Our Principles on Open Access
MOWAA supports open access to knowledge to advance research, education, innovation and creativity. We encourage sharing and use of information about our growing collection and expertise, where published on our website and other platforms.
Accordingly, we intend to increasingly release content on our website under a suitable license, preferably the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This includes images, data, and other digital materials resulting from our documentation, research, and preservation initiatives. Kindly note, this policy may be subject to review, based on advisory and emerging best practices.
Understanding Restrictions to our Terms of Use
MOWAA is committed to providing open access to its collections and associated information to support education, research, and public engagement. However, open access may not always be possible or advisable.
Some content within our collections or on our website is governed by third-party agreements that limit how and where it can be used. MOWAA can only decide the terms of release for content that it owns the copyright to.
Additionally, certain records may be withheld from public access due to ethical or cultural sensitivity considerations. In such cases, access may be restricted for a limited or indefinite period. MOWAA remains dedicated to respecting the privacy of collection owners and communities of origin, ensuring that confidential, proprietary or sensitive information is properly safeguarded.
What does ‘Open Access’ mean?
At MOWAA, Open Access refers to providing free online access to images, digital assets and other information, primarily with a view to support educational, research, and creative purposes. These assets are shared under various Creative Commons licenses, allowing broad range of usage while respecting intellectual property rights.
How do I know what I can use?
Not everything on our website and social media platforms is available under Creative Commons (CC) licenses, as indicated by the individual rights statements that are applied to content on this website and other platforms.
Licenses allocated to content may vary. Please review the licensing terms to learn what permissions and restrictions apply. If you are uncertain of the applicable license or terms of use for specific content, please contact our team at info@wearemowaa.org.
How do I properly attribute MOWAA images and digital assets?
When using MOWAA’s image and digital assets, please credit us with our name and the license type, so researchers and other users can identify the source of the material. MOWAA must be attributed and given appropriate credited for the source work. We also recommend providing a hyperlink to the license terms where possible.
For example: “Museum of West African Art, CC BY 4.0.”
Can I use MOWAA’s materials for research or personal use?
Most images and digital assets owned by MOWAA are available at no charge for research, non-commercial, or personal use. Ensure that you adhere to the specific licensing terms of each item and that the appropriate credit line is included (see above).
If unsure, please reach out to our team at collections@wearemowaa.org (for collection-related queries) or info@wearemowaa.org (for general images and publications).
How should MOWAA’s publications and written content be treated?
All written content on our website is protected by internationally recognised laws of copyright and intellectual property. Unless a license indicates otherwise, all rights are reserved for all publications where printed or on our website. However, you are free and encouraged to refer to these, provided it is intended for non-commercial use and that we are given credit (CC BY-NC 4.0 International). When using written content, always reference MOWAA as the original author, and include the date if known.
For example: “Museum of West African Art, 2024”
Can I use MOWAA’s materials for commercial purposes?
When possible and appropriate, we publish images and digital assets using CC BY 4.0, which allows for commercial use. For enquiries regarding the commercial use of our materials or sensitive content that is restricted by third-party rights or other conditions, please contact collections@wearemowaa.org.
Can I publish MOWAA’s materials on my website or social media platform?
MOWAA content that has already been made available or published on social media may be used according to the licenses applied to the images, digital assets, or written content. Unless a licence allows otherwise, use of content must not be connected to commercial activity and proper attribution is required (see above). For assets with shared or third-party ownership, restrictions set by third parties will define access and usage rights.
How do I report a case of misuse or lodge my concerns?
If you have encountered material that you are working with considered sensitive, please get in touch with MOWAA’s Collections team (collections@wearemowaa.org) to discuss further action. Other cases can also be reported using the same email address.
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