The Public Domain Remix is an initiative started in 2013 by the french chapters of Wikimedia and the Open Knowledge Foundation.
The idea is to benefit from the large collections of public domain works provided by the Public Domain Review to encourage people to mix these works with other works (either public domain works or works released under an open licence) or to remix them into new works . While the Public Domain Review is useful to show how valuable the public domain is, the Public Domain Remix will be used to illustrate the value of the public domain by what can be done with.
The Public Domain Remix is an annual competition to remix public domain works. The objective of this competition is to encourage the use and reuse of works, music, or other materials that are in the public domain (i.e. for which copyright has expired).
On the model of the “Wiki loves monuments” initiative, this challenge will be run once a year through a collaboration between national Wikimedia chapters and Open Knowledge Foundation Local Groups. In its first installment, Wikimedia France & Open Knowledge Foundation France will take the lead on this initiative, with other nations to follow.
In addition to a set of prizes for winners of the challenge, elected remixes from each local jurisdiction will become part of an online publication – the Public Domain Remix – that celebrates creative reinterpretations of Public Domain works.
The challenge will be launched in Paris during the OuiShare Fest (May 4th). The event will showcase an exhibition of Public Domain works that have been remixed by French artists (sculptures, musics, images, etc) so as to encourage others artists to do the same by submitting their own personal remixes to the challenge. Tools and material will be provided along with selected Public Domain works for every attendant to remix.