Season 8

We’re joined by Serena Barone from the International Artists Forum, an international organization built to connect author groups worldwide and strengthen the push for authors’ rights across borders. If you care about copyright, intellectual property, creator advocacy, and how culture gets protected, this season is for you.

We dig into why the International Artists Forum was founded in the first place. Serena explains how the Forum grew from a small start into a network of nearly 100 member organizations around the world, and why that kind of collective power matters when policy and markets move globally. 

We also get concrete about what the Forum actually does: supporting member organizations, helping them advocate with governments and international bodies, and acting as an exchange platform for the issues creators face right now. AI comes up as a major pressure point, raising urgent questions about how creative work is used and valued. We close with why this collaboration matters to us, and why spotlighting many different voices across the season can help listeners understand the real-world impact of IP decisions on writers, translators, visual artists, and academic authors. 

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The views and opinions expressed (by the host and guest(s)) in this podcast are strictly their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the entities with which they may be affiliated. This podcast should in no way be construed as promoting or criticizing any particular government policy, institutional position, private interest or commercial entity. Any content provided is for informational and educational purposes only.

Episode Transcript

Leticia Caminero (00:00):
Season eight is finally coming.
And this season is special.
I had the pleasure tocollaborate with an amazing
association that opened the doorfor me to talk with remarkable
professionals all around theauthor's realm.
If you're curious, listen up toour special guest.

Serena Barone (00:24):
So I'm Serena Barone and I work for
THE INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS FORUM.
First of all, thank you,Leticia, for this opportunity.
And it was, of course, amazingworking with
you THE INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS FORUMis an international
organization whose members areorganizations of authors who was

(00:47):
founded in 10 years ago, moreor less, by a group of uh
experts, writers that work atinternational level who came
together because they found outthat although they were uh
working and lobby for authors'rights in their country, uh
there was not any uhinternational organization who

(01:09):
would uh group all of them andwhere they can feel the sense of
community uh at theinternational level and helped
each other to um fight uh forauthors' rights around the
world.
So they came together and theydecided to found these uh new

(01:30):
organizations, which at thebeginning was very, very small.
Um but thanks to their effortuh and to the effort of the
founders' organization, theyevolved.
It evolved along the years, andat the moment, after uh 12
years, uh we have almost 100organizations around the world

(01:53):
who are members of the IAF.
Um and it's it's like lookingback, it's it's lovely to see
how uh the power of authors andall these organizations became
uh a big community where theyhelped each other and sustained
each other um both at nationallevel and uh international

(02:13):
level.
So what we do uh is basicallysupporting our members who are
organizations of authors, andwhen I mean when I talk about
authors, uh it's not onlywriters, but also translators,
visual artists, academicwriters, uh different kinds of
authors that we have in uh inthe creative industry, and we

(02:36):
help them to uh support lobbyingfor their rights, both at
national levels, so withgovernments, but also at
international levels.
We act uh as a also as anexchange platform, so where
representatives of authors canexchange their opinion on topic

(02:58):
that or issue that uh they'refacing at the moment.
For example, AI is a big issueat the moment.
So it's very we're a veryinteractive platform where we
try to help each other and alsoraise awareness around the world
about authors, uh writers, howimportant uh writers and artists

(03:18):
are for our uh culture and oursociety foundation.

Leticia Caminero (03:24):
Thank you so much, Serena.
Now we have a clear picture ofwhat the organization does and
the contribution it makes.
So now we can follow up withwhy you're here today.
What brought you toIntangibilia and what led you to
collaborate with us?

Serena Barone (03:41):
We decided that it was important to give these
authors voices.
Of course, Intangibilia is avery, very popular podcast in
IP, and we are more than happyto convene with you.
So that's why uh we thoughtthat a special podcast, which
now is very popular, is a greatopportunity to give all voices

(04:01):
around the world the um theplace that they they deserve,
the the voice that they deserve.
Uh, and we are very happybecause, as you can see
throughout the season,throughout the episodes, we have
very different voices talkingabout their own experience and
how their own experience isreflecting their writing.

(04:21):
Uh, and I think it will be uhan amazing season, and I hope
you all enjoy listening to them.

Announcer (04:31):
This podcast is provided for information
purposes only and should not beconsidered as legal advice or
legal opinion.