Image collections
The art and photography image collections listed below may be good starting points when sourcing images. Several of the resources clearly state that the images are free of copyright restrictions (i.e. under Creative Commons licences) and can thus be used for educational use.
In all cases images should be checked for any copyright restrictions - whether they may be used freely (with acknowledgement) or require permission.
Refer to our information page on citing and attributing images in your assessments and projects.
- ArtstorArtstor is a digital library of images in the areas of art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences with a set of tools to view, present, and manage images for research and pedagogical purposes.
- Oxford Art OnlineSearch for images directly from the home page, 'Search for Images only’.
- ArtSourceA gathering point for networked resources on Art and Architecture.
- Europeana CollectionsThematic collections on art, fashion, music, photography from museums, galleries, libraries and archives all across Europe. Includes also text, videos, sound and 3D.
- Getty Research PortalAn extensive collection of digitized art history texts and images from a range of institutions around the world. No permission is required to use images.
- Google Art ProjectImages of artworks from national galleries and museums.
- Google Arts and CultureFormerly Google Cultural Institute, this site showcases the fabulous collections of hundreds of museums, cultural institutions, and archives. Here you can find artworks, landmarks and world heritage sites, as well as digital exhibitions that tell the stories behind the archives of cultural institutions across the globe. Worth indulging in!
- Metropolitan Museum of Art400,000 high resolution copyright free images from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)The collections of the first museum of modern and contemporary art showcasing 82,000 works.
- V & A Museum CollectionsOnline collections of the world's leading museum of art and design.
- VADS: the online resource of visual artsOnline collection of art & design images, copyright cleared for teaching, learning, and research in the UK.
- TROVE: Australia in PicturesImages of Australia's past and present including photographs, objects, maps and works of art.
- RMIT University Art Collection OnlineComprises of over 1500 artworks of modern and contemporary art in Australia (70% available online).
- FotoSearchRoyalty-free and stock photography.
There are a number of websites that provide good quality open access images. The main consideration when using online images is copyright. It is important to check that the images are free to use and if so, under what conditions. Creative Commons licences provide a standardised way for individuals, companies and institutions to share their work with others on flexible terms without infringing copyright. The licences allow users to reuse, remix and share the content legally. Note that it is good practice (and common courtesy) to indicate where you've sourced the image by including a URL, or citing 'public domain' '(PD)' or 'CC0' so others know they can use the work too.
- Wiki.Art.orgPublic domain and copyright protected artworks.
- Flickr Creative CommonsOnline photo management and sharing application under Creative Commons licences.
- More free image resources....A list of free image sources curated by our Copyright Manager.
Online video resources
- Art and Architecture in VideoArt and Architecture in Video includes biographies, profiles of contemporary artists and architects, interviews, surveys of art history, aesthetics, theory, and criticism.
- Informit EduTVAustralian broadcast television content from 2006 onward - including TV shows, feature films and documentaries.
- KanopyA streaming video resource of films and documentaries, including art films.
- Bloomsbury Video LibraryBloomsbury Video Library is a collection of contemporary films, including documentaries about art, feature films, archival footage, workshop films covering teaching techniques and methods, and portrait films and interviews with artists and creators.