BuildTheDreamBrand

Artist Collaboration Agreement

For Companies Partnering with an Artist to Co-Create Products

By Bhavna Rishi
Build The Dream Brand
Fashion Brand Consultant & Founder Mentor
20+ years working with artists, museums, heritage brands & independent founders.

Who Is This Template For?

This template is for brands, companies, and founders who want to collaborate with an artist to create products.

Use this agreement when you are the company and you want to partner with an artist to co-create a product range featuring their original artwork. This is more than a licensing deal: you are commissioning new creative work and building a product together.

Examples of when to use this:

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

How is this different from a licensing agreement?

Licensing: You use the artist's existing artwork. You pay royalties. The artwork already exists before you enter the deal.

Collaboration: You commission the artist to create new work specifically for your products. You pay a creative fee plus royalties. Both parties contribute to the creative direction. The artwork is created as part of the partnership.

Important: This is a template, not legal advice. Always have a qualified solicitor review any agreement before signing. Collaboration agreements are more complex than licensing because new IP is being created.

Artist Collaboration Agreement

Parties

Brand Partner (Your Company):

Company name:

Company number:

Registered address:

Contact name & title:

Email:

Artist:

Name:

Trading as:

Address:

Email:

1. Collaboration Overview

1.1 Project Description:

1.2 Products to be created:

1.3 Collection / Project Name:

1.4 Target Launch Date:

1.5 Maximum production run per product:

2. What You (Brand Partner) Will Provide

2.1 A written creative brief including: target customer, brand guidelines, colour palette, product specifications, and any design constraints. Delivery date:

2.2 All production costs including: sampling, manufacturing, QC, packaging, and shipping.

2.3 Marketing, PR, photography, and e-commerce. All materials to credit the Artist as agreed.

2.4 Sales, distribution, customer service, and returns handling.

2.5 Product samples for Artist approval before bulk production. The Artist must approve in writing.

2.6 complimentary units of each product for the Artist's personal use.

3. What the Artist Will Deliver

Artwork / DeliverableFormat / SpecsDelivery Date

3.2 Number of revision rounds included:

3.3 Additional revisions charged at £ per round.

4. Financial Terms

4.1 Creative Fee: £ for the creation of the artwork.

  • 50% on signing: £
  • 50% on final artwork delivery: £

4.2 Royalty: % of net wholesale revenue from all collaboration products.

4.3 Minimum Guarantee: £ per year (advance against royalties).

4.4 Reporting & Payment: Quarterly sales reports and royalty payments, within 30 days of each quarter end.

4.5 Late Payment: Interest of 2% per month on overdue amounts.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 The artwork created for this collaboration remains the intellectual property of the Artist. You are granted a licence to use it on the agreed products for the duration of this agreement.

5.2 You may not use the artwork on any products beyond those listed in Section 1.2 without a separate written agreement.

5.3 You may not sub-license the artwork to third parties without written consent.

5.4 All digital artwork files must be stored securely and returned or deleted upon termination.

5.5 The Artist retains the right to exhibit and display the artwork (with collaboration credit) in their portfolio, gallery shows, and personal channels.

6. Credit & Branding

6.1 Artist credit on all products and marketing: ""

6.2 Credit to appear on:

  • ☐ Product labels and hang tags
  • ☐ Packaging
  • ☐ Website product pages
  • ☐ Social media
  • ☐ Press releases and PR materials
  • ☐ Point-of-sale displays (if applicable)

6.3 All marketing materials featuring the Artist's name or likeness must be approved by the Artist before publication.

7. Quality Approval

7.1 You must submit strike-offs, samples, or prototypes to the Artist for written approval before production begins.

7.2 The Artist may reject any product that does not accurately reproduce the artwork or meet the agreed quality standards.

7.3 You may not proceed to bulk production without written approval.

8. Timeline

MilestoneTarget DateOwner
Agreement signedBoth
Creative brief deliveredBrand Partner
Initial concepts from ArtistArtist
Feedback round 1Brand Partner
Final artwork deliveredArtist
Strike-offs / samples for approvalBrand Partner
Artist approval of samplesArtist
Bulk production beginsBrand Partner
Product photographyBrand Partner
LaunchBoth

9. Promotional Commitments

The Artist agrees to support the launch with:

  • ☐ Social media posts: posts
  • ☐ Behind-the-scenes content / studio tour
  • ☐ Launch event attendance
  • ☐ Press interview availability
  • ☐ Other:

The Brand Partner shall provide the Artist with all necessary product images, copy, and brand assets for promotional use.

10. Termination

10.1 Either party may terminate with days' written notice.

10.2 If you (Brand Partner) terminate after the artwork has been delivered, the creative fee is non-refundable.

10.3 Upon termination, you have days to sell remaining stock. After this, all use of the artwork ceases and digital files must be returned or destroyed.

10.4 Royalties on post-termination sales remain payable.

11. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by the laws of .

Signatures

Brand Partner (Company)

Signature

Print Name & Title

Date

Artist

Signature

Print Name

Date

Pre-Filled Example: Artist Collaboration Agreement

Worked Example

Below is a completed example showing how a fashion accessories brand (Kara & Stone) would fill in this agreement when commissioning an artist to create artwork for a limited-edition silk scarf collection.

Parties

Brand Partner: Kara & Stone Accessories Ltd

Company number: 15298437

Address: 45 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE

Contact: Aisha Kara, Creative Director

Email: aisha@karaandstone.com

Artist: David Osei

Trading as: David Osei Art

Address: Studio 12, Peckham Levels, London SE15 5JT

Email: david@davidosei.art

1. Collaboration Overview

1.1 Project: David will create 3 original abstract cityscape artworks inspired by London architecture. Kara & Stone will produce a limited-edition collection of silk scarves (70x70cm and 90x90cm) and silk pocket squares.

1.2 Products: 3 silk scarves (90x90cm), 3 silk scarves (70x70cm), 3 silk pocket squares (33x33cm)

1.3 Collection Name: "Skyline" by David Osei x Kara & Stone

1.4 Launch: 15 November 2026

1.5 Max production: 300 units per design per format

2. Brand Partner Provides

Creative brief by 1 May 2026. All production, marketing, distribution costs. 15 complimentary units to David.

3. Artist Delivers

DeliverableFormatDate
3 original cityscape artworksTIFF, 300 DPI, CMYK15 July 2026
Adapted versions for pocket squaresTIFF, 300 DPI, 33x33cm1 August 2026

2 revision rounds included. Additional rounds at £250 each.

4. Financial Terms

4.1 Creative Fee: £4,000 (50% on signing, 50% on delivery)

4.2 Royalty: 12% of net wholesale revenue

4.3 Minimum Guarantee: £3,000 per year

6. Credit

"Artwork by David Osei" on labels, tags, packaging, website, and all marketing

10. Termination

90 days' notice. 90-day sell-through. Creative fee non-refundable after artwork delivered.

11. Governing Law

England and Wales

"The best artist collaborations are built on mutual respect. The artist brings creative magic. The brand brings commercial reach. The agreement makes sure both sides are protected and neither is taken for granted." - Bhavna Rishi