Culture & Creative

Get common-sense advice from a team that lives and breathes the arts.

The cultural sector is full of questions. Where will your next idea come from? Where will you find funding? How will you balance creative integrity with the need to make money? We get it.

We’re not just lawyers. We’re life-long lovers of culture. We’re trustees for countless charities (and sometimes we try our own hand at being creative). We’ve seen first-hand the pressures that come with a life in the arts.

Our work reflects the diversity of the creative sector. We’ve helped everyone, from well-established cultural institutions and historic organisations to freelancers and start-ups.

How we help

Whether you’re a gallery, museum, theatre, music venue or literary prize, we’ll work behind the scenes to handle the ins and outs of any legal quandaries. We’ll help you manage sponsorship deals and navigate regulations.

We’ll also write commercial contracts, protect your rights, raise funds and help you forge relationships with the public and private sector. So, you can get back to the business of being creative.

“The team are always on hand and have serious breadth and depth of knowledge.”

Theatre, Chambers 2024

“The highly experienced team provides consistently high-quality and wise advice.”

Theatre, Chambers 2024

“Bates Wells are very adept at providing clear, concise, tailored advice which benefits from an exceptional understanding of the advertising industry.”

Theatre, Chambers 2024

“There is excellent partner interaction and appropriate delegation to very knowledgeable team members who interact exceedingly well with clients.”

Theatre, Chambers 2024

‘Exceptional team that is highly dynamic and forward thinking.’

Theatre, Legal 500 2024
Meet our team