Art UK is committed to respecting intellectual property rights. We provide the tools to help collections share their images at the level they are comfortable with and notify website visitors about the permissions and copyright restrictions for each image.
This guide explains how these rights apply to images on Art UK and how our Copyright and Licensing team can support collections in managing intellectual property rights.
Types of rights
There are two main types of rights affecting images on Art UK:
- Image rights: The rights to the digital image of the artwork
- Artwork copyright: The copyright of the artwork represented in the image
Image rights
In most cases, the collections own the images of their artworks displayed on Art UK, even if Art UK took the images during digitisation projects. The term 'image credit' on our website indicates the image owner, clearly attributing the image to its owner.
Art UK respects the image reuse policies already in place with collections. We work to mirror each collection's policies. For example, if a collection makes their images available with a Creative Commons licence, we will do the same until their policies become more open access. Our goal is to support each collection’s preferences while facilitating broader access where possible.
Our agreements detail how Art UK can make collection images available for reuse:
- Creative Commons Licence: Allows for specified reuse
- CC0 or Public Domain Mark: Indicates the image is free of copyright restrictions
The Public Domain Mark is not a licence but a label indicating that a work is already in the public domain and free of all copyright restrictions.
An example of an artwork image assigned a Public Domain Mark on Art UK
We recommend reviewing the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) guidance on the copyright status of images of 2D public domain artworks.
Key points include:
- Creative Commons Licences: Useful for managing copyright in creative works, but do not apply to public domain works.
- Public Domain Images: Accurate, unaltered images of 2D public domain works generally remain in the public domain.
- Both the CC0 licence and the Public Domain Mark facilitate the free use of images; CC0 is an active waiver of rights by the creator, whereas the Public Domain Mark simply identifies works already free of copyright.
Many collections featured on Art UK have released their images under a CC0 licence or with a Public Domain Mark, including Wellcome Collection, Birmingham Museums Trust, The National Library Wales, Royal Watercolour Society, Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums and Yale Centre for British Art.
Artwork copyright
Copyright applies to artworks where the creator is still alive or died within the last 70 years. Collections usually do not hold the copyright to the artworks themselves, except in certain cases where documentation provides proof that the artwork copyright was transferred.
If the artist of an artwork remains in copyright, a collection may need to seek permission to reproduce the artwork on their own website. Art UK is responsible for tracing rights-holder contact details and gaining copyright permission for reproduction on the Art UK website.
For further information about Art UK's approach to copyright and online image reproduction, please see our guidance pages.
Passing on rights holder information
When Art UK seeks copyright clearance from rights holders, we also request permission for the collection to reproduce images on their own non-commercial websites. We also ask if we can pass on rights-holder contact details to the collection. The Art UK Copyright and Licensing team can provide spreadsheets listing the copyright and clearance status of the artworks owned by each collection. Email copyright@artuk.org to request this information.
High-resolution images of artworks
Art UK photographed the majority of the artworks on the website. High-resolution photographs of the oil paintings and sculptures were shared with every participating art collection. If a collection requires a replacement set of images, there may be an administration charge of £10 plus VAT. For more information, please contact info@artuk.org
Art UK collection agreements
All collections represented on Art UK have signed an agreement with Art UK (as the Public Catalogue Foundation). These agreements permit us to show the collections' data and images, as well as use these for publicity, pending consent from copyright holders of the underlying artworks, where relevant.
If your collection requires a copy of its current agreement, or you would like to update permissions, please email copyright@artuk.org