Our Mission
Cultural Heritage & Art
The CALI pursues the non-profit purpose of promoting advice, research and teaching on the legal issues involved in the world of art. These legal issues include the protection of cultural property at all levels of the legal structure including the domestic, Indian law and both international as well as transnational legal concerns, the protection of international loans between museums, the restitution of works of art stolen in the colonial era, archaeological finds and cultural assets that were taken out of the country, trade fair and auction law, tax, foundation and insurance law, as well as export and criminal law in connection with the (international) trade of works of art and also copyright, ancillary copyrights, media law.
Conferences & Teaching
In addition to a wide range of lectures, seminars, and symposia, CALI organizes the Annual Conference on Art and Law once a year in cooperation with other institutions. In response to today's growing need to almost always engage with cross-border issues, there is a need for an international network: collaboration with the German Institute of Art and Law IFKUR and with renowned colleagues all over the world. In addition to the conferences, CALI offers and promotes individual lectures, webinars and meetings on focus issues.
Advisory & Network
Advice and support in art and cultural property law are a major component of our work. This also includes the formation of a network of experts from all fields; from the legal to the museum sector, from the art market and galleries and to various groups and individual artists. In addition to these areas, there is material research, provenance research and close cooperation with experts and foundations.
Art & Law News
The Hidden Collection: Why Copyright Fear is Silencing Canadian Museums
The paradox of the modern Canadian museum is as frustrating as it is pervasive. We live in an era where high-resolution imagery and instant connectivity are the default modes of human interaction. Yet, if you attempt to browse the digital archives of many of Canada’s prominent public galleries and museums, you will likely find the experience disappointing. Vast swaths of the national artistic heritage remain locked away, inaccessible to the public via digital platforms. While…
The Chicago Acquisition: A Masterclass in Curation or a Case Study in Loss?
The Art Institute of Chicago recently announced a sweeping set of acquisitions that reads like a high-end grocery list for the soul. From the modernist sharp edges of Christian Schad to the architectural provocations of Amanda Williams, the museum is clearly in a “treat yourself” phase. However, tucked away in the press release, amidst the celebration of local legend Richard Hunt’s monumental sculpture, sits a rare 17th-century textile: ‘A Nayaka Nobleman with Courtiers and Courtesans.’ While the…
The Return of the Official: Egypt Welcomes Back a 3,500-Year-Old Treasure
In a world where cultural heritage is often a casualty of political upheaval, a rare piece of ancient history has finally made its journey home. On February 5, 2026, the Dutch government officially returned a 3,500-year-old stone sculpture to Egypt, concluding a decade-long saga of theft, international investigation, and diplomatic cooperation. The artefact, a beautifully carved stone head made of granodiorite, depicts a high-ranking official from the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479–1425 BCE). This…