Putting copyright out to pasture

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Rock group Nine Inch Nails caused a sensation in the music world recently - and it wasn’t for their front man’s antics. Every day, artists and consumers are finding new ways to engage with each other in a virtual world: traditional copyright rules are out; new business models are in. NIN’s online release of their current album under a Creative Commons (CC) licence which lets others share, burn and even remix their songs is just the latest example of artists allowing their fans to access and use creative product outside the powerful grip major corporations have traditionally held over distribution.

Australia is leading the way in this digital revolution. As a major research arm of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI), Creative Commons Australia (CCau) researchers are known internationally for identifying real solutions to the legal, regulatory and policy issues raised by new communication technologies like online games, blogs, and social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

CCau’s Building an Australasian Commons conference is a free one-day event in Brisbane designed to bring industry experts, leading thinkers, emerging artists and the average consumer together to explore the broader questions of ownership, creation and innovation in the digital age.

The daytime part of the event aims to be an open forum where anyone can exchange ideas, information and inspiration, and includes expert panels on issues including the latest music business models and open education resources.

The conference also offers opportunities for participants to engage with the latest developments in the user-generated phenomenon, the creative industries and entertainment, education and government, from local initiatives such as ABC Pool and YouDecide 2007 to popular international social networking sites such as YouTube and Flickr.

In the evening, the event transforms into a showcase of video, art and music from a range of local and international artists working with CC.

Featured works in the ccSalon include:
Licht Drift (Terminal Quartet) - the eighth collaborative composition in Andrew Garton’s Drift Theory improvisation series, music and video by Sydney-based artist Yunyu, 2002 winner of Triple J's WA Unearthed competition, new artworks produced for the event by local Brisbane animators Merri Randell and Chris Denaro (Chunky Fish) as well as award-winning international animations including Elephant's Dream and Big Buck Bunny and an exhibition of 'open' photos from the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney's collection.

Remix My Lit - a joint initiative of the Australia Council of the Arts and Creative Commons Australia - will also be launching a world first in publishing: a remixed/remixable short story anthology which includes contributions by Australian/Vogel Literary Award winners Danielle Wood and Stefan Laszczuk as well as Aurealis award winner Kim Wilkins, two time winner of the Age Short Story Award Cate Kennedy, Emily McGuire, Philip Neilsen, James Phelan, and Lee Battersby.

Building an Australasian Commons will be held on 24 June at the State Library of Queensland. For more information go to: http://creativecommons.org.au