Freedom of panorama: making copyright Law (in)visible
Summary:
Does copyright allow us to photograph a building? (yes) a loch? (yes) public sculpture? (maybe) a mural? (no). These answers are found in the operation of copyright law, which leaves the natural environment free to be photographed but places invisible barriers to the photography and sharing of images of the built environment. This research project examined the so-called “freedom of panorama” exception to copyright infringement in the UK which allows copying of works permanently located in public places without the artist’s permission but only for certain works and even then only in particular circumstances.
The research project has two tracks: first, a legal account of freedom of panorama, and second an empirical search exercise that shows how copyright rules apply to public spaces. Using Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen as examples the project demonstrates the importance of local knowledge in the navigation of copyright rules in public places.
Funders:
Team:
Prof Barbara Townley
Ms Eilidh Young
Duration:
2017-2019
Outputs:
- Tales from the Drawing Board: IP wisdom and woes from Scotland’s creative industries – A collection of case studies from creative producers’ everyday efforts to manage and benefit from IP, this book focuses on the management of IP among SMEs, micro- organisations and sole traders, a sector whose encounters with the IP landscape have not been as widely researched.
- Evaluating Knowledge Transfer Partnerships: Collaborative Research Between Creative Scotland and the University of St Andrews, Proceedings of the ESRC Research Capacity Building Clusters; National Summit Conference 2013
- Up your IP: Design meets Intellectual Property –
- The first workshop was aimed at Design industry practitioners and was held in June 2014 in Edinburgh. Organised by ICC and Creative Scotland and co-sponsored by CREATe, the workshop aimed to improve awareness and action on IP for Creative Industry enterprises.
- The second IP workshop Digital Dialogues with Theatre was held on 28 October 2015 and focussed on the Digital and Performing Arts sector. Attracting 45 members of the Federation of Scottish Theatres (FST) the workshop revealed the complexity of IP issues to be managed when digital technologies are incorporated into an established, multi-faceted industry such as theatre.
- The third in the series of Upping Your Game IP workshops with creative industries practitioners was held on 25 September 2014 and was targeted towards the games sector. ‘Make your assets sweaty’ was organised by ICC and Creative Scotland, with additional financial support from CREATe and explored how to make intellectual properties ooze with revenue potential.
- Project poster – Project activities have been summarised in this poster which was presented at the CREATe All Hands conference in September 2014.