Resources

This page provides a variety of resources both on intellectual property rights and the creators and innovators who benefit from such protection. 

Music in Africa

All those interested in the vibrant music scene in Africa may enjoy a visit to the Music in Africa Portal: https://www.musicinafrica.net/

The Music in Africa Portal is an information and exchange web portal dedicated to African music. It is a non-profit initiative which is owned and governed by the Music in Africa Foundation. Its aim is to support the African music sector through exchanging knowledge and expertise and fostering collaboration.

Cooperatives for creators and innovators

Cooperatives can empower creators and innovators by bringing a structure into their working lives without sacrificing their independence. An interesting example in the artistic field is the SMart initiative in Europe which was founded in 1998 as “Société Mutuelle pour Artistes” in Belgium and has since been established in 8 other European countries. This initiative may be an inspiring example also for developing and transition economies where cooperatives already play an important role in other sectors, such as agriculture. More details on the SMart initiative may be found here: https://smart-eu.org/.

The Intellectual Property Metro

The Intellectual Property Metro is a highly useful tool that can be found on the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) website, together with related information. Designers are encouraged to download the map as a guide to registering their rights: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/design-definition.

Making visual art accessible to blind children 

Korean visual artist Oum Jeong Soon works with blind children through her project ‘Another Way of Seeing’, using art and technology to make visual art accessible to blind children as well as to pursue Oum Jeong Soon’s central artistic question, ‘what is seeing?’: http://artblind.or.kr

Alberi di Maggio

Alberi Di Maggio works to preserve, promote and disseminate the study and continuation of oral culture in the region of central Italy, in particular the border between Marche and Abruzzo. It does this through field research, the study of materials, events, concerts, seminars and cultural projects. It represents the effort to sustain the culture expressed and communicated between people through musical repertoires, dances, dialects, stories and rituals which are particular to geographical locations, have been transmitted between generations, and which are at risk of being lost if a conscious effort is not made to keep them going. This cultural expression and heritage is an essential function for social cohesion and identity in the region, as well as the local economy. The local music, songs, stories and languages are integral to the activities of living and working off the land and have equal economic importance and need to be celebrated, nurtured and sustained as part of them. http://www.alberidimaggio.com/