The Legal Way to Create and Sell Fan Art

6:00 - 7:30, August 18th, 2026

Part of Create Appalachia's Arts@Work Professional Development Series for Creatives

REGISTRATION DETAILS: Admission is by donation. Please be as generous to our nonprofit as your pockets will allow so that we can continue to bring you these opportunities! Session will be held online, with limited in-person tickets also available. Registration closes 24 hours before the event. In-person attendees will have the opportunity to visit Yevette Lynn's studio after the session for a discounted headshot session. If you're inspired, book now!

Program Overview

Fan art can be a double-edged sword for copyright owners of popular characters. It's bad because every instance of fan art is a copyright infringement, but it can also be a no-cost way of further promoting the character’s popularity. For creators of fan art, it can be a way of showing homage—of truly being a fan— and selling to other fans can also be a profitable venture. But is it worth the risk of being sued for copyright infringement?

For those who create and market fan art, navigating the nuances of intellectual property law involves specific strategies and legal realities to keep in mind. In this class, the case will be made for both the copyright owner and the fan art creator, with the risks and benefits for each explained. Methods for legally obtaining permission and an overview of venues and platforms for legally selling, and distributing fan art will be covered.

Who Should Attend?

• Artist
• Digital Artist
• Creatives
• Designers

Key Themes

• Creating fan art
• Selling art
• Selling fan art legally

What Participants Will Learn

• How to sell their fan art without the worry of copyright

Presented by Cher Corrnet, Fine Arts Photographer and Artist

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY Cher Cornett, Associate Professor Emeritus in Digital Media from East Tennessee State University, currently works as a fine art photographer and digital artist. An MFA recipient from Syracuse University with a BFA from the University of Georgia, Cher has worked professionally as a graphic designer, photographer, and illustrator since 1980, including as an entrepreneur with the creation of CC Design, the first digital media design studio in Tallahassee, FL. She is also founder of Create Appalachia, a non-profit organization for arts workforce and economic development, a Senior Fellow for the International Digital Media Arts Association (IDMAA), and she serves as a Judge for the American Advertising Federation ADDY Awards Competitions.

DONATIONS ARE REQUESTED BECAUSE we're a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and we reinvest all money collected from fees and donations back into serving creatives in our region. The suggested donation for this class is $15-$25. We'd appreciate a donation of what you feel you can afford.

If you can't donate right now, we completely understand! You can contact Katie Hoffman at [email protected] and she'll send you the code for a for a scholarship ticket.

Create Appalachia strives to make our region a better place to live and work by supporting innovation and creative entrepreneurship. Our primary focus is startups and small businesses that marry creativity and technology. Our goal is to incubate new businesses, increase employment opportunities for creatives, and highlight the key role that creativity plays in the region’s economic vitality.