2024 in public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2024. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Countries with life + 70 years

With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years. The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
Hans Aanrud	Norway	3 September 1863	11 January 1953	Writer
Tamar Abakelia	Georgia	19 August 1905	14 May 1953	Sculptor
Abdullah Yusuf Ali	India	14 April 1872	10 December 1953	Translator	The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary
Dimitri Arakishvili	Georgia	11 February 1873	13 August 1953	Composer	The Legend of Shota Rustaveli
Walter Armitage	South Africa	1 June 1906	22 February 1953	Playwright
Vladimir Bakaleinikov	Russia	3 October 1885	5 November 1953	Composer, conductor
Rudolf Bauer	Germany	11 February 1889	28 November 1953	Painter
Arnold Bax	United Kingdom	8 November 1883	3 October 1953	Composer, writer	List of compositions by Arnold Bax
Harmsen van der Beek	The Netherlands	8 October 1897	24 July 1953	Illustrator, commercial artist	Noddy
Hilaire Belloc	United Kingdom	27 July 1870	16 July 1953	Writer	Hilaire Belloc bibliography
Róbert Berény	Hungary	18 March 1887	10 September 1953	Painter	Sleeping Lady with Black Vase
Henri Bernstein	France	20 June 1876	27 November 1953	Playwright	Samson, Mélo
Elsa Beskow	Sweden	11 February 1874	30 June 1953	Writer, illustrator
Ugo Betti	Italy	4 February 1892	9 June 1953	Playwright, judge	The Fugitive
Henrik Bull	Norway	28 March 1864	2 June 1953	Architect	National Theatre
Ivan Bunin	Russia	4 February 1892	9 June 1953	Writer	List of short stories by Ivan Bunin, List of poems by Ivan Bunin
John Horne Burns	United States	7 October 1916	11 August 1953	Writer	The Gallery
Rosario Candela	United States	7 March 1890	3 October 1953	Architect	740 Park Avenue
Harold Cazneaux	Australia	30 March 1878	19 June 1953	Photographer	Cazneaux Tree
Ahmed Ghulam Ali Chagla	Pakistan	31 May 1902	5 February 1953	Composer	"Qaumi Taranah"
Albert Coates	United Kingdom	23 April 1882	11 December 1953	Composer, conductor
Ruth Crawford Seeger	United States	3 July 1901	18 November 1953	Composer	String Quartet 1931
Peter DeRose	United States	10 March 1896	23 April 1953	Composer	"Deep Purple"
Raoul Dufy	France	3 June 1877	23 March 1953	Painter
Edmund Dulac	France	22 October 1882	25 May 1953	Illustrator
Jean Epstein	France	25 March 1897	2 April 1953	Film director	The Fall of the House of Usher
Georges Le Faure	France	12 June 1856	25 May 1953	Writer
Emil Filla	Czech Republic	4 April 1882	7 October 1953	Painter
Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński	Poland	23 January 1905	6 December 1953	Poet	Skumbrie w tomacie
Albert Gleizes	France	8 December 1881	23 June 1953	Painter, writer	List of works by Albert Gleizes
Milt Gross	United States	4 March 1895	29 November 1953	Cartoonist
Guccio Gucci	Italy	26 March 1881	2 January 1953	Fashion designer
Sophia Hayden	United States	17 October 1868	3 February 1953	Architect	The Woman's Building
Mary Brewster Hazelton	United States	23 November 1868	13 September 1953	Painter
Cecil Hepworth	United Kingdom	19 March 1874	9 February 1953	Film director, producer	Alice in Wonderland (1903 film)
Tatsuo Hori	Japan	28 December 1904	28 May 1953	Writer	The Wind Has Risen
Curuppumullage Jinarajadasa	Sri Lanka	16 December 1875	18 June 1953	Writer	Art as a factor in the soul's evolution
Joseph Jongen	Belgium	14 December 1873	12 July 1953	Composer	Mass, Op. 130
Emmerich Kálmán	Hungary	24 October 1882	30 October 1953	Composer	Die Csárdásfürstin
Thiru. V. Kalyanasundaram	India	26 August 1883	17 September 1953	Writer
Fritz Kirchhoff	Germany	10 December 1901	25 June 1953	Film director	Attack on Baku
Moïse Kisling	France	22 January 1891	29 April 1953	Painter
Eduard Künneke	Germany	27 January 1885	27 October 1953	Composer	The Cousin from Nowhere
Jorge de Lima	Brazil	23 April 1893	15 November 1953	Politician, writer
Will Longstaff	Australia	25 December 1879	1 July 1953	Painter	Menin Gate at Midnight
Oskar Luts	Estonia	7 January 1887	23 March 1953	Writer, playwright
Kornel Makuszyński	Poland	8 January 1884	31 July 1953	Writer	Koziołek Matołek
Herman J. Mankiewicz	United States	7 November 1897	5 March 1953	Screenwriter	Citizen Kane
Emmanuel de Margerie	France	11 November 1862	20 December 1953	Geographer
John Marin	United States	23 December 1870	2 October 1953	Painter
Daniel Gregory Mason	United States	20 November 1873	4 December 1953	Composer, music critic
Erich Mendelsohn	Germany	21 March 1887	15 September 1953	Architect	List of works by Erich Mendelsohn
Mime Misu	Romania	29 December 1886	25 October 1953	Dancer, film director	In Nacht und Eis, Das Mirakel
Sulaiman Nadvi	Pakistan	22 November 1884	22 November 1953	Writer	Khutbat-e-madras
Ibrahim Nagi	Egypt	1 July 1889	6 October 1953	Poet	"Al-Atlal"
Francesco Saverio Nitti	Italy	19 July 1868	20 February 1953	Politician
Hisato Ohzawa	Japan	1 August 1907	28 October 1953	Composer	Piano Concerto No. 3
Eugene O'Neill	United States	16 October 1888	27 November 1953	Playwright	Long Day's Journey into Night
Francis Picabia	France	22 January 1879	30 November 1953	Painter	List of works by Francis Picabia
Joseph Pinchon	France	17 April 1871	20 June 1953	Illustrator	Bécassine
Uroš Predić	Serbia	7 December 1857	12 February 1953	Painter	Happy Brothers
Alice Prin	France	22 January 1879	30 November 1953	Model, painter, writer	Kiki's Memoirs
Roger Quilter	United Kingdom	1 November 1877	21 September 1953	Composer	Arnold Book of Old Songs
Rachilde	France	11 February 1860	4 April 1953	Writer	Monsieur Vénus
Graciliano Ramos	Brazil	27 October 1892	20 March 1953	Writer, translator	Vidas secas
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings	United States	8 August 1896	14 December 1953	Author	The Yearling
Django Reinhardt	France	23 January 1910	16 May 1953	Composer, musician
Winold Reiss	United States	16 September 1886	23 August 1953	Painter	Winold Reiss industrial murals
Pasquale Rizzoli	Italy	9 April 1871	30 January 1953	Sculptor
Ludomir Różycki	Poland	18 September 1883	1 January 1953	Composer
Max Sainsaulieu	France	17 July 1870	21 February 1953	Architect	Carnegie Library of Reims
Rudolph Schindler	United States	10 September 1887	22 August 1953	Architect	Schindler House
Edward Shanks	United Kingdom	11 June 1892	4 May 1953	Writer	Fête Galante
Everett Shinn	United States	6 November 1876	1 May 1953	Painter
Neyzen Tevfik	Turkey	24 March 1879	28 January 1953	Poet, satirist
Jérôme Tharaud	France	18 May 1874	28 January 1953	Writer
Dylan Thomas	United Kingdom	27 October 1914	9 November 1953	Poet	List of works by Dylan Thomas
Totius	South Africa	21 February 1877	1 July 1953	Poet
Julian Tuwim	Poland	13 September 1894	27 December 1953	Poet	"Murzynek Bambo"
Jules Van Nuffel	Belgium	21 March 1883	25 June 1953	Composer	In convertendo Dominus
Bernard Carra de Vaux	France	1867	1953	Orientalist
Vydūnas	Lithuania	22 March 1868	20 February 1953	Poet
Erich Weinert	Germany	4 August 1890	20 April 1953	Writer	"Der heimliche Aufmarsch"
Ben Ames Williams	United States	7 March 1889	4 February 1953	Writer	The Unconquered
Hank Williams	United States	17 September 1923	1 January 1953	Singer-songwriter	List of songs written by Hank Williams
Arthur Wimperis	United Kingdom	3 December 1874	14 October 1953	Lyricist, screenwriter	The Arcadians, Mrs. Miniver
Friedrich Wolf	Germany	23 December 1888	5 October 1953	Writer	Professor Mamlock
Xu Beihong	China	19 July 1895	26 September 1953	Painter
John Stepan Zamecnik	United States	14 May 1872	13 June 1953	Composer

Countries with life + 60 years

In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
Babu Gulabrai	India	17 January 1888	13 April 1963	Writer
Amar Nath Kak	India	1889	1963	Writer
Rajendra Prasad	India	3 December 1893	28 February 1963	Politician, writer
Acharya Shivpujan Sahay	India	9 August 1893	21 January 1963	Writer
Laxminarayan Sahu	India	3 October 1890	18 January 1963	Writer
Rahul Sankrityayan	India	9 April 1893	14 April 1963	Activist, writer
Anasuya Shankar	India	1 September 1928	29 July 1963	Writer
Hemendra Kumar Roy	India	2 September 1888	18 April 1963	Writer

Countries with life + 50 years

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia and New Zealand, a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
Zainal Abidin Ahmad	Malaysia	16 September 1895	23 October 1973	Writer, linguist
W. H. Auden	Great Britain	21 February 1907	29 September 1973	Poet
Charles Brasch	New Zealand	27 July 1909	20 May 1973	Poet
Bobby Darin	United States	14 May 1936	20 December 1973	Singer-Songwriter
Noël Coward	United Kingdom	16 December 1899	26 March 1973	Playwright
John Ford	United States	1 February 1894	4 August 1973	Director	The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, The Searchers
Anthony Gilbert	Great Britain	15 February 1899	9 December 1973	Mystery writer	The Vanishing Corpse
Lyndon B. Johnson	United States	27 August 1908	22 January 1973	Politician
Bruce Lee	Hong Kong United States	27 November 1940	20 July 1973	Martial Artist	Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Kathleen Lindsay	Great Britain	1903	1973	Romance writer
Nancy Mitford	Great Britain	28 November 1904	30 June 1973	Writer	The Pursuit of Love
Pablo Neruda	Chile	12 July 1904	23 September 1973	Poet	Canto General, Oda al Gato
Robert C. O'Brien	United States	11 January 1918	5 March 1973	Writer	Z for Zachariah
Gram Parsons	United States	5 November 1946	19 September 1973	Singer-Songwriter
Isabel Peacocke	New Zealand	31 January 1881	12 October 1973	Children's writer
Pablo Picasso	Spain	25 October 1881	8 April 1973	Painter	Guernica, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon
William Plomer	South Africa	10 December 1903	20 September 1973	Writer
Allan Sherman	United States	30 November 1924	20 November 1973	Comedian	Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh
J. R. R. Tolkien	United Kingdom	3 January 1892	2 September 1973	Writer	The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings
Valentin Tomberg	Russian Empire Estonia United Kingdom	26 February 1900	24 February 1973	Hermeticist, Jurist	Degeneration and Regeneration in the Science of Law, Meditations on the Tarot
Alan Watts	United Kingdom	6 January 1915	16 November 1973	Philosopher	Behold the Spirit, The Way of Zen, Tao: The Watercourse Way

Countries with life + 80 years

Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. In Colombia and Equatorial Guinea a work enters the public domain 80 years after the creator's death.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
Carlos Arniches	Spain	11 October 1866	16 April 1943	Playwright
Carmen Karr	Spain	16 March 1865	29 December 1943	Activist, composer
Francisco Rodríguez Marín	Spain	27 January 1855	9 June 1943	Poet
José Jurado de la Parra	Spain	8 February 1856	21 July 1943	Poet, playwright
Guillermo Valencia	Colombia	29 October 1873	8 July 1943	Poet, translator

Australia and Canada

See also: Copyright law of Australia and Copyright law of Canada

In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with the United States and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which brought some e.g. British authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors will come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).

Similarly, Canada amended its Copyright Act in 2022 from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, coming into force on December 30, 2022, but not reviving expired copyright. No more new authors will come out of copyright in Canada until 1 January 2043 (those who died in 1972). Crown copyright was not changed, thus works published in 1973 entered the public domain in 2024.

United States

See also: Public domain in the United States and 2024 in American public domain

Sound recordings that were published in 1923 entered the public domain.

One of the most notable works which entered the public domain in 2024 is Steamboat Willie. The Walt Disney Company had previously lobbied for the extension of copyright length in the United States in order to prevent the short film and its characters—including Mickey Mouse—from entering the public domain. The result of that lobby effort was Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998.

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1928, films released in 1928, and other works published in 1928, entered the public domain in 2024. Unpublished works whose authors died in 1953 entered the public domain.

The earliest incarnation of Mickey Mouse as well as Minnie Mouse entered the public domain work in 2024 through Steamboat Willie and the silent versions of Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho. The sound versions of the latter two shorts will enter the public domain in 2025. The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne, including the character Tigger, entered the public domain in 2024. Notable films which entered the public domain in the United States include Abie's Irish Rose, Charlie Chaplin's The Circus, Buster Keaton's The Cameraman, In Old Arizona, The Man Who Laughs, Noah's Ark, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Lights of New York, The Singing Fool, and Harold Lloyd's final silent feature Speedy.

Additional notable works which entered the public domain in the United States include Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence, Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf, The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall, Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág, Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh, The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie, Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille, The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht, and An American in Paris by George Gershwin.

See also

• 1953 in literature and 1973 in literature for deaths of writers
• Public Domain Day
• Creative Commons

External links

• "Authors by Year of Death – 1953". AuthorAndBookInfo.com.
• Popular Books of 1928 at Goodreads
• Public Domain Day 2024 at the Center for the Study of the Public Domain, Duke University School of Law