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“Twenty Years of Creative Commons (in Sixty Seconds)” by Ryan Junell and Glenn Otis Brown for Creative Commons is licensed via CC BY 4.0 and includes adaptations of the multiple open and public domain works. View full licensing and attribution information about all works included in the video on Flickr.

Creative Commons is an international nonprofit organization that empowers people to grow and sustain the thriving commons of shared knowledge and culture we need to address the world's most pressing challenges and create a brighter future for all.

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The nonprofit behind the licenses and tools the world uses to share

For over 20 years, Creative Commons has supported a global movement built on a belief in the power of open access to knowledge and creativity. From Wikipedia to the Smithsonian, organizations and individuals rely on our work to share billions of historic images, scientific articles, cultural artifacts, educational resources, music, and more!

“Farmer and his brother making music” by Russell Lee, here cropped, is marked with CC PDM 1.0.
“Flickr photowalk at the Creative Commons Global Summit 2019, Lisbon” by Sebastiaan ter Burg, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.
“Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2” by NIAID, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.
“Children kabuki theater in Nagahama (warrior Kumagai, 12 y.o.)” by lensonjapan, here cropped, is licensed via CC BY 2.0.

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Celebrating 25 Years of Choosing to Share
by Creative Commons About CC, Community

Photo by Sebastiaan ter Burg, licensed with CC BY 2.0.

Today, we kick off celebrations for CC’s 25th anniversary. Please join us throughout the rest of 2026 as we commemorate a quarter century of sharing.