�More and more art today is created from remixed or mashed-up digital content such as photo, animation, moving image and music. Nowadays, copyright is an issue for everyone who writes blogs on the internet, is a member of SNS groups such as mixi, facebook and my space, or a user of sites such as flickr, YouTube, NikoNiko Doga and so on.
�In the meantime, enhancement of copyright law is a fashion. Lengthening the terms of copyright in Japan is now under discussion.�
�Intellectual property is important financial resource especially in the west - the US and Europe already have a longer period of copyright. This development may choke a new circulation of creativity. On the other hand, copyright is critical for professional artists.
Copyleft is sometimes misunderstood as being totally against�
copyright. Copyleft is rather an attempt to protect the exclusive right of creators while also nurturing emerging creativity.�

We would like to go back to the original ideas of Richard Stallman, and to start a discussion between experts and the audience.

-Is copyleft a resistance or can it be a strategy?
-Can we apply copyleft to works of Art, not just software?
-How does copyleft, and the idea of a 'creative commons', help?
-What do those artists who show and distribute their work on�
the internet think? Is it effective for their career?
-What is the difference between Public Domain and Copyleft?
�
�Speakers:

Ken Kanaya : Free culture consumer, Hige Vision, Free Media Research Labo, FAT Tokyo
�
�Tomoki Sakuta: Arts and Law, Curatorial staff of Yokohama�
�International Festival foe Arts and Media
�
�Hideaki Shirata: Associate Professor of Hose University, Ph.D. of Law
�
�Hikaru Fujii: Artist, activist
�
�Yoshitaka Mouri: Associate Professor of Tokyo University of the Arts
�
�Moderator: Hitomi Hasegawa� MIACA Japan
�
�June 26th Fri 2009 7pm~

This time, instead of having everyone come with prepared presentations, we figured everyone already had much to say about copyright,
so we left a lot of time open for free discussion.

We did prepare a few topics, of course, but what really got discussion going was Prof. Shirata's criticism of Creative Commons Japan and the thought behind it. Prof. Mori objected to this criticism, and a real debate ensued - not just the usual harmonious talk. This isn't the kind of thing that can be planned for - it is almost like a chemical reaction that happens when certain people encounter each other. I think we can say that part of the reason this debate happened is that this wasn't just a meeting of familiar associates, but more a case of individuals meeting face-to-face for the first time (as was the case with Prof. Shirata and Prof. Mori).

It proved to be a stimulating conversation for everyone in the audience, and even though we went over time there were many questions and comments. Even after the meeting ended, I received e-mails urging us to continue with the discussion. On the topic of copyleft, I particularly wanted to introduce the activities of Richard Stallman, as well as emphasize the way free reproduction and distribution can unexpectedly work to an artist's advantage - but the discussion, I think, shifted to wider, more fundamental issues. Even though copyleft in itself is not a new topic, I think we can consider this event a success for beginning the important debate about copyleft here in Yokohama.

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