Meet Zoe
Today we want to introduce you to one of our former members, Zoe*. Zoe is a visual artist based in Austin, Texas. She joined TALA to get help negotiating a large contract that she was being asked to sign.
“Before TALA, honestly, I would oftentimes not know the language.
And I would, on blind faith, sign contracts… and I didn’t really know what I had signed.”
When artists are forced to muddle their way through contracts, intellectual property, and taxes on their own, it leaves them unprotected and open to risk. The support that Zoe received from her volunteer lawyer made a huge difference in her life. Now that she no longer financially qualifies for TALA services, she has hired her volunteer lawyer to be her representation.
“It gave me a sense of empowerment to have someone that knows how to read that type of language.
And it alleviated a lot of stress, because now when I get a contract, I can just send it to a lawyer and know that they know exactly what they’re reading and they can negotiate on my behalf for an outcome that works better for me.”
Meet Laura, Zoe’s volunteer attorney
Laura* hasn’t always been an entertainment attorney. Before she studied law, she was an artist herself.
“I knew I wasn't really going to be involved in the industry that way, but I still wanted to work with creatives.”
Through TALA's 1:1 matching program, Laura was matched with Zoe to provide pro bono legal assistance.
“Zoe is super hardworking, she had already been in the arts for a really long time and was really excited to have a big contract coming her way.”
Zoe learned a lot from Laura, and over the course of the year, she began receiving more offers, getting larger commissions, and making more money.Zoe didn’t need TALA’s pro bono assistance any longer - but this is not where Zoe and Laura's relationship ends.
“She reached out to me, and I was pretty honored that she wanted to keep working with me.
We’ve continued that relationship to this day and still work very regularly together.”
The demand for TALA services grows every year, and we need funding so that we can help more artists like Zoe. Your contribution would cover costs associated with facilitating more than 2 million dollars in pro bono services each year.
You will be redirected to clickandpledge.com to make your donation.
*Names have been changed to respect their privacy.