The copyright owner could be:

• the creator (author/artist/musician)
• the publisher 
• an organisation who commissioned the work or employed the creator 
• the estate of the creator (copyright generally lasts for 70 years after the creator's death)

Complex works such as music or film may have multiple copyright owners.

Museums, galleries, archives and library catalogues sometimes indicate the copyright ownership of items in their collections.

The Australian Copyright Council fact sheet on Ownership of Copyright has more information about identifying copyright owners.

Journal and book publishers often have a copyright permissions link or online form.

Most universities and government departments have a copyright contact link on their websites.

There may be information under website terms and conditions.

Refer to the Fact Sheet below for details on how to find contact information for copyright owners.

There is a risk of liability for copyright infringement if you use a copyright work without permission. Publishers may refuse to accept a manuscript containing any third party material without clear authority.

The best option is to find an alternative, but if an alternative is not possible, include a “good faith notice” . A “good faith notice” should say how you can be contacted and indicate your willingness to negotiate payment and/or take down the material if the copyright owner comes forward.

For teaching materials, it may be possible to rely on Section 200AB to use an orphan work if there is no other alternative. Read more about copyright exceptions in the Copyright Support Brightspace site.
 

An “orphan work” is material that is protected by copyright where the copyright owner is untraceable or cannot be contacted e.g. a company has ceased to operate or an author is unknown.

Orphan works are a subject for copyright legislative reform. Please inform the Copyright Librarian if you encounter issues with using orphan works.