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

Four cropped photos, a toucan air balloon, a Tibetan painting of Chakrasamvara, a photo of a starry sky, and a photo of a party from the 50's are all layered with two electric-green — 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.

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

A staff sergeant holds a cyber certification training course for youth — Photo by Tech. Sgt. R.J. Biermann, 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

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.

Request Training or Consulting

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

A photo of a purple-blue sky over a lake surrounded by green trees, cropped into a boxy — "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.

Support CC

A photo of two dancers lit on a dark stage, taken during a performance from the Spectrum Dance Theater in Dhaka — "Spectrum Dance Theater in Dhaka" from the U.S. Embassy Dhaka, here cropped, is in the public domain.

Recently from the blog

Attribution

Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg, licensed with CC BY 2.0.
Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg, licensed with CC BY 2.0.

Update on CC Signals: What Changed and Why
by Creative Commons Licenses & Tools, Policy

It’s been a while since we last shared an update on CC signals and our work around AI and the commons. Over the past several months, we’ve been deep in research, in conversation, and in active collaboration with communities, policymakers, and practitioners. We took the time to understand where power is consolidating, where harms are emerging, and where meaningful intervention is actually possible. We are now at a point where we believe we can act in ways that will have real impact.
Licensing Best Practices for the Sharing of Scientific Data
by Taylor Campbell, Monica Granados, Jan Ainali Open Science
Call for Proposals: Regional Events Celebrating CC’s 25th Anniversary
by Jocelyn Miyara Community

Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg, licensed with CC BY 2.0.
Celebrating 25 Years of Choosing to Share
by Creative Commons About CC, Community

Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg, licensed with CC BY 2.0.