Every year, works of art enter the public domain. 2025 is no exception. What does this actually mean and what are the consequences of works of art entering the public domain? Once a work has entered the public domain, it becomes a shared cultural resource, freely available for use and adaptation, without asking for permission or paying royalties and without the risk of copyright infringement. This freedom to use works that are in the public domain creates opportunities to foster creativity and innovation through the creation of new works.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office has set up an Out-of-Commerce Portal, which is a publicly accessible centralised platform to facilitate the exchange of information on copyrighted works that are no longer available in commerce throughout the European Union. These works include musical works, literary works, audiovisual works, works of art and photographs. This system complements the existing measures for the use of orphan works at European level, including the Orphan Works Database.
Examples of works of art that will enter the public domain in 2025
In 2025, the following works will enter the public domain:
• Paintings by Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, and André Derain;
• Photographs by Robert Capa;
• Literary works by Zofia Nałkowska, Stig Dagerman, and Martin Andersen Nexø.