2018 in public domain

Last updated
Public Domain Mark button.svg

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain . The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2018. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Contents

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 70 years

With the exception of Belarus and Spain (which is Life + 80 for creators who 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. [1] [2] The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on January 1, 2018. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years.

NamesCountryBirthDeathOccupationNotable work
James Agate Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9 September 18776 June 1947Writer, criticEgo
Tilly Aston Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 11 December 18731 November 1947Educator, writer
Joseph Barcroft Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 26 July 187221 March 1947PhysiologistThe Respiratory Function of the Blood
W. Augustus Barratt Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3 June 187312 April 1947ComposerSir Patrick Spens
Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5 August 186814 November 1947Novelist The Lodger
J. D. Beresford Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 17 March 18731 February 1947Science fiction and horror author The Hampdenshire Wonder
Augustin Bernard  [ fr ]Flag of France.svg  France 26 August 186529 December 1947GeographerLes Confins algéro-marocains
Tristan Bernard Flag of France.svg  France 7 September 18667 December 1947PlaywrightMémoires d'un jeune homme rangé
Jean-Richard Bloch Flag of France.svg  France 25 May 188415 March 1947Writer
Luigi Bonelli  [ it ]Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 20 September 186526 January 1947OrientalistLessico italiano-turco
Pierre Bonnard Flag of France.svg  France 3 October 186723 January 1947Painter, printmaker
Wolfgang Borchert Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 20 May 192120 November 1947Playwright Draußen vor der Tür
Angela Brazil Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 30 November 186813 March 1947Children's books author
Óscar Castro Zúñiga Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 29 March 19101 October 1947WriterLlampo de Sangre, Camino en el alba, Comarca del jazmín
Willa Cather Flag of the United States.svg  United States 7 December 187324 April 1947Writer My Ántonia
Dmitry Censor  [ ru ]Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 22 December 187726 December 1947Poet
George Chatterton-Hill Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 188312 January 1947PhilosopherHeredity and Selection in Sociology
Édouard Chatton Flag of France.svg  France 11 October 188323 April 1947Biologist
Winston Churchill Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10 November 187112 March 1947Novelist The Celebrity
Ananda Coomaraswamy Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 August 18779 September 1947historian, philosopherThe Dance of Shiva
Aleister Crowley Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 12 October 18751 December 1947Poet List of works
Franz Cumont Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3 January 186820 August 1947archeologistTexts and Illustrated Monuments Relating to the Mysteries of Mithra
Petras Cvirka Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 12 March 19092 May 1947AuthorFrank Kruk
Josef Čapek Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech 23 March 1887April 1945 [3] Painter, writerAll About Doggie and Pussycat
Anton Denikin Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 16 December 18728 August 1947Soldier, writerRussian Turmoil
Walter Donaldson Flag of the United States.svg  United States 15 February 189315 July 1947Songwriter Makin' Whoopee , Yes Sir, That's My Baby
Hans Fallada Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 21 July 18935 February 1947WriterDer junge Goedeschal, Little Man, What Now?
Irving Fisher Flag of the United States.svg  United States 27 February 186729 April 1947EconomistThe Purchasing Power of Money
Desmond FitzGerald Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 13 February 18889 April 1947Architect
Henry Ford Flag of the United States.svg  United States 30 July 18637 April 1947Business magnate The International Jew
John Ulrich Giesy Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6 August 18778 September 1947Writer, physician Palos of the Dog Star Pack
Victor Goldschmidt Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 27 January 188820 March 1947MineralogistGeochemische Verteilungsgesetze der Elemente
Reynaldo Hahn Flag of France.svg  France 9 August 187428 January 1947Composer Ciboulette
G. H. Hardy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7 February 18771 December 1947Mathematician A Mathematician's Apology
Frank Heller Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 20 July 188614 October 1947WriterThe London Adventures of Mr. Collin
Frederick Gowland Hopkins Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 20 June 186116 May 1947BiochemistFeeding experiments illustrating the importance of accessory factors in normal dietaries
Blanche Hoschedé Monet Flag of France.svg  France 10 November 18658 December 1947Painter
Victor Horta Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1 June 18619 August 1947Architect
Albert Howard Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8 December 187320 October 1947BotanistAn Agricultural Testament
Ricarda Huch Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 18 July 186417 November 1947Author The Deruga Case
Stanislav Hudeček  [ cs ]Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 26 March 187215 April 1947Painter and illustrator
E.M. Hull Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 16 August 188011 February 1947Novelist The Sheik
Pierre Janet Flag of France.svg  France 30 May 185924 February 1947PsychologistLa médecine psychologique
Afevork Ghevre Jesus Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 10 July 186825 September 1947WriterLəbb Wälläd Tarik
Elizabeth Jordan Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9 May 186524 February 1947Journalist, suffragist, author
Pyotr Krasnov Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 22 September 186917 January 1947Soldier, writerFrom Double Eagle To the Red Flag
Karel Langer  [ cs ]Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 16 January 18782 May 1947Painter
Richard Le Gallienne Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 20 January 186615 September 1947author, poet
C. Louis Leipoldt Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 28 December 188012 April 1947Poet
Philipp Lenard Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 7 June 186220 May 1947PhysicistQuantitative on cathode rays
Friedrich von Lerch  [ de ]Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 30 May 187819 December 1947PhysicistSeparation of radium C from radium E
Hugh Lofting Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 14 January 188626 September 1947Writer Doctor Dolittle series
Ernst Lubitsch Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 28 January 189230 November 1947Director
Manuel Machado Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 29 August 187419 January 1947Poet and playwrightLa Lola se va a los puertos
Arthur Machen Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3 March 186315 December 1947Fantasy and horror author The Great God Pan , The Three Impostors , The Hill of Dreams , The White People
Karl Mannheim Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 27 March 18939 January 1947SociologistIdeology and Utopia
Henri Manuel Flag of France.svg  France 24 April 187411 September 1947Photographer
William Moulton Marston Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9 May 18932 May 1947Psychologist, inventor, comic book writer Wonder Woman , DISC assessment
Anatole de Monzie Flag of France.svg  France 22 November 187611 January 1947EncyclopaedistGrandeur et servitude judiciaires
Yone Noguchi Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 8 December 187513 July 1947Writer The American Diary of a Japanese Girl
Emma Orczy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 23 September 186512 November 1947Novelist, Playwright The Scarlet Pimpernel
P. D. Ouspensky Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 5 March 18782 October 1947Mathematician, esotericist
Friedrich Paschen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 22 January 186525 February 1947PhysicistUeber die zum Funkenübergang in Luft, Wasserstoff und Kohlensäure bei verschiedenen Drucken erforderliche Potentialdifferenz
John Henry Patterson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10 November 186718 June 1947Soldier, hunter, author The Man-Eaters of Tsavo
Reginald PayneFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7 June 190920 December 1947Illustrator The Railway Series
Júlio Afrânio Peixoto Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 17 December 187612 January 1947Writer
Max Planck Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 23 April 18584 October 1947Scientist
R. I. Pocock Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4 March 18639 August 1947ZoologistThe Fauna of British India
Carl Adolph Preyer Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 July 186316 November 1947ComposerFestal Polonaise, Op.14
Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 24 September 187823 May 1947AuthorBeauty on Earth
Forrest Reid Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 24 June 18754 January 1947NovelistYoung Tom
Nicholas Roerich Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Flag of India.svg  India
9 October 187413 December 1947Painter, writer
Borys Romanowski  [ ka ]Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 18791947Polish painter active in Georgia
Margaret Marshall Saunders Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 13 May 186115 February 1947Writer
Johannes Schubert  [ ar; de ].Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 11 June 185929 September 1947Physicist
Emil Schovánek Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 10 September 188511 July 1947Painter
Kathleen Scott Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 27 March 187825 July 1947Sculptor
Victor Serge Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 30 December 189017 November 1947Marxist revolutionary, writerFrom Lenin to Stalin, Destiny of a Revolution
M. P. Shiel Flag of Montserrat.svg  Montserrat 21 July 186517 February 1947Horror and science fiction author The Purple Cloud , The Yellow Danger
Andrei Shkuro Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 19 January 188717 January 1947Soldier, memoirist
Alfred Walter Stewart Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom September 18801 July 1947Chemist, WriterNordenholt's Million
Alan Sullivan Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 29 November 18686 August 1947Writer The Great Divide
Flora Thompson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5 December 187621 May 1947Novelist, poet Lark Rise to Candleford
Mstislav Tsyavlovsky  [ ru ]Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
26 June 188311 November 1947Literary scholar
Jim Tully Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3 June 188622 June 1947WriterBeggars of Life
Marcel Varnel Flag of France.svg  France 16 October 189213 July 1947Film Director
E. C. Vivian Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 19 October 188221 May 1947Writer, editor Fields of Sleep
Sidney Webb Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 13 July 185913 October 1947
Alfred North Whitehead Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 15 February 186130 December 1947Mathematician Process and Reality
Anna Wickham Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 188330 April 1947PoetSongs of John Oland
Émile Auguste Joseph De Wildeman Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 19 October 186624 July 1947Botanist
Almroth Wright Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10 August 186130 April 1947Bacteriologist The Unexpurgated Case against Woman Suffrage
Riichi Yokomitsu Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 17 March 189830 December 1947Writer
Eduard von Zambaur  [ de ]Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 11 May 186610 October 1947OrientalistDie Münzprägungen des Islams

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 50 years

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

NamesCountryBirthDeathOccupationNotable work
J.R. Ackerley Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4 November 18964 June 1967Writer, editorMy Dog Tulip, We Think the World of You
Ciro Alegría Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 9 November 190917 February 1967Journalist, novelistEl mundo es ancho y ajeno
Gordon Allport Flag of the United States.svg  United States 11 November 18979 October 1967psychologistBecoming: Basic Considerations for a Psychology of Personality
Norman Angell Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 26 December 18727 October 1967journalist, author, politician The Great Illusion
Tudor Arghezi Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 21 May 188014 July 1967poet, novelist, essayistCuvinte Potrivite, Zdreanță
Marcel Aymé Flag of France.svg  France 29 March 190214 October 1967Novelist, children's writer, playwright The passer-through-walls
Margaret Ayer Barnes Flag of the United States.svg  United States 8 April 188625 October 1967playwright, novelist, short-story writer Years of Grace
Vladimir Bartol Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia 24 February 190312 September 1967Writer Alamut
John Coltrane Flag of the United States.svg  United States 23 September 192617 July 1967Saxophonist, composer Giant Steps
Isaac Deutscher Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3 April 190719 August 1967BiographerStalin: a Political Biography
Julien Duvivier Flag of France.svg  France 8 October 189629 October 1967film director, screenwriter Sous le ciel de Paris
Ilya Ehrenburg Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 27 January 189131 August 1967writer, journalist, translator Black Book , The Thaw
Sidney Bradshaw Fay Flag of the United States.svg  United States 13 April 187629 August 1967HistorianThe Origins of the World War
Varian Fry Flag of the United States.svg  United States 15 October 190713 September 1967JournalistThe Peace that Failed, Surrender on Demand
Che Guevara Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 14 June 19289 October 1967Communist revolutionary, author Guerrilla Warfare
Robert van Gulik Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 9 August 191024 September 1967writer, diplomat, translator The Chinese Maze Murders
Woody Guthrie Flag of the United States.svg  United States 14 July 19123 October 1967singer-songwriter This Land Is Your Land
Edward Hopper Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 July 188215 May 1967Painter Nighthawks
Langston Hughes Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1 February 190222 May 1967Writer The Weary Blues
Lajos Kassák Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 21 March 188722 July 1967Poet, writer, painter
Margaret Kennedy Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 23 April 189631 July 1967Novelist, playwright The Constant Nymph , Troy Chimneys
Joseph Kesselring Flag of the United States.svg  United States 21 July 19025 November 1967playwright Arsenic and Old Lace
Zoltán Kodály Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 16 December 18826 March 1967Composer, philosopher, ethnomusicologist Psalmus Hungaricus
Wolfgang Köhler Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 21 January 188711 June 1967Psychologist The Mentality of Apes , Gestalt Psychology
Josefina Lerena Acevedo de Blixen  [ es ]Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 13 February 188912 November 1967Writer, journalistReyles
Douglas MacLean Flag of the United States.svg  United States 10 January 18909 July 1967actor, writer Mama Loves Papa
René Magritte Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 21 November 189815 August 1967Painter The Difficult Crossing , The Treachery of Images
John Masefield Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1 June 187812 May 1967Poet, novelist The Everlasting Mercy , Sea-Fever
André Maurois Flag of France.svg  France 26 July 18859 October 1967authorThe Silence of Colonel Bramble
Carson McCullers Flag of the United States.svg  United States 19 February 191729 September 1967Novelist, playwright, poet The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter , The Member of the Wedding
Edgar Neville Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 28 December 189923 April 1967playwright, film director
J. Robert Oppenheimer Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 April 190418 February 1967Physicist, professor
Joe Orton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1 January 19339 August 1967Playwright The Ruffian on the Stair , Entertaining Mr Sloane
Dorothy Parker Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22 August 18937 June 1967WriterEnough Rope
Violeta Parra Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 4 October 19175 February 1967Composer, songwriter Gracias a la Vida
Arthur Ransome Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 18 January 18843 June 1967Writer, journalist Swallows and Amazons series
Otis Redding Flag of the United States.svg  United States 9 November 194110 December 1967Singer, songwriter Respect
Elmer Rice Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 September 18928 May 1967playwright The Adding Machine , Street Scene
Gerhard Ritter Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 6 April 18881 July 1967HistorianLuther: Gestalt und Symbol
José Martínez Ruiz Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 8 June 18732 March 1967Novelist, essayist, literary criticLa ruta de Don Quijote, La voluntad, Antonio Azorín
Carl Sandburg Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6 January 187822 July 1967Poet, writer, journalistAbraham Lincoln: The War Years, Chicago Poems
Siegfried Sassoon Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8 September 18861 September 1967poet, soldier, writer Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man
Philippa Schuyler Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2 August 19319 May 1967Journalist, pianistAdventures in Black and White
Walter Terence Stace Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 17 November 18862 August 1967Philosopher, academic,Mysticism and Philosophy
Billy Strayhorn Flag of the United States.svg  United States 29 November 191531 May 1967Composer, lyricist Take the "A" Train , Lush Life
Jean Toomer Flag of the United States.svg  United States 26 December 189430 March 1967Poet, novelist Cane
Pavlo Tychyna Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 23 January 189116 September 1967poet, statesman,
Paul Whiteman Flag of the United States.svg  United States 28 March 189029 December 1967Bandleader, composer Flamin' Mamie
Ossip Zadkine Flag of France.svg  France 4 July 189025 November 1967Artist The Destroyed City
Wolfgang Zeller Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 12 September 189311 January 1967Composer
João Guimarães Rosa Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 27 June 190819 November 1967Writer Sagarana

Entering the public domain in Australia

In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with America and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which bought 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).

Entering the public domain in the United States

The Copyright Term Extension Act means no published works would enter the public domain in this jurisdiction until 2019. [4] Only unpublished works whose authors died in 1947 enter the public domain.

On January 26, 2018, Ludlow Music, the music publisher for We Shall Overcome, agreed in a legal settlement that the song is in the public domain. [5]

On February 27, 2018, the video game One Hour One Life was released into the public domain. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

Copyright expiry in Australia depends on when a work was created, and on the type of work. Under the current law, copyright usually expires 70 years after the death of the author, or for anonymous works, 70 years from the date of publication. Crown copyright expires 50 years after publication. The law has evolved over the years, and previously photographs were treated differently from other works. Anonymous works and photographs created before 1955 are no longer under copyright. For non-photographic works created before 1955, where the author is known, the copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that enter the public domain in 2012. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform. Not all works in the public domain have been expired, some works are deliberately donated into the collection for the public good or have been abandoned by their owners.

This is a list of works that enter the public domain in part of the world in 2013.

This is a list of authors whose works enter the public domain in part of the world in 2015.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2016. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2017. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2019. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2020. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works is not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2011. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2021. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

The following is a list of works that entered the public domain on 1 January 2022. When copyright expires in a creative work, it enters the public domain. Since copyright terms vary from country to country, the copyright status of a work may not be the same in all countries.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2023. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2025 in public domain</span> Overview of works entering public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that enter the public domain in 2025. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2010. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2009. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2026 in public domain</span> Overview of works entering public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that enter the public domain in 2026. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2008. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that entered the public domain in 2007. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2027 in public domain</span> Overview of works entering public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of works that enter the public domain in 2027. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

References

  1. "EU Extends Copyright Term To 70 Years | Billboard". Billboard.biz. 2011-09-12. Archived from the original on 2013-01-06. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  2. Directive 2006/116/EC
  3. Josef Čapek's remains were never found. In 1948 the court officially set the date of his death, the day which he did not survive being 30 April 1947.
  4. "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  5. Gardner, Eriq. "Song Publisher Agrees "We Shall Overcome" Is in Public Domain in Legal Settlement". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  6. Rohrer, Jason (17 March 2019). no_copyright.txt. Retrieved 30 December 2019.