Calls To Action

Call To Action #1
Adoption of the Artists United
Landing Page Message, Terms Page
and Statement of Account

One of the core principles of Artists United is that an artist has the right to set the terms of acquisition and use of their art. Though a common belief among artists, it is one they rarely vocalize directly to their audience. In these times of digital communication — where a lifetime’s worth of work can be stolen from the artist in seconds — failure to vocalize this principle has resulted in a worldwide epidemic of artist abuse. Most people have taken the artist’s silence as consent for theft and/or misuse, or have been allowed to easily convince themselves that this is so.

We believe the first action that needs to be taken in order to achieve harmony within the arts is for the artist to make this core principle known.  Artists need to declare aloud for themselves, their fellow artists, and their audience that it is their right to set the terms of acquisition and use of their work; that even if they choose to give their art away, the choice is theirs to make. We feel this declaration is best made through the adoption of the Artists United Landing Page, Terms Page and Statement of Account.

Below is the Artists United Landing Page Message.  We are proposing that all artists who hold true the aforementioned make this page the first page their audience sees when visiting their website or social media site.  All artists are free to design their landing page as they choose (colour, font, layout, etc), but we ask that the text of the message remain as it is, and that it be the second focal point of the page (the first focal point being the name of the artist/artist's project). If your landing page is strictly artistic, we ask that the landing page message be presented on the first page that displays content.

Below the landing page is a sample Terms Page that your landing page will link to.  We have provided a sample of terms, but it is of course up to each artist to set their own terms.  We recommend that you write a note or post a video — before or after your terms — explaining why you’ve chosen to take this action.  It will help your cause dramatically if your audience sees and hears you explain this.  Body language and vocal tones go a long way toward communicating the depth of a message. Within this note or video it is also absolutely essential that you — no matter what your terms — state how you feel toward those who dishonour you; that you make a Statement of Account.  A Statement of Account is a statement made by you holding those who choose to dishonour your terms accountable.  Such statements are nothing new.  Each of us has been giving and receiving them all of our lives.  If we want to be in another’s life, we need to prove ourselves worthy of being in their life.  We need to prove ourselves of a certain depth.  If we do not, they will say to us — in one way or another — "You lack the depth to be in my life".  All healthy relationships operate this way.  The artist-audience relationship should be no different.  It is only because artists have been operating as though it is, that the arts are in crisis. We have italicized the Statement of Account within the sample Terms Page message below.
 

Landing Page Message

We — The Rock Band — are an Artists United artist ( please make the “Artists United” text a hyperlink to the Artists United website at www.artists-united.org). 

We believe that the artist has the right to determine how their art is acquired and accessed, for it exists not without them.  If you would like to acquire or access our art, please click HERE to see how. (this links to your Terms Page — see below)

* note: please adjust the language above to apply to your art form and membership (i.e. if you are a solo artist you will use "I" instead of "we", or if you are film maker you will use “view our film” instead of “listen to our music”, etc)
 

Terms Page

The Rock Band — Listening Terms
(all text below is only a sample: terms are to be your own)

No longer can it be assumed that a musician wishes to participate in today's dominant music platforms as they are.  Many of us are only participating because we feel we have little choice.  We feel that it's participate or be torrented.  Play ball or disappear. 

Our terms have been listed in order of what’s best for us.  Please choose what is best for you among these options.  There is nothing we can do physically or legally to enforce our terms — we know this.  However, if you wish to have a relationship with us that is of any value — one where we respect you — you will honour one of these terms.

1. Buy our music through our Website (link to website store)

2. Buy our music on Bandcamp (link to Bandcamp)

3. Buy our music on iTunes (link to iTunes)

4. Stream our music on Apple Music and buy a CD, digital album, or donate $7 or more here (link to PayPal, Swipe, or other)
 * it takes 59.6 continuous hrs of listening on Apple Music for us to earn $7 (based on average song length of 4 min) 

5. Stream our music on Youtube and buy a CD, digital album or donate $7 or more here (link to PayPal, Swipe, or other)
* it takes 630 continuous hrs of listening on Youtube for us to earn $7 (based on avgerage song length of 4 min)

If you would like to see a real world example of the Artists United Landing Page and Terms Page being used by an artist, please click here