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COMMONS MAGAZINE

Arts and Culture

Arts and Culture highlights creative work in all mediums and disciplines with a special emphasis on artists, writers, performers, and collectives who blur the lines between art-making, personal activism, and community involvement. As they employ new artistic strategies, contemporary creatives continue to expand the role of arts and culture in public life. This section will feature intriguing and often ground-breaking work and explore how it might illuminate the challenges and opportunities we face as we move toward a commons-based world.

July 21, 2005

When Theft is Not Theft

Creativity as a Gift of the Gods, Not Mere Private Property
July 19, 2005

Why Online Commons Are Besting the Mainstream Media

Why online commons are besting the mainstream media and may give rise to a full-blown cultural revolution.
July 18, 2005

The Wiki Explosion

The wiki explosion frees knowledge and makes it available to people who want it – a revolution in information.
July 13, 2005

How to Explore the Unknown

Why treating the human genome as a commons helps expand our knowledge.
July 9, 2005

What Did Dylan Borrow?

Lewis Hyde calls on the blogosphere to tot up Dylan's debts to the commons.
July 8, 2005

Bob Dylan on the Commons

Bob Dylan celebrates the commons in his autobiography and acknowledges his debt to Mississippi blues singer Robert Johnson and German cabaret great Kurt Weill.
June 9, 2005

Wal-Mart Clerks Become Copyright Vigilantes

Wal-Mart clerks become copyright vigilantes. If your photo looks too good, they won't develop it, presuming you are stealing a professional's work.
May 27, 2005

Heavy Boots at Berkeley

Academic freedom is at stake as an opponent of University partnerships with biotech giants is booted out of Berkeley. He won is job back, but the incident is ominous.
May 20, 2005

Leave the Books Alone

The University of Texas heralds a library without books. But is that a sign of progress?
May 11, 2005

Museums as Crypto-Marketers

We're sadly accustomed to advertising and naming rights saturating pro sports. Museums appear to be next.