Homepage - Creative Commons

Better Sharing, Brighter Future

"Twenty Years of Creative Commons (in Sixty Seconds)" by Ryan Junell and Glenn Otis Brown for Creative Commons is licensed via CC BY 4.0 and includes adaptations of the multiple open and public domain works. View full licensing and attribution information about all works included in the video on Flickr.

Creative Commons is an international nonprofit organization that empowers people to grow and sustain the thriving commons of shared knowledge and culture we need to address the world's most pressing challenges and create a brighter future for all.

Learn more

The nonprofit behind the licenses and tools the world uses to share

For over 20 years, Creative Commons has supported a global movement built on a belief in the power of open access to knowledge and creativity. From Wikipedia to the Smithsonian, organizations and individuals rely on our work to share billions of historic images, scientific articles, cultural artifacts, educational resources, music, and more!

Black and white photo of two people with short, greased-back hair sitting on a couch and playing a violin and a guitar.
"Farmer and his brother making music" by Russell Lee, here cropped, is marked with CC PDM 1.0.
A group of about 18 people of all ages smiling and waving in front of the doors of a white historical building.
"Flickr photowalk at the Creative Commons Global Summit 2019, Lisbon" by Sebastiaan ter Burg, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.
Color photo of an extreme close-up of a virus that looks like a greyish-green ovoid, surrounded by chains of bright orange globules, all in a dark purple environment.
"Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" by NIAID, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.
Color photo of a kabuki actor with dramatic red and black face makeup and traditional hairstyle, staring intently and wearing an ornate gold and blue costume and holding up an open yellow fan with a red dot in the middle.
"Children kabuki theater in Nagahama (warrior Kumagai, 12 y.o.)" by lensonjapan, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.

Latest News

The AI Action Summit & Civil Society’s (Possible) Impact
by Anna Tumadóttir Events, Sustaining the Commons

Conciergerie, Paris
The Conciergerie, Paris by Mustang Joe is marked with CC0 1.0.

The Conciergerie, Paris by Mustang Joe is marked with CC0 1.0 On February 10 and 11, 2025, the government of France convened the AI Action Summit, bringing together heads of state, tech leaders, and civil society to discuss global collaboration and action on AI. The event was co-chaired by French President Macron and Indian Prime Minister…
Why Digital Public Goods, including AI, Should Depend on Open Data
by Cable Green, Creative Commons Policy
CC Launches its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan
by Anna Tumadóttir, Creative Commons About CC