Overview of works entering public domain
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 For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years.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
Jindřich Heisler [fr ]
Czech Republic
1 September 1914
4 January 1953
Photographer, writer and surrealist artist
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
Elisabeth Kuyper
The Netherlands
13 September 1877
26 February 1953
Composer
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
Moses Milner
Russia
29 December 1886
25 October 1953
Composer
Mime Misu
Romania
29 December 1886
25 October 1953
Dancer, film director
In Nacht und Eis , Das Mirakel
Vera Mukhina
Soviet Union
1 July 1889
6 October 1953
Sculptor, painter
Worker and Kolkhoz Woman
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
Sergei Prokofiev
Russia
27 April 1891
5 March 1953
Composer, conductor
List of compositions by Sergei Prokofiev
Vsevolod Pudovkin
Russia
16 February 1893
30 June 1953
Film director, screenwriter
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
Joseph Stalin
Russia
18 December 1879
5 March 1953
Politician
Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR
Vladimir Tatlin
Russia
28 December 1885
31 May 1953
Painter, architect
Tatlin's Tower
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
Musician
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
Vsevolod Zaderatsky
Russia
21 December 1891
1 February 1953
Composer
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.
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
Aziz Abaza
Egypt
13 August 1898
11 July 1973
Poet, politician
Zainal Abidin Ahmad
Malaysia
16 September 1895
23 October 1973
Writer, linguist
W. H. Auden
Great Britain
21 February 1907
29 September 1973
Poet
Malek Bennabi
Algeria
1 January 1905
31 October 1973
Philosopher
Les Conditions de la Renaissance
Charles Brasch
New Zealand
27 July 1909
20 May 1973
Poet, editor
Landfall
Elizabeth Bowen
Ireland United Kingdom
7 June 1899
22 February 1973
Biologist
Pearl S. Buck
United States
26 June 1892
6 March 1973
Novelist
The Good Earth
Amílcar Cabral
Cape Verde Guinea-Bissau
12 September 1924
20 January 1973
Activist
Esta É a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada
John Creasey
United Kingdom
17 September 1908
9 June 1973
Writer
Gideon's Day
Bobby Darin
United States
14 May 1936
20 December 1973
Musician
Noël Coward
United Kingdom
16 December 1899
26 March 1973
Playwright
Noël Coward on stage and screen
Henry Darger
United States
12 April 1892
13 April 1973
Novelist, artist
In the Realms of the Unreal
Arthur Freed
United States
9 September 1894
12 April 1973
Lyricist, film producer
Singin' in the Rain
John Ford
United States
1 February 1894
4 August 1973
Director
John Ford filmography
Ragnar Frisch
Norway
3 March 1895
31 January 1973
Economist
Anthony Gilbert
Great Britain
15 February 1899
9 December 1973
Writer
The Vanishing Corpse
Taha Hussein
Egypt
13 August 1898
11 July 1973
Poet, politician
The Days
Lyndon B. Johnson
United States
27 August 1908
22 January 1973
Politician
Raymonde de Kervern
Mauritius
1898 or 1899
1973
Poet
Bruce Lee
United States
27 November 1940
20 July 1973
Martial artist
Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Kathleen Lindsay
Great Britain
1903
1973
Writer
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Italy
18 March 1882
1 August 1973
Composer, musicologist
L'Orfeide
Cornelia Meigs
United States
1884
1973
Childrens writer
The Windy Hill
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
Kid Ory
United States
25 December 1886
23 January 1973
Composer
Red Allen, Kid Ory & Jack Teagarden at Newport
Gram Parsons
United States
5 November 1946
19 September 1973
Musician
Isabel Peacocke
New Zealand
31 January 1881
12 October 1973
Writer
Cathleen with a 'C'
Pablo Picasso
Spain
25 October 1881
8 April 1973
Painter
Guernica , Les Demoiselles d'Avignon
Pixinguinha
Brazil
23 April 1897
17 February 1973
Composer
William Plomer
South Africa
10 December 1903
20 September 1973
Writer
Andy Razaf
United States
16 December 1895
3 February 1973
Lyricist
Ain't Misbehavin'
Gopal Prasad Rimal
Nepal
21 May 1917
24 October 1973
Poet
Jangi Nishan Hamro
Ivan T. Sanderson
United States
30 January 1891
19 February 1973
Biologist
Nigoghos Sarafian
France
1902
1972
Poet
Mohammed ash-Shanqîtî [fr ]
Mauritania KSA
17 February 1905
10 January 1973
Muslim scolar
Works
Allan Sherman
United States
30 November 1924
20 November 1973
Comedian
"Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp) "
Ousmane Diop Socé
Senegal
31 October 1911
27 October 1973
Poet
Contes et légendes d'Afrique noire
Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed Timacade
Somalia
1920
6 February 1973
Poet
Bhim Nidhi Tiwari
Nepal
1911
1973
Poet
Dagbatti
J. R. R. Tolkien
United Kingdom
3 January 1892
2 September 1973
Writer
J. R. R. Tolkien bibliography
Valentin Tomberg
Russian Empire
26 February 1900
24 February 1973
Mystic
Meditations on the Tarot
Âşık Veysel
Turkey
25 October 1894
21 March 1973
Composer
Alan Watts
United Kingdom
6 January 1915
16 November 1973
Philosopher
Alan Watts bibliography
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.
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 the 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 incarnations of Mickey Mouse and 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
External links