By Benjamin Ogara Texas Tech University School of Law Juris Doctor Candidate 2022 The name of a business, product, or service is one of the most important aspects of a company. This naming process can bring up legal concerns with respect to trademark law, as well as business concerns when it comes to marketing. This is in part because there…
Our volunteer accountants aren’t available to prepare tax returns for our pro bono clients between January and April. To accommodate our region’s artists, we’ve hosted free tax preparation clinics in partnership with Gateway EITC and the Davis Tax Foundation since 2013. With safety in mind, we won’t be sponsoring these clinics this year. Here are some options to consider if you…
By Sue Greenberg, executive director As we look ahead with both hope and uncertainty to 2021, here’s a suggestion that may help you overcome that nagging feeling of being held hostage by the pandemic: Take deliberate control of your creative business. That involves making a commitment to recordkeeping. You can simplify the process by using a separate credit card and…
Unless Congress acts during its lame duck session, millions of Americans will see their Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits expire on December 31, and many mixed income artists will begin 2020 without enough money to pay their rent or buy groceries. A relief bill could fix the problem that left many creatives unable to access full unemployment benefits under the…
Tuesday, September 29 at 4:00 PM 1.0 Hour of Missouri CLE or CPE Ethics Credit While handling a case pro bono means a lawyer is volunteering their time, it does not mean that the representation is free from following all the ethical rules that apply to any case. Using arts-related examples, this program will address the basic ethics that any…
As the presidential election approaches, don’t let your enthusiasm jeopardize your arts organization’s tax-exempt status. Be aware that 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for public office. The prohibition applies to campaigns at the federal, state and local level. Violation of this prohibition could result in…
June 2021 Update With normalcy on the horizon, many cultural organizations and venues are relaxing their safety protocols. Missouri ArtsSafe will be posting updated standards soon - all based on CDC guidance. Meanwhile, if you make changes to your online safety plan, please make sure you maintain the same URL; otherwise, it will break the link on the Missouri ArtSafe…
Dear Rep. Clay: Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Judy Chu are recruiting Democrats in the House to be cosponsors of the Mixed Earner Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act. I’m writing to encourage you to sign on. The proposed legislation would ensure that thousands of St. Louis creatives, who normally cobble their incomes together through a mix of traditional W-2 jobs and…
1. Missouri’s Medicaid program provides health insurance for low-income children and their parents, pregnant women, seniors, and the disabled. A family of four must earn $5,550 or less per year to qualify. Single adults aren’t eligible. Many artists are among those who make too much to qualify but not enough to get affordable health insurance. Expansion would close the gap…
On August 4, Missouri voters will decide whether an estimated 230,000 low-income adults should be newly eligible for Medicaid[1] coverage. The vote "YES" campaign makes a strong economic argument for Medicaid expansion. Proponents of the ballot measure, including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, are citing a new report released by Missouri Foundation for Health that addresses job growth and state…