This sounds to me as something for a blog post!

On January 1 we celebrate Public Domain Day [1] as many works of authors who died 70+ years ago now enter the public domain and can be used freely.

Let us be aware: copyright is temporary. It only lasts during the authors lifetime and 70 years afterwards (in most countries). During those years it is limiting Wikipedia and her sister projects in showing works of art, literature, public art and buildings in countries without freedom of panorama [2], and more in the articles. But now a new batch is freed from copyrights!

An overview of images and texts that are restored or added to the Wikimedia Commons, are collected on: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Romaine/Public_Domain_Day/2015

Many of these files still need a place in articles. You can help!

You can also help by uploading new files of subjects that are freed of copyrights. You can also help by tagging all requests for deletion pages with the category when the file can be restored, which is/was deleted. [3]

As I follow the log of restored files this week, more images and texts will follow. If still files or texts are missing in the list, let me know or add them yourselves.

A very happy Public Domain Day!

Romaine

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Domain_Day [2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_panorama [3] - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Undeletion_requests