4th August | ICRA Spotlight: The HEAR Act

The legal landscape for art restitution is shifting and provenance research is at the forefront.

Updates to the HEAR Act mean that provenance risk is now more “live” and long-term; claims won’t simply age out. Gaps or uncertainties in ownership histories carry greater legal weight, and the move from time-barred claims to merits-based restitution means that what can be proved - or published - matters more than ever.

For catalogue raisonné authors, provenance researchers, institutions, and collectors, the implications are significant. "Discovery" can hinge on published research and new information can trigger fresh legal timelines. Scholars are under more pressure than ever to ensure rigorous, transparent provenance work.

To explore what this means in practice, ICRA is hosting an online Spotlight with art lawyer William Charron, moderated by ICRA board member Professor Lynn Rother. There will be time for Q&A.