The Creative Archive is an initiative to provide access to public service audio and video archives in such a way as to allow the public across the United Kingdom to find, share, watch, listen and re-use the archive as a fuel for their own creative endeavours.

There are five basic rules which govern how can you use the material, and this is a brief introduction to them - but please make sure you read the full licence before getting underway.

Rule 1. You can’t use the material for commercial purposes

Anything you create using the available content must be for your own non-commercial use. This means that you can share it freely with family and friends and use the content for educational purposes (which includes for non-endorsing faith-based educational purposes). You may not, however, sell or profit financially in any way from the use of the content, for example, artists can't charge admission fees to exhibit work they've produced with the content.

Rule 2. You must share alike

You are welcome to share the works (we call them "Derivative Works") you produce with this content. If you do want to share your Derivative Works, please make sure you do so under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence, and make sure you "credit" all creators and contributors whose content is included in the Derivative Works. In other words, we share with you; you must share alike with others.

Rule 3. You must credit the people who made the original material properly

This is your chance to make sure everyone knows what you've done, but you also need to make sure that others who have contributed to a work (a Derivative Work) are credited too. It's up to you how creatively you acknowledge others' contributions!

Rule 4. You can't use the material to promote something or in ways which would upset other people

We want you to get creative with the content we’ve made available for you but please don't use it for endorsement, campaigning, defamatory or derogatory purposes. Whilst faith-based organisations may use the content for resource and teaching purposes they must take care not to breach the requirements of ‘No Endorsement’ as set out in the terms of the Licence.

Equally, educational establishments may showcase uses of the content within the school environment but may not use the content to promote the school or college (e.g. on a school website).

The bottom line is, don't use the content to promote political or charitable organisations or for campaigning or promotional purposes, and remember to treat others and their work in the way that you'd expect them to treat you and your work...with respect!

Rule 5. You must be in the UK

The Creative Archive content is made available only to internet users for use within the UK.