Where can I find copyright-free or use-free works to use in my work?

Last Updated: 01 May 2025     Views: 33

There are several online platforms offering copyright free or use-free works. 

Always check the applicable conditions and disclaimer and what you are dealing with: are the works copyright free or are the works use-free?

It is mandatory from the point of view of academic integrity to always cite the source, if possible.

Some widely used sources are: 

  • Wikimedia Commons - a database of over 45 million freely available media files, such as videos, audio clips and images; 
  • Pixabay – a website with over a million freely available, high-resolution photos, illustrations, graphical images and videos;
  • Creative Commons Search – a website designed specifically for searching for material subject to a Creative Commons license;
  • Europeana Collections – a digital platform, partly financed by the EU, for sharing cultural heritage. The collection offers access to more than 50 million digitized items; 
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art – Since the start of 2017, the Met has made a multitude of public domain works available on its website on an open access basis;
  • The British Library - via Flickr, this museum has published over a million images that may be used freely.