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Is it legal to adapt OpenStreetMap maps into visual art work (i.e. adapt, copy or draw a map of a city, town or place existing in OpenStreetMap into a painting or drawing)? If it is, does OpenStreetMap have to be acknowledged when the art work is displayed? Can the art work be sold and if so does OpenStreetMap have to financially compensated (i.e. a percentage or commission) or does a licencing fee need to be payed? Thanks for any answers to these questions, the website does explain some of these questions; however, I have never used maps in my art before and would like clarification before I do so.

asked 14 May '14, 22:12

CatBoy's gravatar image

CatBoy
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edited 15 May '14, 10:31

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
32.6k18248554

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You might also want to checkout existing art with OSM

(15 May '14, 06:10) iii

If you base your work on OpenStreetMap, you

  • are allowed to sell the work
  • may restrict others from copying it
  • do not need to pay anything to OSM (although donations are welcome!)

However,

  • you must acknowlege OSM when the work is distributed or publicly displayed, see the relevant FAQ
  • if you find and correct errors in OSM map data or otherwise improve it during the creation of your work, you must publish said improvements.under the Open Database License. The best way to do so is often to edit the main OSM database.

You also need to be aware that these are the restrictions that apply for use of the raw data. The designers of the various maps that you see on the web often impose additional legal restrictions for using their maps. If you tell us which map design you would like to use as the foundation of your work, we can tell you about these, too.

(This is not an official statement, I am not a lawyer etc., so please take this with a grain of salt.)

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answered 14 May '14, 23:04

Tordanik's gravatar image

Tordanik
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accept rate: 35%

Thanks for the answers, I have a further question on the help board "What is raw data on OSM?" you may be able to answer. Just a clarification on your above answer. Is the raw data you were referring to the OSM website maps themselves while the designers of the various maps on the web were not from OSM? If so, I'm assuming I can use the OSM maps in my visual art so long as I follow their restrictions (e.g. acknowledgements, etc). I know your statements are not official, they are helpful (I still have more research to do before I start adapting any maps to my art). Thanks again.

(16 May '14, 06:19) CatBoy
1

@CatBoy , This answer to a previous question might help explain what is meant by "raw data".

(16 May '14, 09:13) SomeoneElse ♦

See the answers to the previous questions. E.g. artistic-illustration-based-on-osm-data-license-question.

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answered 15 May '14, 10:33

aseerel4c26's gravatar image

aseerel4c26 ♦
32.6k18248554
accept rate: 18%

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question asked: 14 May '14, 22:12

question was seen: 5,946 times

last updated: 16 May '14, 09:13

NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum