The commons belongs to us all
"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.
Tools for building the commons
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!
About CC Licenses
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.
Celebrate CC’s 25th Anniversary
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.
Join the celebrations
Join us in shaping what’s next
We steward the open infrastructure of sharing and contribute to a thriving creative commons with, and for, community.
Get Involved
Photo by Tech. Sgt. R.J. Biermann, here cropped, is marked with CC0.
Support CC In Style
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!
Shop CC Merch
Empowering access to knowledge
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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Protecting the Commons in the Age of AI
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.
Explore AI And the Commons
"Trees Near Lake Under Blue Sky" via Pixabay, here cropped, is marked with CC0.
Support CC and stay connected
There are many ways to give. You can make a one-time donation or become a recurring donor by joining our Open Infrastructure Circle.
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"Spectrum Dance Theater in Dhaka" from the U.S. Embassy Dhaka, here cropped, is in the public domain.
Recently from the blog
Attribution
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Image by Diego Delso is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. -
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"London King's Cross rainbow light tunnel" by The wub, here remixed, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. -
"Library" by thievingjoker is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. "A New View of the Moon" from NASA, here remixed, is marked in the public domain. "Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition (1911)" by Stewart Butterfield is licensed under CC BY 2.0. "Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges)" by Ogata Kōrin, 1709, is marked in the public domain.
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Attribution in the Age of AI
Licenses & Tools, Sustaining the Commons
Image by Diego Delso is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Attribution has always been a cornerstone of working with other people’s creativity and knowledge. As Creative Commons reminds us, practicing attribution serves many important functions, from providing verifiable evidence of a claim, to paying respect to the work of others, and creating pathways for traffic and financial value to flow. Despite the importance of attribution, many of today’s AI systems fail to acknowledge the sources of knowledge and creativity that make them possible.
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Introducing the CC Open Heritage Companion
Open Culture, Open Heritage
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Takeaways from a London Workshop on CC Signals
Licenses & Tools
"London King's Cross rainbow light tunnel" by The wub, here remixed, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. -
The Legacy of 25 Years of Creative Commons
Events
"Library" by thievingjoker is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. "A New View of the Moon" from NASA, here remixed, is marked in the public domain. "Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition (1911)" by Stewart Butterfield is licensed under CC BY 2.0. "Irises at Yatsuhashi (Eight Bridges)" by Ogata Kōrin, 1709, is marked in the public domain.
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