When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2024. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Countries with life + 70 years

With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Hans Aanrud  Norway 3 September 1863 11 January 1953 Writer
Tamar Abakelia  Georgia 19 August 1905 14 May 1953 Sculptor
Abdullah Yusuf Ali  India 14 April 1872 10 December 1953 Translator The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary
Dimitri Arakishvili  Georgia 11 February 1873 13 August 1953 Composer The Legend of Shota Rustaveli
Walter Armitage  South Africa 1 June 1906 22 February 1953 Playwright
Vladimir Bakaleinikov  Russia 3 October 1885 5 November 1953 Composer, conductor
Rudolf Bauer  Germany 11 February 1889 28 November 1953 Painter
Arnold Bax  United Kingdom 8 November 1883 3 October 1953 Composer, writer List of compositions by Arnold Bax
Harmsen van der Beek  The Netherlands 8 October 1897 24 July 1953 Illustrator, commercial artist Noddy
Hilaire Belloc  United Kingdom 27 July 1870 16 July 1953 Writer Hilaire Belloc bibliography
Róbert Berény  Hungary 18 March 1887 10 September 1953 Painter Sleeping Lady with Black Vase
Henri Bernstein  France 20 June 1876 27 November 1953 Playwright Samson, Mélo
Elsa Beskow  Sweden 11 February 1874 30 June 1953 Writer, illustrator
Ugo Betti  Italy 4 February 1892 9 June 1953 Playwright, judge The Fugitive
Henrik Bull  Norway 28 March 1864 2 June 1953 Architect National Theatre
Ivan Bunin  Russia 4 February 1892 9 June 1953 Writer List of short stories by Ivan Bunin, List of poems by Ivan Bunin
John Horne Burns  United States 7 October 1916 11 August 1953 Writer The Gallery
Rosario Candela  United States 7 March 1890 3 October 1953 Architect 740 Park Avenue
Harold Cazneaux  Australia 30 March 1878 19 June 1953 Photographer Cazneaux Tree
Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla  Pakistan 31 May 1902 5 February 1953 Composer "Qaumi Taranah"
Albert Coates  United Kingdom 23 April 1882 11 December 1953 Composer, conductor
Ruth Crawford Seeger  United States 3 July 1901 18 November 1953 Composer String Quartet 1931
Peter DeRose  United States 10 March 1896 23 April 1953 Composer "Deep Purple"
Raoul Dufy  France 3 June 1877 23 March 1953 Painter
Edmund Dulac  France 22 October 1882 25 May 1953 Illustrator
Jean Epstein  France 25 March 1897 2 April 1953 Film director The Fall of the House of Usher
Georges Le Faure  France 12 June 1856 25 May 1953 Writer
Emil Filla  Czech Republic 4 April 1882 7 October 1953 Painter
Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński  Poland 23 January 1905 6 December 1953 Poet Skumbrie w tomacie
Albert Gleizes  France 8 December 1881 23 June 1953 Painter, writer List of works by Albert Gleizes
Milt Gross  United States 4 March 1895 29 November 1953 Cartoonist
Guccio Gucci  Italy 26 March 1881 2 January 1953 Fashion designer
Sophia Hayden  United States 17 October 1868 3 February 1953 Architect The Woman's Building
Mary Brewster Hazelton  United States 23 November 1868 13 September 1953 Painter
Cecil Hepworth  United Kingdom 19 March 1874 9 February 1953 Film director, producer Alice in Wonderland (1903 film)
Tatsuo Hori  Japan 28 December 1904 28 May 1953 Writer The Wind Has Risen
Curuppumullage Jinarajadasa  Sri Lanka 16 December 1875 18 June 1953 Writer Art as a factor in the soul's evolution
Joseph Jongen  Belgium 14 December 1873 12 July 1953 Composer Mass, Op. 130
Emmerich Kálmán  Hungary 24 October 1882 30 October 1953 Composer Die Csárdásfürstin
Thiru. V. Kalyanasundaram  India 26 August 1883 17 September 1953 Writer
Fritz Kirchhoff  Germany 10 December 1901 25 June 1953 Film director Attack on Baku
Moïse Kisling  France 22 January 1891 29 April 1953 Painter
Eduard Künneke  Germany 27 January 1885 27 October 1953 Composer The Cousin from Nowhere
Jorge de Lima  Brazil 23 April 1893 15 November 1953 Politician, writer
Will Longstaff  Australia 25 December 1879 1 July 1953 Painter Menin Gate at Midnight
Oskar Luts  Estonia 7 January 1887 23 March 1953 Writer, playwright
Kornel Makuszyński  Poland 8 January 1884 31 July 1953 Writer Koziołek Matołek
Herman J. Mankiewicz  United States 7 November 1897 5 March 1953 Screenwriter Citizen Kane
Emmanuel de Margerie  France 11 November 1862 20 December 1953 Geographer
John Marin  United States 23 December 1870 2 October 1953 Painter
Daniel Gregory Mason  United States 20 November 1873 4 December 1953 Composer, music critic
Erich Mendelsohn  Germany 21 March 1887 15 September 1953 Architect List of works by Erich Mendelsohn
Mime Misu  Romania 29 December 1886 25 October 1953 Dancer, film director In Nacht und Eis, Das Mirakel
Sulaiman Nadvi  Pakistan 22 November 1884 22 November 1953 Writer Khutbat-e-madras
Ibrahim Nagi  Egypt 1 July 1889 6 October 1953 Poet "Al-Atlal"
Francesco Saverio Nitti  Italy 19 July 1868 20 February 1953 Politician
Hisato Ohzawa  Japan 1 August 1907 28 October 1953 Composer Piano Concerto No. 3
Eugene O'Neill  United States 16 October 1888 27 November 1953 Playwright Long Day's Journey into Night
Francis Picabia  France 22 January 1879 30 November 1953 Painter List of works by Francis Picabia
Joseph Pinchon  France 17 April 1871 20 June 1953 Illustrator Bécassine
Uroš Predić  Serbia 7 December 1857 12 February 1953 Painter Happy Brothers
Alice Prin  France 22 January 1879 30 November 1953 Model, painter, writer Kiki's Memoirs
Roger Quilter  United Kingdom 1 November 1877 21 September 1953 Composer Arnold Book of Old Songs
Rachilde  France 11 February 1860 4 April 1953 Writer Monsieur Vénus
Graciliano Ramos  Brazil 27 October 1892 20 March 1953 Writer, translator Vidas secas
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings  United States 8 August 1896 14 December 1953 Author The Yearling
Django Reinhardt  France 23 January 1910 16 May 1953 Composer, musician
Winold Reiss  United States 16 September 1886 23 August 1953 Painter Winold Reiss industrial murals
Pasquale Rizzoli  Italy 9 April 1871 30 January 1953 Sculptor
Ludomir Różycki  Poland 18 September 1883 1 January 1953 Composer
Max Sainsaulieu  France 17 July 1870 21 February 1953 Architect Carnegie Library of Reims
Rudolph Schindler  United States 10 September 1887 22 August 1953 Architect Schindler House
Edward Shanks  United Kingdom 11 June 1892 4 May 1953 Writer Fête Galante
Everett Shinn  United States 6 November 1876 1 May 1953 Painter
Neyzen Tevfik  Turkey 24 March 1879 28 January 1953 Poet, satirist
Jérôme Tharaud  France 18 May 1874 28 January 1953 Writer
Dylan Thomas  United Kingdom 27 October 1914 9 November 1953 Poet List of works by Dylan Thomas
Totius  South Africa 21 February 1877 1 July 1953 Poet
Julian Tuwim  Poland 13 September 1894 27 December 1953 Poet "Murzynek Bambo"
Jules Van Nuffel  Belgium 21 March 1883 25 June 1953 Composer In convertendo Dominus
Bernard Carra de Vaux  France 1867 1953 Orientalist
Vydūnas  Lithuania 22 March 1868 20 February 1953 Poet
Erich Weinert  Germany 4 August 1890 20 April 1953 Writer "Der heimliche Aufmarsch"
Ben Ames Williams  United States 7 March 1889 4 February 1953 Writer The Unconquered
Hank Williams  United States 17 September 1923 1 January 1953 Singer-songwriter List of songs written by Hank Williams
Arthur Wimperis  United Kingdom 3 December 1874 14 October 1953 Lyricist, screenwriter The Arcadians, Mrs. Miniver
Friedrich Wolf  Germany 23 December 1888 5 October 1953 Writer Professor Mamlock
Xu Beihong  China 19 July 1895 26 September 1953 Painter
John Stepan Zamecnik  United States 14 May 1872 13 June 1953 Composer

Countries with life + 60 years

In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Babu Gulabrai  India 17 January 1888 13 April 1963 Writer
Amar Nath Kak  India 1889 1963 Writer
Rajendra Prasad  India 3 December 1893 28 February 1963 Politician, writer
Acharya Shivpujan Sahay  India 9 August 1893 21 January 1963 Writer
Laxminarayan Sahu  India 3 October 1890 18 January 1963 Writer
Rahul Sankrityayan  India 9 April 1893 14 April 1963 Activist, writer
Anasuya Shankar  India 1 September 1928 29 July 1963 Writer
Hemendra Kumar Roy  India 2 September 1888 18 April 1963 Writer
Laudelino Mejías  Venezuela August 1893 30 November 1963 Composer

Countries with life + 50 years

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia and New Zealand, a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Zainal Abidin Ahmad  Malaysia 16 September 1895 23 October 1973 Writer, linguist
W. H. Auden  Great Britain 21 February 1907 29 September 1973 Poet
Charles Brasch  New Zealand 27 July 1909 20 May 1973 Poet, editor Landfall
Bobby Darin  United States 14 May 1936 20 December 1973 Singer-Songwriter
Noël Coward  United Kingdom 16 December 1899 26 March 1973 Playwright
John Ford  United States 1 February 1894 4 August 1973 Director The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, The Searchers
Anthony Gilbert  Great Britain 15 February 1899 9 December 1973 Mystery writer The Vanishing Corpse
Lyndon B. Johnson  United States 27 August 1908 22 January 1973 Politician
Bruce Lee  Hong Kong  United States 27 November 1940 20 July 1973 Martial Artist Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Kathleen Lindsay  Great Britain 1903 1973 Romance writer
Nancy Mitford  Great Britain 28 November 1904 30 June 1973 Writer The Pursuit of Love
Pablo Neruda  Chile 12 July 1904 23 September 1973 Poet Canto General, Oda al Gato
Robert C. O'Brien  United States 11 January 1918 5 March 1973 Writer Z for Zachariah
Gram Parsons  United States 5 November 1946 19 September 1973 Singer-Songwriter
Isabel Peacocke  New Zealand 31 January 1881 12 October 1973 Children's writer Cathleen with a 'C'
Pablo Picasso  Spain 25 October 1881 8 April 1973 Painter Guernica, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon
William Plomer  South Africa 10 December 1903 20 September 1973 Writer
Allan Sherman  United States 30 November 1924 20 November 1973 Comedian Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh
J. R. R. Tolkien  United Kingdom 3 January 1892 2 September 1973 Writer The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings
Valentin Tomberg  Russian Empire
 Estonia
 United Kingdom
 26 February 1900 24 February 1973 Hermeticist, Jurist Degeneration and Regeneration in the Science of Law, Meditations on the Tarot
Alan Watts  United Kingdom 6 January 1915 16 November 1973 Philosopher Behold the Spirit, The Way of Zen, Tao: The Watercourse Way

Countries with life + 80 years

Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. In Colombia and Equatorial Guinea a work enters the public domain 80 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Carlos Arniches  Spain 11 October 1866 16 April 1943 Playwright
Carmen Karr  Spain 16 March 1865 29 December 1943 Activist, composer
Francisco Rodríguez Marín  Spain 27 January 1855 9 June 1943 Poet
José Jurado de la Parra  Spain 8 February 1856 21 July 1943 Poet, playwright
Guillermo Valencia  Colombia 29 October 1873 8 July 1943 Poet, translator

Australia and Canada

In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with the United States and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which brought some e.g. British authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors will come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).[1]

Similarly, Canada amended its Copyright Act in 2022 from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, coming into force on December 30, 2022, but not reviving expired copyright.[2][3] No more new authors will come out of copyright in Canada until 1 January 2043 (those who died in 1972). Crown copyright was not changed, thus works published in 1973 entered the public domain in 2024.[4]

United States

Sound recordings that were published in 1923 entered the public domain.[5]

One of the most notable works which entered the public domain in 2024 is Steamboat Willie. The Walt Disney Company had previously lobbied for the extension of copyright length in the United States in order to prevent the short film and its characters—including Mickey Mouse—from entering the public domain. The result of that lobby effort was Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998.[6]

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1928, films released in 1928, and other works published in 1928, entered the public domain in 2024.[7] Unpublished works whose authors died in 1953 entered the public domain.

The earliest incarnation of Mickey Mouse as well as Minnie Mouse entered the public domain work in 2024 through Steamboat Willie and the silent versions of Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho. The sound versions of the latter two shorts will enter the public domain in 2025.[8] The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne, including the character Tigger, entered the public domain in 2024. Notable films which entered the public domain in the United States include Abie's Irish Rose, Charlie Chaplin's The Circus, Buster Keaton's The Cameraman, In Old Arizona, The Man Who Laughs, Noah's Ark, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Lights of New York, The Singing Fool, and Harold Lloyd's final silent feature Speedy.

Additional notable works which entered the public domain in the United States include Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence, Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf, The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág, Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh, The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille, The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht, and An American in Paris by George Gershwin.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "How long does copyright last?". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. ↑ "An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 7, 2022 and other measures". Parliament of Canada. 2022-06-23. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  3. ↑ "PC Number: 2022-1219". Government of Canada. 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  4. ↑ "Crown Copyright - FAQ". Government of Canada. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Hirtle, Peter B. (3 January 2020). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  6. ↑ Reed, Rachel. "Harvard Law IP expert explains how Disney has influenced US copyright law to protect Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh". Harvard Law School. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  7. ↑ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  8. ↑ "Mickey's Headed to the Public Domain! But Will He Go Quietly? – Office of Copyright". Office of Copyright. 2014-10-17.
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