This is an Open Artifacts project.

What is an Open Artifact?

Think of Open Artifacts as open source for everything humans create, from toys to governments. They give life to our ideas by inviting the community to join us in their development.

Like open-source software, these projects are free to use, adapt, and improve. Cultural Creators, like us, engage with open artifacts as part of our Creative Practice to improve ourselves and to help build a better world.

Visit Evolve The World to learn more about these concepts and how they fit together.
Open Artifacts Initiative

The Open Artifacts Definition (v1.0)

Introduction

The goal of an Open Artifact is to document the design, creation, and function of an artifact so that it may be studied, improved, duplicated, and shared. An "Artifact" refers to the Source Data and Documentation describing a project—whether that project is a physical object, a software program, an educational curriculum, or a business model.

To be certified as an Open Artifact, the distribution terms must comply with the following ten criteria:

1. Free Redistribution

The license shall not restrict any party from selling or giving away the artifact as a component of an aggregate distribution containing artifacts from several different sources. The license shall not require a royalty or other fee for such sale.

  • Patents: The license must explicitly grant a royalty-free license to any patents held by the contributor that are necessary to make, use, or sell the artifact described in the documentation.

2. Source Data (Design Files)

The artifact must include "Source Data"—the preferred form for making modifications (e.g., CAD files, vector drawings, text source files like LaTeX)—and must allow distribution in Source Data form.

  • Preferred Formats: Source Data should be provided in open, standard file formats editable using Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) whenever possible.

  • Proprietary Exception: If no capable open-source alternative exists for a specific domain, Source Data in proprietary formats is acceptable, provided it is the format used by the author to create the artifact. Authors are encouraged to provide open-format exports (e.g., PDF, STL) alongside proprietary sources.

  • Access: Where the artifact is not distributed with Source Data, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining it for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost.

3. Derived Works

The license must allow modifications and derived works, and must allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original artifact. The license must allow for the artifact to be adapted to local needs, translated, or modified for different environments.

4. Integrity of The Author’s Source Data

The license may restrict Source Data from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of "patch files" or requires that modified versions carry a different name or version number.

  • Reputation: The license must explicitly permit distribution of artifacts built from modified Source Data. However, it may require that derived works not use the original author's name, logo, or trademarks in a way that implies endorsement or official status.

5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups

The license must not discriminate against any person or group of persons.

6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor

The license must not restrict anyone from making use of the artifact in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the artifact from being used in a business, for research, or for military purposes.

7. Distribution of License

The rights attached to the artifact must apply to all to whom the artifact is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties.

8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product

The rights attached to the artifact must not depend on the artifact being part of a particular larger distribution or kit. If the artifact is extracted from that distribution and used or distributed within the terms of the artifact’s license, all parties to whom the artifact is redistributed should have the same rights as those granted in conjunction with the original distribution.

9. License Must Not Restrict Other Artifacts

The license must not place restrictions on other artifacts that are distributed along with the licensed artifact. For example, the license must not insist that all other artifacts distributed on the same medium must be Open Artifacts.

10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral

No provision of the license may be predicated on any individual technology, specific toolchain, or style of interface.

The Open Artifacts Definition was derived from The Open Source Definition published by the Open Source Initiative.

Version 1.0, last modified, 2026-01-17