Laws of Creativity - The Impact of Legal Systems on Artistic Practices and Other Creative Endeavors

How does the law affect creativity? Is the law actually hindering creativity or is instead encouraging it? Are such impacts just quantitative or also qualitative? Are legal systems neutral to different forms of creativity or do they discriminate among forms? Answering these questions requires examining various branches of the law. The course focuses mostly in intellectual property law as the main legal tool for fostering creativity and innovation. Other areas of law such as freedom of expression, contract law, zoning law, and tax law will be also presented. Students will be provided with a theoretical overview of those areas to understand their rules and doctrines and how they affect creativity. The course will also offer the discussion of several case studies, including, among others, tattoos, memes, graffiti art, music sampling or content creativity in social media and other online platforms.