Dear Sir,
I am the former manager of the Lake Chapala Society (LCS) Children’s Art Program – a post I held from 2011 to 2024. I still care very much about the kids and the program and, for about two months, have been trying to correct an issue with the sale of children’s art at LCS.
LCS has reprinted many of the children’s art cards that we had originally produced, and is selling them in the LCS store and at LCS art shows. The problem is that these cards are art from kids who are no longer in the program – some of these cards are over ten years old. As far as I’m aware, LCS is not producing cards for the children currently enrolled in the program. Under Copyright Law, the young artists own the distribution and sales rights to their work, and must be paid for the sale of their art. The arrangement we had was that the kids would get one-half of the proceeds from the sale, and the remainder would go toward new art supplies.
I pointed out to the board that they were not contacting the kids to come and collect the money they’re owed. I have made LCS aware of several ways to find the young students’ (or their parents’) contact information. In response, LCS stated that, “the effort required to track down some kids who painted a decade ago to give him/her a few pesos would seem unproductive.” This attitude really bothers me. While a couple of hundred pesos might mean nothing to LCS, this is a significant amount for Mexican kids and their families. If it’s too much effort, why not simply stop selling their art cards?
LCS also said, “Kids can stop by during office hours and inquire as to any available balance.” Unfortunately, these kids have no way of knowing when their art has been sold, nor are most even aware of this procedure. As a result, almost none will go in to collect their money. I have informed about five young artists who have gone in and been paid, but LCS has not attempted to record their contact information for future payment. There really doesn’t appear to be any desire to pay the child artists what they are legally owed.
For me, this raises several questions. Where does the money they collect from art sales go, if not to the kids? Why do they keep selling cards from kids who left the program years ago (and are now adults)? Isn’t it unfair to buyers of these cards to let them believe they’re buying art from the current kids in the program? Why don’t they focus on supporting the current kids in the program by making and selling cards with their art?
I am writing this letter not to denigrate or criticise LCS. Because I continue to care about the kids in the program, I want to try to effect a change in an unfair and, in my opinion, unethical practice. Therefore, I am asking the LCS administration to do the following:
1. Immediately stop selling art cards from kids who are no longer in the program.
2. Provide me with a list of these kids who are owed money and the amount, and I will try to track them down so that they can be paid (it’s not too much effort for me).
3. Support the kids currently in the program by making cards with their art. It’s a great confidence builder for a young artist to have someone buy their art, and this was an important part of the old program.
Danielle Pagé,former Manager LCS Children’s Art Program