Creative Commons

Last week, Jennryn Wetzler, our Director of Learning and Training, and Brigitte Vézina, our Director of Policy and Open Culture, hosted a workshop at #WikimaniaNairobi. Participants gained a greater understanding of open licensing and newfound inspiration to contribute to the commons by creating music and building digital collections.  During an interactive activity at the workshop, Jennryn and Brigitte led the group in remixing CC-licensed and public domain music using Citizen DJ, a project that allows users to create hip-hop music from openly available audio and video collections provided by the Library of Congress. Participants also learned how to create an attribution for their remixed work. Thank you to those who attended! If you missed the workshop, you can watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/eDnn5Rzd. Follow along to the recording and remix your own beats on Citizen DJ using this link: https://lnkd.in/djX7Ptq. Feel free to share your beats and attributions in the comments section below!

As galleries, libraries, archives, and museums increasingly cater to online audiences and users, they often seek Creative Commons legal tools, expertise, and community support. Our CC Certificate for Open Culture course helps participants learn the skills they need to: 👐 Develop capacity in opening access to cultural heritage. 🧑🎓 Develop a deeper understanding of open licensing and copyright considerations with digitization projects, Rights Statements, Traditional Knowledge Labels, working with the public domain, and more. Register for the September 29 - December 7 term: https://lnkd.in/e_FD8Vfi

The voting period for SXSW 2026 is open until August 24! Check out the proposals and vote for your favorites. This year, CC has submitted two proposals for consideration. Please share them with your network! “Rewriting the Social Contract: AI & the Future of Knowledge.” AI depends on human-made content. Like many others, we’re concerned about the social contract enabling open sharing breaking down. As creators block access and retreat behind paywalls, trust in the digital commons erodes. At the same time, some embrace AI for new creative expression. What happens to the digital commons if the internet no longer wants to be read by machines? This panel will feature Anna Tumadóttir, Kayvan Ghaffari, Lisa Watts, and Simon Hudson. To vote for these panels, create an account or sign in at https://lnkd.in/dtgRe7V4. Once logged in, click here https://lnkd.in/eV6KXRqm and tap on the heart icon if you think this panel should be chosen for #SXSW 2026.

The voting period for programming at SXSW 2026 is underway! You have until August 24 to review proposals and vote for your favorites. CC has submitted two proposals for consideration this year, and we hope you’ll share them with your network! “25 Years of Creative Commons: Insights & Reflections.” In 2026, Creative Commons turns 25. For decades, CC has empowered creators, educators, and institutions to share knowledge openly, fueling a global movement for access and equity. As we face a new era shaped by AI, climate urgency, and digital enclosure, the open movement must evolve. This session will feature panelists Anna Tumadóttir, Lane Becker, and Lawrence Lessig. To vote for this panel, create an account or sign in at https://lnkd.in/dtgRe7V4. Once logged in, click here: https://lnkd.in/e54btD2n. Next, tap on the heart icon if you think this panel should be accepted for #SXSW 2026.

Last month, the European Union finalized its draft Code of Practice (CoP) for the EU AI Act. Throughout the drafting process, we at CC have provided comments and are pleased to see that this version of the CoP has addressed many of our key concerns. We look forward to continuing our engagement in this space. Read our article below to learn more about our thoughts on the CoP and the work that still lies ahead.

Now is the time to vote for programming at SXSW 2026! From now until August 24, help shape the conference by reviewing session proposals online and voting for your favorite presentations, panels, discussions, demonstrations, and more. CC has submitted two panel proposals for consideration: Rewriting the Social Contract: AI & the Future of Knowledge This panel explores the backlash against AI training, the risk to open knowledge, and the need for new norms that protect human rights, creativity, and agency. Panelists include: Anna Tumadóttir, Kayvan Ghaffari, Lisa Watts, and Simon Hudson. Learn more and vote for it here https://lnkd.in/eV6KXRqm. 25 Years of Creative Commons: Insights & Reflections This panel reflects on CC’s legacy and explores the future of openness, including how legal, technical, and social frameworks can support knowledge sharing, open infrastructure, and creativity in a world increasingly defined by automation and uncertainty. Panelists include: Anna Tumadóttir, Lane Becker, and Lawrence Lessig. Learn more and vote for it here: https://lnkd.in/e54btD2n. To cast your vote for these panels, create an account or sign in at https://lnkd.in/dtgRe7V4. Once logged in, click on the links for the panels above and tap on the heart icon if you think they should be accepted for #SXSW 2026.

As the role of libraries continues to evolve and expand in the fast-changing information climate, expertise in open licensing is a critical asset for the modern librarian. Over 10 weeks, participants of our CC Certificate for Librarians will get a crash course in open licensing, copyright, public domain, and open access practices 👏. Learn more and register for the September 29-December 7 session: https://lnkd.in/e_FD8Vfi New York Public Library opened May 23rd 1911 by Jim Griffin is marked with CC0 1.0

What does influence the chosen intellectual property management policy in European museums? In a study we conducted together with Anna Pluszyńska, Konrad Gliściński and Anna Kościelna under the Critical Heritage Studies Hub we looked at legal, economic, and social factors impacting these choices. We talked to 20 European heritage professionals to better undertand their institution’s approach to IP. The study results indicate that it’s not the regulations or finances, but the human factor that particularly plays a relevant role in how museums approach IP management. It’s the mindset, individual values and organisational dynamics that greatly shape how museums tackle reuse and risk regarding collection management. We put our findings in a report that just got published. ‘Human factor in European museums’ intellectual property management through sociocultural, legal, political and economic determinants’ is now out and we are eager to hear your thoughts and keep the discussion on IP management in CHIs going. 📖 https://lnkd.in/deAauxm5 Fundacja Centrum Cyfrowe Europeana NEMO - Network of European Museum Organisations Creative Commons TAROCH Coalition Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Kraków Europa Nostra Uniwersytet Jagielloński (Jagiellonian University) #intellectualproperty #management #museums

🎯 New Publication Alert 🎯 Excited to share our latest article published in Museum Management and Curatorship: 📘 “Human factor in European museums’ intellectual property management through sociocultural, legal, political and economic determinants” By: Anna Pluszyńska, Maria Drabczyk, Konrad Gliściński, and Anna Kościelna 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gFjc5Kuh 📍 What shapes how museums across Europe manage intellectual property? While legislation and institutional frameworks matter, our research shows one factor stands out: people. Through interviews with 20 museums and umbrella organisations across Europe, we explored how staff mindsets, internal culture, and organisational capabilities influence whether institutions choose openness, caution, or creative risk-taking in IP management. 💡 Key insights: IP policies aren’t just legal—they’re strategic and human-driven. Museums juggle ethical responsibilities with financial and legal pressures. Institutional openness depends heavily on internal knowledge, training, and leadership attitude. There’s a critical need for clearer, more supportive legal frameworks to empower cultural access in the digital age. This study addresses a key gap in our understanding of IP governance in cultural institutions—one rooted not only in law and economics but in motivation, trust, and public mission. 📣 We hope this sparks more conversations about building sustainable, human-centred IP strategies for the museum sector. #OpenCulture #IPR #Museums #CulturalHeritage #DigitalTransformation #Copyright #MuseumManagement #CulturalPolicy #MuseumStudies #Research Brigitte Vézina COMMUNIA Europeana NEMO - Network of European Museum Organisations inDICEs Project Ariadna Matas Casadevall Creative Commons KnowledgeRights21 Giulia Dore Maria Della Lucia Julia Pagel

On August 7 at 3:45 p.m. EAT, Jennryn Wetzler, our Director of Learning and Training and Brigitte Vézina, our Director of Policy and Open Culture will lead a workshop during Wikimania 2025 titled “Give Me A Beat! Creative Commons Licensing and Ethical Considerations for Cultural Heritage Collections.” The session will include an overview of the CC Certificate for Open Culture, a professional development course that builds expertise in open licensing and open practices for cultural heritage professionals. Participants will also engage in an interactive exercise to curate and create music by syncing drum beats to public domain music. This exercise will spark discussion around the challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations of copyright and stewardship of digitized cultural works. Register: https://lnkd.in/e_BPngWq