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If I can be so for real, being a live event artist is truly a dream gig. You get to show up at beautiful events, create personalized art on the spot, and be part of someone’s special moment or a brand’s big launch.

But then, like any business, you have to do things that feel a little less fun and a whole lot more “businessy” and you remember… oh yeah! We’ve got some big girl responsibilities here.

And one of those things that’s always stopped me in my tracks and made me remember that this is in fact a legitimate business and I can’t always just focus on the fun is legal protection. 

When I first started Cat Lauren Calligraphy, I’ll be honest… I was totally winging it with my legal protection! I was creating my contracts from scratch and crossing my fingers just hoping that I covered everything. 

As my business continued to grow, I realized that I couldn’t wing it forever and I needed to make sure I had legit contracts for my business that were legally backed so I was truly protected when working with businesses and brands. 

Enter: this contract template I co-created with my favorite lawyer, Paige Griffith with The Legal Paige, who specializes in helping creative business owners protect their business with simple and easy to use contract templates. 

In this blog post, I introduced this contract for calligraphers for live event artists and explained why it’s so important to use contracts and gave insight to 5 of the most important contract clauses to make sure you include (and customize with your own business policies). 

But because The Legal Paige knows that business is everchanging, she recently made a few updates to the contract to ensure that it truly covers everything you might face as a live event artist. 

And there’s honestly no better time for these updates to happen because if you’re reading this in real time (May 2025), The Legal Paige is having her semi-annual sale where you can purchase any contract you need and receive 40% off!

(But even if you’re reading this after the big sale, you can use code ‘CatLauren10’ to save 10% at checkout!)

Keep reading for a look at the newest updates for the live event artist contract that will protect your business from top to bottom. 

5 Clauses That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked in Your Live Event Artist Contract 

1. A Clear Clause for On-Site Overtime

As a live event artist, you might be all too familiar with the feeling of when an event is running longer than planned, the line at your table is still wrapped around the corner, and your client comes up to ask, “can you stay an extra hour?”

At that moment, you’re sort of at a crossroads – do you stay and spend extra time, energy, and maybe even have to rearrange your schedule or do you turn people down, leaving them with no custom favor and potentially upset the event host?

It can be a tricky situation! But one thing that can ease some of your stress and overwhelm in this moment is knowing that your contract has a clause that very clearly outlines what happens if your time on-site extends beyond what was originally agreed upon.

With this contract update involving Fees and Retainer, there’s a section that covers this specifically, so that you feel confident knowing how to navigate on-site overtime AND know that you’ll be compensated accordingly.

No more awkward money convos while you’re mid-engraving a wine glass because it’s all laid out upfront.

2. Flexibility in Who Supplies the Goods

One of the key attributes of being a live event artist is having flexibility! Almost no event is exactly the same and it’s super important to lean into being flexible and really working with a brand to create an event that feels fun and authentic to them. 

And sometimes this means being flexible with who is supplying the goods – you or the brand. Sometimes the brand might want to ship you 100 water bottles, while other times you might source and bring everything yourself. 

This contract update gives you flexibility for both scenarios, so you can clearly define who’s responsible for what and avoid miscommunication when something breaks, gets delayed, or doesn’t meet your material requirements.

Additionally, this section also helps you manage expectations and include testing windows so you’re not customizing something with questionable surfaces (hello, mystery-coated metal) at the last minute!

3. Exclusive Artist Rights

Wanna hear a live event artist’s actual nightmare? When they show up to their booked event and realize that another artist is also on-site doing something eerily similar right across the room.

Yeah, not cool! And here’s the thing: brands don’t necessarily do this with ill intent. They simply want to maximize their event and make sure that their guests have plenty of experiences. But what the brand doesn’t realize is that having two live event artists on-site can complicate things and cause an unnecessary sense of competition that doesn’t sit well with anyone. 

That’s why this contract update is such a game changer! Now, your contract can specify that you (and your team or approved associates) are the only live calligraphers or engraving artists at the event.

This protects your artistry, avoids guest confusion, and ensures your unique work isn’t overshadowed or diluted by another vendor doing the same thing!

4. Venue and Client Setup Expectations

Raise your hand if you’ve ever arrived at a venue only to be tucked into a dark hallway without a table or decent lighting.

This is something that can be so frustrating as a live event artist because 1) we need a proper area to actually perform our work well and 2) if your guests can’t find us, the event as a whole can fall flat. 

This contract update revolves around Client and Venue Requirements and very clearly spells out exactly what the client and/or venue needs to provide to support your setup.

Whether that’s a sturdy table, chair, proper lighting, or an outlet if you’re running a tool, it takes the guesswork out of logistics so you can focus on doing what you do best: creating magic on the spot. 

5. Details Around Rush Fees and Testing

As a live event artist, one of my favorite sayings is, “I’ve got a service for every surface” and it’s true! The options for what I can engrave, calligraph, hot foil, or deboss are almost endless. 

And most of the time, my clients request items that I have had experience with before, like champagne glasses, leather luggage tags, perfume bottles, etc. 

Sometimes, however, I’ll get a request for a new and unique item and one thing about me is that I’m always up for a challenge! But with that, I often need time to test the product and ensure that I can create something that your guests will truly be excited to take home. 

With this contract update, there’s now a section that covers timelines for testing materials and creating samples, along with any rush fees that might apply.

It also clearly defines what qualifies as a “rush” and what extra fees might apply if a client wants something turned around ASAP. 

Clear communication? Check. Stronger boundaries? Double check. Overall, working with new materials takes time, and that time deserves to be compensated!

The Best Customizable Contract for Calligraphers and Live Event Artists

You might think a contract is just a formality, but for live artists, it’s truly the foundation of a smooth and successful event experience and The Legal Paige’s customizable contract template doesn’t just protect your work – it protects your energy, time, and professionalism.

With the latest contract updates, you’ll be even more equipped to:

• Set realistic expectations with clients
• Prevent last-minute stress and scope creep
• Ensure fair compensation for your work
• Deliver a seamless, elevated experience for both you and your clients

And while you absolutely could keep piecing together your live event contracts and hoping for the best, I’m here to say that you don’t have to live that life anymore!

Your business deserves to be legitimately protected and there’s no better (or easier) way to do that than to simply invest in a lawyer drafted contract that was made specifically for YOUR industry. 

The Legal Paige listened to all of my concerns and questions and she truly didn’t leave anything out. The contract template she created covers everything listed above, PLUS:

• Terms for Social Media
• Venue and Location Limitations Clause
• Inclement Weather Clause
• Travel Fees Clause
• Artistic Style Clause
• Cancellation of Live Event Artist Services by Company Clause

and SO much more!

CLICK HERE to grab your very own contract template and use code ‘CatLauren10’ to save 10% at checkout!

And if you happen to be subcontracting other artists to work events with your clients on your behalf, then the Associate Addendum is also a great contract option for you. This template can be added to any contract that you’re currently using! 

Here’s to having one less thing on your plate and being fully confident that your booty and your business are both protected. 🙌

P.S. Want to hear more from The Legal Paige herself? Click here to listen to the podcast episode where we talked about when to implement contracts, how to modify them, and the role of AI in contract creation.

P.P.S. If you’re a creative that doesn’t offer live event services, but you’re still in need of a contract template to fit your needs, The Legal Paige is still your go-to. Click here to browse contracts by industry and don’t forget to use code ‘CatLauren10’ at checkout to save yourself some dolla dolla bills, ya’ll!