Norweigan Court Rules That Striptease is an Artform

A Norwegian appeals court has ruled that strip club owners should be exempt from VAT taxes on the grounds that stripping is an art form.

A Norwegian appeals court has ruled that striptease is an art form and should therefore be exempt from value-added tax (VAT).

The owners of the Diamond Go Go Bar in Oslo had refused to pay VAT of 25% on entry fees as tax authorities demanded.

[…]

Lawyers for the club’s owners argued that striptease dancers were stage artists just like sword-swallowers and comedians and deserved the same status.

“Striptease, in the way it is practised in this case, is a form of dance combined with acting,” the judges ruled, according to AFP news agency.

I can’t argue with that logic. If the United States ever decides to exempt performance events from taxes, let’s hope the courts keep this Norwegian ruling in mind as persuasive authority…

(link via Warren Ellis)

FILED UNDER: Europe, ,
Alex Knapp
About Alex Knapp
Alex Knapp is Associate Editor at Forbes for science and games. He was a longtime blogger elsewhere before joining the OTB team in June 2005 and contributed some 700 posts through January 2013. Follow him on Twitter @TheAlexKnapp.

Comments

  1. Rodney Dill says:

    Uffdah

  2. Triumph says:

    I can’t argue with that logic. If the United States ever decides to exempt performance events from taxes, let’s hope the courts keep this Norwegian ruling in mind as persuasive authority…

    First of all, as a conisseur of strip clubs, I can tell you that it it certainly a form of “acting.” The dancers are clearly flirtatous, engaging, etc… as part of their act.

    It is a physical performance no different than the ballet.

    Also, the United States already “exempts performance events from taxes.” There is no VAT in the US and the feds don’t tax any performance events.

  3. Alex Knapp says:

    Also, the United States already “exempts performance events from taxes.” There is no VAT in the US and the feds don’t tax any performance events.

    There’s no entry fees for strip clubs in the United States, either. I was making a JOKE…….

    sheesh!

  4. Alex Knapp says:

    Although, come to think about it, I suppose the feds might be able to exempt goods sold at performance events from sales taxes. Tax free beer at strip clubs would be nice…

  5. Anderson says:

    Hm. Wilde said that one should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art. Properly qualified stripteasers hit the mark on both.

  6. Triumph says:

    There’s no entry fees for strip clubs in the United States, either. I was making a JOKE…….

    Sorry I didn’t get it! Stripping is a profession I take very seriously!

  7. Alex Knapp says:

    Triumph,

    No problem. Just join me in my campaign for tax free beer at strip clubs!