Artists Bill of Rights
Artists Bill of Rights
From the moment that anyone creates anything – writes a story, take a photograph, draws or paints or produces music – that person enjoys rights in that creation. This includes copyright, so often misquoted as to what it stands for. In essence, the words you craft, the photographs you make, are your copyright and you have the right to control copies made of them. It s an inherent right – you do not have to register your work or stake a claim: it is intrinsically yours for the term of copyright.
In the UK, this term extends for 75 years from the end of the year in which you die, so that your descendants may benefit from your work. In the meantime, you can choose to negate your copyright and place it in the public domain with or without restrictions, or sell it or give it away but, unless you do one of these things, nobody can take away your copyright without your knowledge or say-so.