Note:
Information provided on this page is for general interest and is not a
substitute for competent legal and business advice provide by accredited
professionals.
General Legal Resources For Managing & Producing Theatres
Arts Organzations
Business Consulting &
Fiscal Sponsorship
Copyright, Taxes & Licensing
Incorporation
Legal and Dispute Resolution Assistance
Federal Tax Exempt Status
General Legal Resources for Managing & Producing Theatre
501 Commons
Pacific Tower, Suite 1101
1200 12th Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98144
206.682.6704
888.462.4853
501 Commons was founded in 1989 as the Executive Service Corps of Washington and later renamed itself to reflect a changing role and broader range of services. In 2012, it absorbed some of the programs and services of the Alliance for Nonprofits and the technology services of NPower Northwest.
Forming a Corporation
Nolo
href=”http://nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/corporation”>nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/corporation
A corporation is a form of business ownership that helps prevent personal
liability for business debts. Here you can learn how to create a corporation,
how a C corporation and an S corporation are taxed, and how to keep corporate
minutes and records to preserve your business’s corporate status. Nolo has
books, forms, and online applications that can help you create your
business.
How to Form and Maintain a Non Profit
Published by the
King County Bar Association, 2009
href=”http://wayfindlegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Washington-Nonprofit-Handbook_2009.pdf”>Free
PDF Download
This book explains what you need to do to form and maintain a nonprofit
organization in Washington State.
How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation: A 50 State
Guide
Nolo
href=”https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/form-nonprofit-501c3-corporation-30228.html”>Online
Resource
Forming a nonprofit corporation is much like creating a regular corporation,
except that nonprofits have to take the extra steps of applying for tax-exempt
status with the IRS and their state tax division. This page has the list of
steps and links to the relevant filing offices for each of the 50 states.
The Stage Producer’s Business and Legal Guide
Charles Grippo
Allworth Press, 2002
256 pages, $19.95
From the publisher: “The entire range of individuals involved in entertainment—performers, writers, and directors to box office managers, theater board members, and theater owners—will find comprehensive answers to questions on every aspect of theater business and law. Written by an attorney, producer, and playwright, this book reveals hundreds of insider strategies for minimizing legal costs, negotiating contracts, and licensing and producing plays. It also features expert, practical advice on such topics as tax risks and liabilities, safety regulations, organizing the theater company, financing, box office management, not-for-profit management, and much more. Plus everything is explained clearly, written without a lot of legal jargon.”
WA Non-Profits
1265 S Main Street #206
Seattle, WA 98144
(855) 299-2922
Washington Nonprofits was founded in 2010 by a dedicated board working in partnership with philanthropy. Together these leaders recognize the importance of having an association watching the backs of nonprofits of all sizes. WA Non-Profits helps its members learn, connect, and transform.
Washington Nonprofits delivers on its mission through three main, integrated initiatives: learning programs, public policy, and engagement.
Arts Organizations
4Culture
101
Prefontaine Place South
Seattle WA 98104
(206) 296.7580
Web: 4culture.org
Facebook:
4Culture
Twitter: 4Culture
Instagram: kc4culture
4Culture is a support agency for the arts in King County. 4Culture offers
opportunities for all kinds of cultural funding and support in King County, with
deadlines rolling out throughout the year.
It also offers project consulting
services.
Business Consulting &
Fiscal Sponsorship
National
National Network of
Fiscal Sponsors
href=”https://fiscalsponsordirectory.org/?page_id=1768″>Directory Organized by
State
A growing index of fiscal
sponsors organized by state and alphabetically with detailed information on each
based on a 10-question sruvey.
Washington and Northwestern
States
Allied Arts
Foundation
444 NE Ravenna Blvd., Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98115
206.624.0432
Online Message: href=”http://alliedarts-foundation.org/contact/”>alliedarts-foundation.org/contact
href=”http://alliedarts-foundation.org/grants-sponsorships/”>alliedarts-foundation.org/grants-sponsorships
Serving the Seattle community and beyond since 1967, Allied Arts Foundation
provides support to artists for the enrichment of the local and national
cultural experience. AAF nurtures emerging artists and arts groups through
fiscal sponsorship on an ongoing and by-project basis, and makes direct grants
to artists for projects of merit.
CascadiaNow!
PO Box 30181
Seattle, WA, 98113
206-249-9985
CascadiaNow! is dedicated to amplifying positive impacts across the bioregion
of Cascadia. CascadiaStrong is the fiscal sponsorship program CascadiaNow!
provides, which offers resources and administrative assistance to grassroots
projects that share our mission to cultivate a resilient and inclusive Pacific
Northwest community.
Accepts fiscal sponsorship
applicants from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon & Washington.
Columbia Basin Foundation
234 First Avenue NW, Suite B
Ephrata, WA 98823
(509) 754-4596
href=”http://columbiabasinfoundation.org/funds/fiscal-sponsorship-funds”>columbiabasinfoundation.org/funds/fiscal-sponsorship-funds
The Columbia Basin Foundation can hold a limited number of fiscal
sponsorships and special project funds at any given time due to limited
resources. CBF sponsors organizations within our service area of Grant, Adams
and western Lincoln Counties only.
Shunpike: The Business of Art
815 Seattle Boulevard S
Suite 215
Seattle WA 98134
(206) 905-1026
href=”http://shunpike.org/programs-services/fiscal-sponsorship-2″>shunpike.org/programs-services/fiscal-sponsorship-2
Shunpike was founded in 2001. Shunpike provides independent arts groups in
Washington State with the services, resources, and opportunities they need to
forge their own paths to sustainable success.
Whether you have questions about the relative benefit of different
organizational structures, or want to learn more about fundraising, marketing,
board development, managing money, events, risks, or people, Shunpike is a
reliable, practical, and affordable resource for the creative community across
Washington State. Programs include:
- Arts Business Clinics are free, informal, drop-in clinics where
Shunpike staff and ABC Advisors are on-hand to meet with attendees and talk
about their arts business needs. Akin to a ‘speed date’ meet-up, artists and
creative arts entrepreneurs are able to chat with supportive arts professionals
about any aspect of arts business.- Arts Business Dates takes your relationship with Shunpike’s Arts
Business Advisors to the next level. On an Arts Business Date you meet with one
or two Advisors, in a mutually convenient location, at a mutually convenient
time. On your ‘date’ you have the opportunity to discuss your arts business
challenges with experienced arts professionals and ask questions specific to
your arts project or creative enterprise. - In return, you pay a $20, non-refundable, booking fee (payable to Shunpike),
and agree to buy a hot drink for your Advisors (maybe even a cookie!). Book
dates with a call to the Shunpike office or email
[email protected].
- Arts Business Dates takes your relationship with Shunpike’s Arts
- Fiscal Sponsorship allows independent arts groups the ability to
raise funds for their artistic projects using Shunpike’s tax-exempt status as a
501(c)(3) organization. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gives 501(c)(3)
status to non-profit charitable organizations which allows donors to receive a
tax deduction for supporting a public charity. Under Shunpike’s fiscal
sponsorship, arts groups and organizations can offer tax-deductible receipts to
donors and may be eligible to apply for government and foundation grant programs
usually only available to organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Shunpike offer
two levels of fiscal sponsorship: Basic and Comprehensive. Visit their web page
for up-to-date descriptions.
Copyright, Taxes & Licensing
Authors Registry
116 W 23rd Street
Suite 500
New
York, NY 10011
(212) 563-6920
The Authors Registry is a not-for-profit clearinghouse for payments to
authors receiving royalties from organizations. It was founded in 1995 by a
consortium of U.S. authors’ organizations including The Authors Guild, The
American Society of Journalists & Authors, the Dramatists Guild and the
Association of Authors’ Representatives.
City of Seattle
Admissions Tax
href=”http://seattle.gov/rca/taxes/ADMITAX/AdmissionsTax.htm”>seattle.gov/rca/taxes/ADMITAX/AdmissionsTax.htm
style=”MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN-TOP: 0px”>Admission tax is added to the ticket
price or other charge that attendees pay to enter entertainment venues or events
in Seattle. The City allows for some exemptions from this tax. Consult webpage
for latest information.
US Copyright
Office
101 Independence Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
(202) 707–3000
(877) 476–0778 (toll free)
href=”http://copyright.gov/registration”>copyright.gov/registration
This web address is your starting point for all things related to the
registration of copyrights.
Incorporation
State of Washington
Business Licensing Service
href=”http://bls.dor.wa.gov/plan.aspx”>bls.dor.wa.gov/plan.aspx
State of Washington forms and agencies with links and other assistance to
help you get with the legal steps to starting or renewing a business.
The Small Business Guide
The Governor’s Office for Small
Business Innovation and Assistance
href=”https://www.oria.wa.gov/site/alias__oria/345/Small-Business-Guide-start-open-new.aspx”>oria.wa.gov/site/alias__oria/345/Small-Business-Guide-start-open-new.aspx
The Small Business Guides provides helpful information, links to valuable
resources, and outlines the steps for starting and operating a business in
Washington state. The Small Business Guide is available in English, Spanish,
Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese.
The Business Guide includes sections that will help you plan, run, grow, or
close a business in Washington State.
Seattle’s Business License & Taxes
City of
Seattle
Finance and Administrative ServicesSeattle Municipal Tower
700 5th
Ave
Suite 5200
Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-684-2489
From this webpage you can find, renew, or cancel a business tax license. You
can also find links to search for a business and get business assistance offered
by the city.
Legal and Dispute Resolution Assistance
Dispute Resolution Center of King County
4649 Sunnyside
Ave. N, Suite 520
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 443-9603
Organized in 1986, the Dispute Resolution Center of King County uses trained
and supervised mediators who volunteer their time to help us solve over 1,000
disputes a year. Mediation is the most affordable solution for working out an
agreement and avoid the expense and trouble of going to court. Dispute
resolution centers are organized under state legislation that requires them to
provide services on a sliding scale, and DRCs will never turn anyone away for
lack of ability to pay for the service.
Kantor Taylor
PC
901 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4000
Seattle, WA 98164
206-625-9898
href=”http://kantortaylor.com”>kantortaylor.com
Kantor Taylor PC, is Seattle-based law firm. Kantor Taylor represents a large
number of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. We assist with initial
organizational activities—including drafting organizational documents and
procedures, establishing governance structures, obtaining tax-exempt status and
complying with federal tax requirements for exemption.
Neil Sussman
10751 Densmore Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 363-8070
Neil Sussman is a tax attorney available for consultation in all areas of
entertainment law. Services including contract drafting and negotiation, income
taxes and return preparation, foreign tax issues, copyrights and trademarks, and
business licensing and formation.
Neil has experience working on all types of contracts including recording
contracts, publishing agreements, licensing deals, film and television
agreements and live performance agreements.
Neil’s clients include musicians, artists, writers, photographers, film
makers, performers, playwrights and many web based businesses.
The Unemployment Law Project
1904 Third Avenue, Suite
604
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 441-9178
(888) 441-9178
Email: href=”http://unemploymentlawproject.org/get-answers/ask-a-question/”>Ask A
Question
href=”http://unemploymentlawproject.org”>unemploymentlawproject.org
The Unemployment Law Project provides low-cost representation and free advice
and counsel to people in Washington State who have been denied unemployment
benefits or whose award of benefits is being challenged.
With offices in Seattle and Spokane, Washington, the ULP offers services to
anyone with a Washington State claim.
University of Washington School of Law Mediation
Clinic
William H. Gates Hall, Suite 265
P. O. Box
85110
Seattle, WA 98145-1110
206-543-3434
href=”http://law.uw.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics/mediation-clinic”>law.uw.edu/academics/experiential-learning/clinics/mediation-clinic
Since 1991, the Mediation Clinic has provided free and confidential mediation
services. We mediate for the general public in the Greater Seattle area and for
staff, students and faculty at the University of Washington. Students serve as
neutral third parties to help individuals involved in a dispute negotiate a
voluntary settlement of their case or conflict.
The mediators are second and third year law students who have completed an
extensive mediation training through the Continuing Legal Education Program at
the University of Washington School of Law, followed by an additional
instruction and practice. They are supervised by a faculty member or
professional mediator in all mediations they conduct.
The Mediation Clinic accepts cases from early October through May each year.
Cases can usually be scheduled within one or two weeks. This service is offered
free of charge as part of the public service program at UW Law.
Washington Lawyers for
the Arts
Office Address:
701 5th Ave, Suite 4100
Seattle, WA
98104
Mailing Address:
PO Box 61308
Seattle, WA 98141-6308
(206) 328-7053
Founded in 1976, Washington Lawyers for the Arts (WLA) is a nonprofit service
organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Washington state by creating
alliances and making legal resources accessible to artists and arts
organizations of all disciplines. Services WLA offers include:
- Legal Clinics. Artists and arts
professionals are welcome to make 30-minute appointments to meet with attorneys
who specialize in arts and entertainment law. They may discuss topics, including
contract review, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property
issues. - Workshops. Arts Legal Workshops are
60-90 minute presentations for both artists and lawyers. Artists get an in-depth
look at specific legal issues they encounter. Lawyers receive continuing legal
education that focused on issues facing artist clients. - Lawyer Referral Service. Provides
referrals to connect members of the public to qualified attorneys. - Links. A page with links to other
organizations and resources.
Federal Tax Exempt Status
Links to IRS
Pages
- href=”http://irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-help-from-the-irs”>Exempt
Organizations – Help from the IRS - Tax Information for
Charities & Other Non-Profits
Exempt Organizations (EO) administers tax law governing charities, private
foundations and other entities exempt from federal income tax.
* Also See Film Production Guide: Business & Legal