---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Graham Cobb <openrights(a)cobb.uk.net>
Date: 2009/7/22
Subject: [ORG-discuss] Gallery photos petition now approved
To: Open Rights Group open discussion list
<org-discuss(a)lists.openrightsgroup.org>
My petition to the PM about galleries and museums making photos available
under CC has been approved. Feel free to sign up and/or to let other people
know!
Your petition has been approved by the Number 10 web team, and
is now available on the Number 10 website at the following
address:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/artphotos/
Your petition reads:
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to require all
museums and art galleries receiving public funds to release all
photographs they commision of their objects into the public
domain or under a Creative Commons licence.
The National Portrait Gallery has recently taken legal action
against the Wikimedia Foundation for hosting photographs of
their paintings even though the paintings are no longer under
copyright.
It is unreasonable that any publicly owned or funded museum
should restrict the public from having access to photographs of
their objects. These bodies receive public funding to promote
public understanding of and familiarity with art and history,
not to restrict it.
Any museum or gallery which takes public funds should be
required to release to the public all photographs it
commissions of all objects in its collection, whether still
under copyright or not. This would include photos taken for
curatorial reasons, publicity, web sites, as well as those
taken for creating souvenirs, postcards, calendars, etc. The
original photographs should be made available at full
resolution.
The photographs should either be released into the public
domain or under a Creative Commons licence allowing public use
of the material.
Thanks for submitting your petition.
-- the ePetitions team
----- End forwarded message -----
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