Discover the Commons

Melies color Voyage dans la lune, by Georges Méliès, Public Domain.

The shared body of creativity and knowledge that underpins human progress is what we refer to when we talk about “the commons.” Every song, every photo, every research paper or news article freely available for access and use for sharing, repurposing, and remixing becomes a part of the commons.

But, the commons is more than just a repository of information, more than the sum of its parts. It is our history and heritage, our current collective knowledge, and the content and data for discoveries not yet made. 

Access to knowledge for all—open sharing without paywalls or legal barriers—ensures that when we move forward, we move forward together without power being consolidated in the hands of a few. To grow, renew, and protect the commons so that it can continue to thrive and give back for generations: this is the goal of Creative Commons, and work that cannot be done alone. 

Whether you share your work under a CC license, remix the work of others in your own creations, or support Creative Commons in our mission, we are all builders of the commons.

Custodians of the Commons

The commons requires care. We provide ongoing maintenance of the infrastructure of sharing so that humanity can continue to contribute to the commons. 

As custodian of the commons, we:

Discover the Commons

Tens of billions of CC-licensed works exist across millions of websites. Many websites that are part of your day-to-day online use CC licensing and offer CC license options for their users. 

You can also find CC-licensed content via the CC Search Portal.