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Copyright and digital cultural heritage

Copyright raises relevant questions for those who work with or otherwise use digital cultural heritage: how do you legally share collections online and support their reuse? How can you deal with legal risk? How are legal and policy changes shaping this area? 

The Europeana Initiative offers free, up-to-date and expert guidance, resources, standards, webinars and an active community for all professionals who work with copyright in the cultural heritage sector. Explore these below.  

Training

Learn and test your knowledge on copyright and the use of rights statements.

Tools and knowledge

Access resources and documentation on topics which support cultural heritage professionals to build understanding of copyright in relation to digital cultural heritage.

FAQs on Out of Commerce works
Title:
Helsingin rautatieasema, perspektiivipiirustus keskushallista
Creator:
Saarinen, Eliel
Date:
1913
Institution:
Museum of Finnish Architecture
Country:
Finland

FAQs on Out of Commerce works

Discover information about out of commerce works. 

Recommendations on copyright and its role in the digital transformation of the cultural heritage sector
Title:
Exterieur van de bibliotheek van de Humboldtuniversiteit te Berlijn
Date:
c.1890 - c.1910
Institution:
Rijksmuseum
Country:
Netherlands

Recommendations on copyright and its role in the digital transformation of the cultural heritage sector

During the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Europeana held a conference to explore the copyright challenges the cultural heritage sector faces as it embraces its digital transformation. Read the report.

Standards for rights information

We support the use of Creative Commons Licences and Tools, and through the Rights Statements Consortium, we offer additional tools to standardise the way you communicate rights information about online collections.

Open access

We advocate for open access through our policies and frameworks, and encourage you to open your collections up for reuse. Learn about the benefits of removing barriers to reuse and explore the experiences of other institutions.

Copyright Directive

Gain an understanding of recent and upcoming legal and policy changes in the European Union and your country.

Network and communities

Join our vibrant Copyright Communityto engage, collaborate and transfer knowledge with peers and experts working on copyright and digital cultural heritage.

Events

Register for upcoming events which support cultural heritage professionals to gain new skills and knowledge.

Webinars

Learn from various useful and successful approaches to clearing rights and to managing copyright in a cultural heritage institution.

News

Keep up to date with policy and practice around copyright and digital cultural heritage.

Is the Public Domain under threat in Italy?
Title:
ROMA - Trinità de 'Monti
Creator:
Desconegut
Date:
1900 - 1910
Institution:
Girona City Council
Country:
Spain

Is the Public Domain under threat in Italy?

Created: 12 July 2023

A recent Decree adopted by the Italian Ministry of Culture sets minimum fees for the use of cultural heritage and its digital reproduction, even if in the public domain. Deborah De Angelis and Laura Sinigaglia from the Creative Commons Italy chapter tell you about the Decree and how it limits the circulation of Italian State-owned cultural heritage and restricts access to culture and knowledge.

Discover insights from the Copyright office hours on artificial intelligence
Title:
Turner beim Bockspringen
Creator:
Hamann, Heinrich
Date:
1905 -1909
Institution:
Museum of Arts and Crafts, Hamburg
Country:
Germany

Discover insights from the Copyright office hours on artificial intelligence

Created: 11 July 2023

Europeana Copyright Office Hours was back on 16 May with a session on artificial intelligence and its implications for digital cultural heritage. This session was co-organised with the Europeana Network Association’s Research and EuropeanaTech communities. Read the answers to the questions under discussion and join future sessions!

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