collection Name: "Levels" by Maya Lin x Willow & Thread

1.4 Launch Date: 1 October 2026

2. Artist's Responsibilities

Deliverable	Format	Delivery Date
4 original artworks (Somerset Levels series)	TIFF, 300 DPI, CMYK, 90x90cm	15 June 2026
2 adapted versions for wool wraps	TIFF, 300 DPI, CMYK, 70x200cm	1 July 2026

2.2 2 rounds of creative revision

2.3 Promotion: 4 Instagram posts, 2 behind-the-scenes reels, launch event attendance

3. Brand Partner's Responsibilities

Production, QC, distribution, marketing, all costs. 10 complimentary units to Maya.

4. Financial Terms

4.1 Creative Fee: £3,000 (50% on signing, 50% on final delivery)

4.2 Royalty: 15% of net wholesale revenue

4.3 Minimum Guarantee: £2,500 per year

5. Intellectual Property

All artwork remains Maya's IP. Willow & Thread have a licence for scarves and wraps only. Maya may exhibit and use artwork in portfolio with collaboration credit.

6. Credit

"Original artwork by Maya Lin" on product labels, hang tags, website, and social media

7. Non-Compete

Maya will not create landscape-themed scarf artwork for a competing sustainable fashion brand during the agreement term.

9. Termination

90 days' notice. 60-day sell-through period. Creative fee non-refundable if Brand terminates after artwork delivery.

10. Governing Law

England and Wales

"A collaboration is a creative partnership. Both sides bring something valuable. The agreement exists so that the excitement of creating together doesn't get lost in confusion about who owns what." - Bhavna Rishi