Culture Freedom Day 2023: Annually observed on the third Saturday of May, this year’s Culture Freedom Day falls on May 20. It seeks to educate the global community on the benefits of promoting open culture. Additionally, the day serves as a designated day and international platform for free culture performers to promote themselves. The free culture movement, a term coined by Lawrence Lessig in 2004, promotes the creation of art that is available for free use, study, distribution, modification, etc. The movement opposes restrictions on the entry of art into the public domain. Examples of such practises include copyright extensions.
DAY OF THE HISTORY OF CULTURE FREEDOM
Copyrights are the ‘exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to reproduce, distribute, and adapt the work.’ The history of copyright began when book publishers were granted monopolies. In 1710, the British Statute of Anne was enacted as the world’s first copyright statute. Copyright was initially limited to books, but progressively expanded to include paintings, photographs, sound recordings, and films.
The earliest known instance of the freedom to copy dates back to ancient Ireland. It involved the Cathach, the oldest surviving Irish manuscript and the first instance of Irish writing. A dispute arose regarding the possession of the book. The reigning monarch declared, “To every cow belongs her calf, and to every book its copy.” As a result, the Battle of Cl Dreimhne occurred.
Today, copyright laws protect a vast collection of works from being used by the general public without the owners’ benefit. However, not everyone agrees with the concept. The free culture movement, coined by Lawrence Lessig in 2004, is one example.
HOW TO CELEBRATE CULTURE LIBERTY DAY
Understand copyright
To comprehend why people criticise copyright laws, strive to gain a basic understanding of them. There are numerous resources online.
Read “Free Culture”
“Free Culture” by Lawrence Lessig is the book that began it all. You can download it without cost.
Discuss it on social media
Help your favourite artists of free culture on this day. Spread the word on social media about Culture Freedom Day.
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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT COPYRIGHT
Legal protections for your work
Copyright is owned by the originator from the moment they create a work.
Ideas
You cannot obtain a copyright for an idea.
Public domain
Works that are in the public domain may be used by anyone without restriction.
Fair use
The exception to copyright protection is the use of copy-protected materials for reporting or instructing.
Copyrighted assignments
The concept of copyright encompasses the rights of students to their coursework.
WHY CULTURAL INDEPENDENCE DAY IS IMPORTANT
It calls attention to copyright violations.
The extend of copyright and the suppression of misappropriation severely limit access to information. Culture Freedom Day celebrates this.
It emphasises a contrary viewpoint
While those who support the current copyright laws are a part of the mainstream, Culture Freedom Day focuses on an opposing viewpoint. Today, learn more about these opinions.
It emphasises the significance of readily accessible information
The fundamental tenet of the free-culture movement is that art and certain types of information should be freely accessible to all, as opposed to being protected by paywalls. Culture Freedom Day effectively highlights this significance.
CULTURE FREEDOM DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | May 21 | Saturday |
| 2023 | May 20 | Saturday |
| 2024 | May 18 | Saturday |
| 2025 | May 17 | Saturday |
| 2026 | May 16 | Saturday |
