Art, Free Expression and the Law, a project of the National Coalition Against Censorship, provides information to answer some of the questions artists, teachers, students, and reporters frequently ask us.

These materials are not intended, and should not be used, as legal advice. They necessarily contain generalizations that are not applicable in all jurisdictions or circumstances. Moreover, court decisions may be superceded by subsequent rulings, and may be subject to alternative interpretations.

Corrections, clarification, and additions are welcome. Please send to ncac@ncac.org. Many thanks to law students Maren Cardillo, Anna Wagner, and Courtney Noble who volunteered their time to work on this project, and, most of all, to Peter Brooks, Esq. who tirelessly organized, supervised, revised, and revised again.

Click on any of the topics below for a short introduction and a list of associated cases. You can also follow direct links to the case summaries. Some of the specialized terms used in the text are explained in a glossary, which you can also browse independently.

Topics:

» Blasphemy

» Captive Audience

» Content/Viewpoint Neutrality

» Contracts

» Copyright and Fair Use

» Criminalization of Artwork

» Decency/Indecency

» Film

» Government-owned Art

» Harmful to Minors

» Internet

» Libel, Slander, and Defamation

» Modification and Destruction of Artists’ Works

» Nudity

» Obscenity

» Protected/Unprotected Speech

Public Art

» Public Forum (including Nonpublic, Limited, and Designated)

» Public Funding

Radio/Music

» Time, Place, and Manner Restrictions