Creators and organisations call for UK government to protect copyright in line with human rights standards
Over 70 of the UK’s leading creators and creative organisations, including DACS - have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister, urging greater protection for copyright.
The letter, issued as the Prime Minister prepared to meet with President Trump during the US state visit, called on the Government to set out its position on how the rights of UK copyright holders will be upheld in line with international and UK human rights standards.
Among the signatories are organisations including the News Media Association, UK Music, Pan MacMillan and Getty Images, alongside many well-known artists from across the creative industries. Together, they represent the voices of both established and emerging creators, highlighting the broad concern across the sector.
The letter raises several issues, including:
- the need for stronger transparency and enforcement mechanisms for copyright,
- the importance of ensuring creators retain control over their work, and
- the growing challenges posed by using creative material in new technologies, such as AI.
It also references the passage of the Data (Use and Access) Act and the commitments made by ministers to establish Parliamentary and Industry Working Groups to ensure wider input into policy development.
The signatories warn that without effective action, there is a risk of undermining the rights of creators and ceding control of the UK’s creative economy to overseas companies. With the UK’s creative industries contributing significantly to both culture and the economy, the letter frames this issue as a matter of long-term national importance.
DACS' involvement
As a signatory, DACS is proud to stand alongside artists and organisations across the sector in calling attention to these concerns. We believe that copyright underpins artists’ ability to make a living and sustain their creative practice. It ensures that creators are recognised and rewarded for their work, while also supporting the UK’s world-leading creative economy. We welcome this open letter as part of a wider discussion about how best to uphold the rights of artists and creators in a rapidly evolving technological and policy landscape.
Read the letter to the Prime Minister in full here.
