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Fine Arts Subject Guide: Citing Art, Music, and More!

Resources for Citing Audio and Visual Arts

Copyright

Many artistic works are protected by copyright. Depending on your use of the work, you may be required to obtain permission to use the work in your research. For example, if you need to use a high-quality image of the work in a paper, you will need to reach out to the artist, artist's estate, or copyright owner to obtain permission. Due diligence, as well as credit and/or a citation, is always required to lower the risk of copyright infringement. To learn more about this, please visit the Association of Art Museum Directors Guidelines For The Use Of Copyrighted Materials And Works Of Art By Museums linked below or visit our Copyright Basics Guide.

Citation Guide

MLA

  • MLA Style Guide for Artworks Viewed Firsthand or Online
    • This guide, created by the Modern Language Association of America (MLA), notes where in the latest MLA Handbook one can find how to cite an image viewed firsthand or online as well as what that type of citation looks like. This is handy if you are looking at individual artworks and artifacts versus an exhibition or piece of writing.
  • MLA Style Guide for Museum Exhibitions
    • Also from MLA, this page describes what a citation of an exhibition looks like in MLA Style.
  • MLA Style Guide for Artworks From an Exhibition
    • Also from MLA, this page describes what a citation of an artwork that is part of an exhibition looks like in MLA Style. Sometimes, the artwork being part of an exhibition is an important part of its context, so it is important to note this when citing these pieces as a source.
  • MLA Style Guide for Audio/Visual Resources
    • The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great one-stop shop for all citations pertaining to MLA or APA. This guide below covers artworks of many kinds, from audiovisual media to photographic works not in a museum collection to podcasts.
  • MLA Style Guide For Electronic Resources
    • The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great one-stop shop for all citations pertaining to MLA or APA. This guide below covers artworks of many kinds, from audiovisual media to photographic works not in a museum collection to podcasts.

APA

  • Purdue Online Writing Lab Citing Audiovisual Media
    • The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great one-stop shop for all citations pertaining to APA or MLA. This guide below covers artworks of many kinds, from audiovisual media to photographic works not in a museum collection to podcasts.
  • APA Style Guide for Artwork References
    • From APA Style, hosted by the APA organization, this guide shows you how to cite an artwork in a museum or on their website, an art exhibition as a whole, and an informational museum plaque. This is a great guide for citing all the aspects of art.

Chicago Style - Author-Date 

Chicago Style- Footnote/Endnote

How to Cite Social Media

  • American University Social Media Citation Guide
    • There are many Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts that use pieces that users have digitized and reproduced for the public. When using these types of pieces it is important to cite them differently from an archive or special collection. The guide below covers this extensively.
  • Bibliography.com Guide to Citing a Blog
    • To cite blogs, Bibliography.com has a great guide on how to use any of the three styles above to cite a blogpost.

A printable version of this guide is available for download below.