The Dramatists Legal Defense Fund (DLDF) was formed as a non-profit 501(c)3 support organization for the Dramatists Guild in 2012. It is now being managed by a Guild committee to focus on the many public policy issues confronting dramatists today, including show cancelations and censorship, the development of AI as a threat to copyright protections, and new governmental DEIA and Immigration prohibitions restricting what can be said on America’s stages and in our schools, and who gets to say it. DLDF is also committed to helping dramatic artists and educators of limited means who have either been affected by censorship or copyright concerns or need legal services regarding theater-business related matters at no or low cost.
A resource in defense of the First Amendment for theatre writers.
Advocating for the theatre against censorship.
Originally, the DLDF’s bylaws established a mission centered on three pillars: protecting theater authors’ exclusive rights, advocating for freedom of speech in connection with stage productions and protecting artistic integrity, and conducting activities to battle censorship across America’s stages. Over time, the DLDF broadened its mission by providing legal services support to indigent artists who cannot afford legal counsel. The Guild’s role has always been advisory, meaning it guides members in need of an attorney and connects members with pro-bono programs at large North American law firms.
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If you are an attorney, or know of any, or are aware of any legal service group that would offer pro bono or discounted representation on these sorts of issues, please allow us to include them in our national legal services directory.