Yucatán Artists Uncover Shocking IP Neglect

The artistic community in Yucatán is grappling with a significant issue: a lack of attention to intellectual property rights. This problem primarily revolves around trademark registration, copyright rights, and employment contracts, according to Maria Luisa Ríos García Bastarrachea, a lawyer specializing in trademarks and copyrights.

Bastarrachea pointed out that intellectual property rights are crucial but often overlooked. Most Yucatán artists are unaware of their rights to protect their work, leading to instances of idea and work theft. Artists can register their ideas and work, including choreography, audiovisual media, cinematography, photography, and more, given the expansive nature of copyright law.

Another common issue is the lack of formal employment contracts in the artistic world. Bastarrachea noted that very few artists bother with contracts, with only about five percent of Yucatán's artistic community using them. This issue is particularly prevalent in the film industry.

The lack of emphasis on intellectual property rights in Yucatán is largely due to a lack of knowledge. It's considered "normal" for a business or film production to begin without a contract or trademark registration. One underutilized aspect of intellectual property rights is the reservation of exclusive use, which allows artists to register their stage names, band names, or the names of magazines and podcasts.

Bastarrachea explained that this procedure costs around five thousand pesos, while work registration costs 300 pesos. To address this issue, she suggested that schools include a subject focusing on copyright laws to educate future artists on how to register their ideas. Locally, artists can seek advice from the Secretariat of Culture and Arts, and nationally from the National Institute of Copyright.