Custodianship, Authorship, Autonomy
Who owns culture? Who creates it? And who decides?
Museums face unprecedented political pressure. Indigenous communities continue reclaiming sacred objects from institutional collections. The art market confronts mounting demands for transparency. And as AI reshapes creativity, we find ourselves asking what authorship itself will mean.
This symposium brings together artists, scholars, curators, and legal practitioners to explore these intersecting challenges—from the constitutional boundaries of governmental authority over cultural institutions, to the ethics of ownership in an era of intensified scrutiny, to emerging questions of copyright in the age of artificial intelligence.
Caring for cultural heritage carries profound obligations. Join us for a day of critical conversation about who holds, who makes, and who governs art.
Confirmed speakers and topics of discussion include:
Cultural property protection for Native Americans featuring Hillary Olcott, Curator, Arts of the Americas, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (de Young / Legion of Honor) and Sonia Katyal, Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley
Law, ethics, and the visual arts featuring Simon Frankel, Judge, San Francisco Superior Court; Stephen Urice, Professor of Law, University of Miami School of Law; and Adine Varah, General Counsel, SFMOMA
The ethics of ownership: financial crime and the custodian’s responsibility featuring Sharon Cohen Levin, Partner, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Lecturer at UC Berkeley Law
Authorship reimagined: creativity, copyright, and AI featuring Daniel Etcovich, Copyright Counsel, Anthropic
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AGENDA FORTHCOMING
Learn more about the Berkeley Art, Law, and Finance Project>
Program Details
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Who
Professionals and enthusiasts interested in cutting-edge research at the intersection of art, finance, law, technology, and culture. Those welcome include: Private collectors, wealth managers, art dealers, auctioneers, artists, investors, technologists, professional advisors, financial services, entertainment, and technology executives, policy-makers, representatives of public institutions, lawyers, scholars, and researchers.
What
An intimate discussion to engage art, finance, and legal professionals at large and industry players at all levels.
When
June 4, 2026
Where
SFMOMA
151 3rd St
San Francisco, CA 94103
View map view of nearby hotels
Fees
The registration fee is $200 per person. Proceeds will be used by UC Berkeley to build a new institute for the study of art, finance, law, technology, and culture. Scholarships are available for students.
Admission
Space is limited, so we encourage you to register early.
MCLE Credit
California MCLE credit will be offered.
Questions?
Contact us at bclb@law.berkeley.edu