Creative rights are critical to our book sector. When we value the rights of the people who write and make our books, we all benefit. If you are wondering just how important are local books are we encourage you to visit the new Creative Rights = Creative Reads website. Hear from people who write, make, sell, read, learn from and love our Aotearoa New Zealand books and see an example of how Creative Rights affect curious young reader Stella, in a graphic illustrated by Ezra Whittaker and written by Toby Morris.
"Our homegrown books and stories help us understand who we are, show us where we’ve come from, and help us to see where we might be going. They teach, inspire and feed our imaginations. And they contribute to our children’s literacy and cultural, economic and social wellbeing.
The book sector is also an important part of our country’s creative economy, contributing millions every year. The success of the sector stems from the creative rights of the people who make our books.
Creative rights allow authors, illustrators and publishers to own and earn from their work. When we value these rights we get more: more creativity, more of our own Aotearoa New Zealand stories, more inspirational ideas, and access to more local knowledge.
Creative Rights = Creative Reads is led by The New Zealand Society of Authors, The Publishers Association of New Zealand, and Copyright Licensing New Zealand. It’s an initiative dedicated to supporting the rights of the people who make books in Aotearoa, and to explaining how these rights work, why they’re important, and the economic, social and cultural benefits we all gain when we value these." (found at https://www.creativerights.nz/).