Mark Sommerset
“ Without art produced by individuals from their own unique perspective, the world, to my mind, would undoubtedly be a more homogenised, less interesting, and less beautiful place.”
Books - particularly picture books I think - have a unique way of bringing people and families together. They encourage imagination and conversation. They unite, focus and bond. They act as a gateway to a lifetime of reading - not only for pleasure, but for knowledge and understanding too. For me, there is something really special about sharing books with young children, be it simply for entertainment and laughter, or as a means to gently introduce new thoughts, philosophies and ideas that speak to a world of wonder and possibility.
Creating books involves a lot of work: writing, editing, illustrating, promoting, selling, and so much more. When it comes to protecting and encouraging new work, copyright is vitally important. Without it, anyone could replicate or share anyone else’s work, so leaving the creator (and publisher) uncompensated for their time, dedication, and effort. Organisations that support writers and publishers, such as the Publishers association of NZ, Storylines, the NZ Society of Authors, and even libraries themselves would likely struggle to exist in a world where writers and their work is no longer legally protected. I imagine this would greatly undermine literacy rates and the joy and value of reading at all ages.
Copyright also means organisations - as well as individuals - must reach out for permission to use all or part of a book, which gives the copyright owner some control over where their work ends up and how it is used. This includes the international arena, where I have had the good fortune to see a number of my books translated and published in multiple territories. Without these protections, the incentives (both personal and financial) for the author and publisher would be greatly affected - making it very difficult to continue to work in this field. With the advancement of AI and the pressures exerted by powerful organisations to open source the works of people who derive their living from art, it is increasingly important to maintain a vigilant eye on exploitation and the erosion of individual creative rights.
Over the years I have had the joy of seeing how my work has touched and enriched the lives of readers of all ages around the world, all-the-while being continually inspired and moved myself by the work of others. I am particularly grateful for the existence of copyright and the organisations that uphold it, not just for my own sake, but the benefit of consumers and creators alike. Without art produced by individuals from their own unique perspective, the world, to my mind, would undoubtedly be a more homogenised, less interesting, and less beautiful place.
Mark Sommerset is an internationally-acclaimed author of a diverse range of picture books, including the award-winning Baa Baa Smart Sheep, Two Little Bugs and Because You Are You. For more about Mark and his books visit: www.marksommerset.com