Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Artistic works definition

What does Artistic works mean? Artistic works describes the types of creative output commonly encountered in copyright clearance, licensing, and infringement disputes. The term is defined in legislation: in the UK by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988) and in Ireland by the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 (CRRA 2000). It covers graphic works (for example, paintings, drawings, diagrams, maps, charts and plans), photographs, sculptures and collages; a work of architecture (a building or a model for a building); and a work of artistic craftsmanship. For the first group, protection applies irrespective of artistic quality. Copyright subsists where the work...

UK Music Copyright (CDPA 1988): Subsistence, Authorship and Ownership, Infringement and Authorisation, Defences, Remedies, Piracy, AI and Streaming

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Practice notes

Copyright is a proprietary right that grants the owner the exclusive ability to perform, and to permit others to perform, particular acts in relation to the work. Under UK law, as contained in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988), there is a closed list of categories eligible for protection, namely:

original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works
sound recordings, films or broadcasts
the typographical arrangement of published editions

To qualify, a work falling within one of these categories must be fixed in some form. For example, writing down or electronically saving a song’s notes and lyrics creates a record that is protected, provided the work otherwise meets the CDPA 1988’s qualification requirements. For comprehensive guidance on those requirements and on subsistence generally, see Practice Notes: Copyright—protectable works and Copyright—subsistence and qualification. It is not necessary to register a work for copyright to arise.

Court of Justice judgments

This Practice Note includes references to Court of Justice judgments. For guidance on whether judgments of the Court of Justice are binding on UK...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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