First international agency agreement for National Gallery and JELC

Animation & Characters

The National Gallery, London, and JELC, the Gallery’s global licensing agency, have announced the Gallery’s first international agency agreement, covering the Japanese market. The agreement, with respected merchandising agent Copyrights Asia, was signed at Licensing Expo, Las Vegas.

Following the Gallery’s successful exhibition at Licensing Japan in 2016, the decision was made to work with Copyrights Asia, whose long experience in Japan will enable the National Gallery to develop its licensing programme in a market that is highly receptive to much of its national collection of Western European art, which includes such iconic paintings as Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s The Water-Lily Pond.

This agreement has added significance for the National Gallery: it signifies the beginning of the development of a global licensing programme, building on the success of the Gallery’s UK licensing programme, which now boasts nearly 40 licensees.

Judith Mather, Director of Buying and Brand Licensing at the National Gallery, says: “After months of work following our trip to Japan last July we are delighted to be working with Copyrights Asia and look forward to building a very successful programme in Japan.”

Jane Evans, Managing Director of JELC, the global licensing agency for the National Gallery, says: “Japan is a market with vast potential for the Gallery’s licensing programme but we needed to work with a local organisation that is both respected and experienced. Copyrights Asia is just such an organisation. We are thrilled to appoint Copyrights Asia as our Partner Agency in Japan.”

Commenting on the deal, David Buckley, President of Copyrights Asia says: ‘We’re very excited to have been selected as licensing agent for The National Gallery. Japanese travelling to London have long made the National Gallery one of their top choices to visit.  We now have the opportunity to bring that experience to Japan as we work with local partners to create and import products inspired by The National Gallery’s vast collections of masterpieces. We are confident that the Japanese love of art and of high-quality unique products will combine to create a strong brand presence for many years to come’.