Open culture isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a vibrant reality, especially in communities like Montevideo, Uruguay, where sharing and remixing thrive even without strict legal frameworks.
- In November 2025, a week-long celebration of open culture, Semana de la Cultura Libre, took place in Montevideo, Uruguay.
- Artists in Uruguay often share and collaborate freely, frequently bypassing formal Creative Commons licenses.
- A key challenge is clarifying the difference between content simply *available* online and content that is truly *free and open*.
- Discussions at the event highlighted the importance of defending cultural participation as a collective right, particularly in the face of increasing digital enclosure.
The spirit of collaboration and open exchange was palpable in Montevideo, Uruguay, last November during Semana de la Cultura Libre (Open Culture Week). Organized by CC Uruguay, the week-long event—filled with panels, workshops, concerts, and conversations—demonstrated that free culture isn’t an abstract concept, but a living practice deeply rooted in local communities, histories, and needs. The event underscored how crucial it is to actively foster openness in an increasingly proprietary digital landscape.
Free Culture Is Alive—Even When the Licenses Aren’t
Conversations with Illeana Silva and Jorge Gemetto, who lead the CC Uruguay chapter, revealed a striking truth: a deeply ingrained DIY culture flourishes in Uruguay. Artists and organizers share generously, collaborate constantly, and remix freely, often without explicitly using Creative Commons licenses. This suggests that openness as a cultural instinct often precedes its formal legal or technical expression.
However, the chapter also faces a recurring challenge in outreach. Many people mistakenly equate content that is simply accessible online with content that is truly free and open. For example, when introducing projects like Musicalibre.uy, which curates openly licensed music, a common response is: “Why would I need openly licensed music? I already use Spotify.” This highlights a growing need to remind people why the commons matters, even before delving into the specifics of CC licenses. As platforms become more proprietary and extractive, the convenience they offer can mask a loss of agency, access, and collective ownership—a particularly relevant concern in the age of artificial intelligence.
Opening the Week: Free Culture in a Time of Extraction
The opening panel, “What do we talk about when we talk about free culture? Practices and challenges,” set the tone for the week. Speakers addressed critical themes including cultural and data extractivism—particularly from the Global South to the Global North—the ways AI complicates long-standing commitments to openness, and the necessity of defending cultural participation as a collective right.
Attendees were introduced to the Open Heritage Statement and the work of the Open Heritage Coalition (formerly TAROCH), with hopes for increased engagement from Uruguay.
📺 Watch the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2prAjdbiHLQ
Tools, Practices, and New Generations of Makers
Workshops throughout the week showcased the diverse ways people utilize open-source tools for creative endeavors and research, demonstrating that art has always been a practice of inspiration and remixing. Notably, many of the most active participants in these sessions were younger creators who already used open-source tools in their creative processes, even without relying on CC licenses. This raised compelling questions about how Creative Commons might further support open resources for design, publishing, and artistic production, encouraging the use of digital technology beyond the scope of what AI currently offers.
Technology, Power, and Accountability
Content warning: discussions included references to genocide and mass surveillance.
One of the most powerful moments of the week occurred during the panel on Apartheid-Free Technology. Panelists shared their experiences and perspectives on how technologies and AI tools are being used in systems of surveillance, repression, and genocide. These conversations underscored the importance of allowing CC chapters the autonomy to convene discussions that reflect their political viewpoints as they intersect with today’s technology and its applications.
Music, Radio, and the Commons in Practice
Live music performances brought joy and immediacy to the week. Local bands who release their music under Creative Commons licenses performed for free, demonstrating that openness is not merely a theoretical commitment but a practical, sustainable choice.
The relaunch of Radio Común, a CC-licensed online radio station, provides a lasting home for this work—extending the spirit of Semana de la Cultura Libre far beyond the week itself.
📺 Watch a clip from the performance: Cultura Libre_2025_1.MOV
Small Investments, Big Impact
A small grant supported Semana de la Cultura Libre—an approach being piloted to increase engagement with regional events. With these funds, the chapter was able to compensate local spaces and collaborators, pay a graphic designer, provide speaker stipends, and support local musicians releasing work under CC licenses.
Being invited to participate as an attendee, rather than a host, allowed the chapter to prioritize the issues most important to their community while showcasing their work.
Looking Ahead
In the coming months, a framework for selecting additional regional events to support with small stipends will be shared as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations. The Uruguay chapter has also expressed interest in expanding Open Culture Week into a global phenomenon next year. Those interested in participating can contact them at [email protected].
We’re grateful to CC Uruguay for their leadership, care, and vision, and we look forward to building on this momentum together.
