What is an
A-Corp?
An Artist Corporation (A-Corp) is a new type of limited liability company created by the Colorado Artist Company Act (SB 26-133), designed specifically for creative people and artistic purposes.
The Problem
Today, when artists want to formalize their creative work — to collaborate, share ownership, protect their intellectual property, or simply get health insurance — they're forced to use legal structures that were designed for conventional businesses.
LLCs, S-Corps, and C-Corps don't account for the unique realities of creative work: shared intellectual property, artistic mission protections, the way creative collaborations actually function, or the need to keep creative control in the hands of the people making the art.
The result? Most artists either operate informally — without protections, without benefits, without building equity — or they spend thousands on lawyers to retrofit business structures that weren't built for them.
The A-Corp
The Artist Corporation is a new type of LLC — a limited liability company organized under Part 12 of Colorado's LLC statute, with special provisions built into the law for artists. It provides a simple, accessible structure that reflects how creative people actually work.
Much of what the A-Corp offers is technically possible today if you hire the right lawyers and draft the right operating agreements. The A-Corp makes it a preset form — accessible and affordable to anyone.
Artist Majority
Artists must own at least 51% of all voting securities at all times. This is locked into the statute and cannot be altered by an operating agreement.
Artistic Mission
Every A-Corp must have a stated artistic mission in its articles of organization or operating agreement. The company can specify that mission has primacy over financial objectives, that they're of equal priority, or define any other balance.
IP Protection
Artistic work assigned or licensed to the company can never be transferred to non-artist investors or third parties. Upon dissolution, it reverts to the artists who created it. These reversionary rights are retained interests that never fully transfer to the company and are not available to creditors.
Shares & Collective Ownership
A-Corps can issue ownership units — including fractional units — letting artists build equity and share ownership with collaborators. Equity can be based on capital contributions (including artistic work as in-kind contributions), equal shares per member, or fixed percentages. Artists can raise capital by issuing shares while maintaining majority control.
Separation of Rights
Economic rights can be separated from governance and control rights. Non-artist investors may hold rights to distributions, royalties, and revenue participation without corresponding voting power or decision-making authority.
Fiduciary Duties
Members and managers have duties to preserve the artistic mission, balance it with financial interests, and consult with artist-members on decisions materially affecting creative direction. These duties can be modified in the articles or operating agreement.
How It Happens
Establishing the A-Corp as a public good means passing laws. Senate Bill 26-133, the Colorado Artist Company Act, has been introduced in the Colorado General Assembly with bipartisan sponsorship — Senators Bridges and Catlin in the Senate, Representatives Martinez and Taggart in the House.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology. If passed, the act takes effect on August 12, 2026, with the Secretary of State required to make long-form articles of organization available by July 1, 2027. Bills based on the Colorado legislation are also going into motion in other states.
Who's Behind This
The Artist Corporations Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building economic power for creative people.
It's led by Yancey Strickler (Executive Director) and Lena Imamura (Managing Director), with a board that includes Jennifer Arceneaux and Mikael Moore, CEO of Wondaland and manager of Janelle Monáe.
More than 4,000 artists and creators have signed up to become an A-Corp.
See What's Possible
Input your creative practice and see what an A-Corp could look like for you.