Local leaders have announced "Tulsa Lawyers for the Arts," a new program that will provide legal assistance and educational programming to artists and arts organizations in Oklahoma for little to no cost.

According to a news release, the program draws inspiration from existing programs in other cities and also an effort to encourage local art and music.

Mayor Kathy Taylor said: "Art keeps a community vital and enhances the quality of life. It helps define our culture as a city."

Through the program, artists will be paired with participating attorneys to discuss legal issues and to resolve arts-related disputes outside traditional legal framework, including contracts, copyright and trademark issues, wills, trusts and estates, First Amendment issues, mediation and landlord-tenant issues.

For more information, call 584-5243 or go online to tulsaworld.com/tulsabar.