Fostering Sustainable Visual Art Ecosystems through Resale Royalty Rights

Abstract

The sustainability of visual art ecosystems increasingly depends on mechanisms that recognise Artists’ creative work beyond the primary art market. In Malaysia, the absence of Resale Royalty Rights (RRR) has contributed to structural imbalances in the visual arts sector, where artists remain excluded from the economic value generated through secondary market transactions. This study examines RRR as a sustainability-oriented mechanism, positioning creative art and design communication as a mediating instrument that enables awareness, understanding, and acceptance of artists’ economic rights. Adopting a qualitative and conceptual research approach, the study draws on secondary data sources, including academic literature, policy and legal documents, and institutional publications related to the visual arts and copyright governance. Thematic analysis is employed to identify key linkages between sustainability, economic justice, and communicative practices within the visual art ecosystem. The findings suggest that while RRR has the potential to support economic, social, and institutional sustainability, its effectiveness is contingent upon how such rights are communicated and internalised by artists and stakeholders. The study contributes to cultural sustainability discourse by highlighting the role of creative art and design communication in bridging legal frameworks and sustainable practice, offering policy-relevant insights for the development of a more equitable visual art ecosystem in Malaysia. The study offers conceptual and policy-relevant insights for integrating artists’ economic rights and creative communication within sustainability-oriented cultural governance frameworks.