"Black soul singer Isaac Hayes performs at the International Amphitheater in Chicago..." by John H. White, here remixed by CC, is in the public domain.
Creative Commons is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and nurturing a commons of shared knowledge and culture that powers human creativity, equity, and innovation.
The CC licenses and public domain tools give everyone from individuals to large institutions a standardized way to grant the public permission to use their work under copyright law.
Used by Wikipedia, Flickr, The Met, Khan Academy, and millions more globally!
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Top left: Photo by 1ffischer, here edited and cropped, is in the public domain. Bottom left: "Chakrasamvara with His Consort Vajravarahi," here cropped, is in the public domain. Top right: "Swinging Towards the Stars and the Sea" by Liza Chan, here cropped, is marked with CC0. Bottom right: Photo by Agnes Happen, here cropped, is marked with CC0.
We steward the open infrastructure of sharing and contribute to a thriving creative commons with, and for, community.
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Photo by Tech. Sgt. R.J. Biermann, here cropped, is marked with CC0.
This year, Creative Commons marks 25 years of powering the world’s sharing—a quarter century of building the legal, technical, and social infrastructure that enables open knowledge, creativity, and collaboration worldwide. We invite you to celebrate with us—and to help shape the next chapter of the commons.
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Show your love for CC while supporting better sharing and open knowledge. Browse CC’s latest merch drop, with beanies, mugs, stickers, t-shirts, and more!
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Whether through our CC Certificate courses, tailored facilitation, or legal office hours, we support organizations working to expand the global commons. Learn, collaborate, and lead with openness at the center.
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If we want ethical and equitable AI, we must protect and nourish the commons it relies on. Learn about how we’re adapting to address sharing in the age of AI, from developing new frameworks like CC signals, strengthening licensing guidance, and advocating for policies that keep access to knowledge open and equitable.
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"Trees Near Lake Under Blue Sky" via Pixabay, here cropped, is marked with CC0.
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"Spectrum Dance Theater in Dhaka" from the U.S. Embassy Dhaka, here cropped, is in the public domain.
At the recent Founders Fireside Chat, Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig referred to himself as “hopelessly naive.” It struck me that this sort of naivete—the kind that is about believing in the potential for good when sharing knowledge with other humans—is the glue that holds the entire Creative Commons movement together, across borders and belief systems.
