Abstract: A system and method provides for the distribution of artistic works in electronic formats within an organization. The system includes a gateway server and desktop client that enables a user upload and store, on the gateway server, an encrypted copy of the digital content and define an encrypted ticket unique to each user granted access to the digital content. In order to access the encrypted digital content, a user obtains the encrypted ticket. The ticket is encrypted with the user's public key and includes a symmetric key that can be used to decrypt the digital content as well as access control or rights management information that can be used to control user access to the digital content. The user's private key can be used to decrypt the ticket to obtain the symmetric key in order to decrypt the digital content.