A proposal has been put forward to extend copyright protections on certain British cultural works as a means to provide sustained funding for the arts without increasing taxpayer burdens. The initiative, developed by Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, former director of strategy under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, draws inspiration from an existing government arrangement regarding the play Peter Pan.
In 1929, author J.M. Barrie assigned the copyright of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Following the expiration of this copyright in 1987, the UK government granted GOSH a perpetual right to royalties from public performances, publications, and adaptations of the play in the UK. This unique arrangement has since generated tens of millions of pounds to support the hospital’s work with sick children.
Njoku-Goodwin’s proposal suggests replicating this model for other creative works by extending copyrights beyond their statutory expiration, channeling royalties into arts funding. He points to British composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten, whose copyrights expire in 2028 and 2046 respectively, as initial candidates. Currently, royalties from performances of their music support the Vaughan Williams Foundation and Britten Pears Arts, two charities that promote British music education and performances. However, income levels generated by these works are relatively modest, with Britten Pears Arts receiving under £2 million annually.
The proposal envisions parliament extending copyright terms for these composers, allowing their royalties to continue supporting the arts in perpetuity. Moreover, Njoku-Goodwin advocates expanding the scheme to include other prominent British authors whose works will enter the public domain in the coming decades, including C.S. Lewis (2034), Ian Fleming (2035), Noël Coward (2044), J.R.R. Tolkien (2044), and Agatha Christie (2047). He highlights the substantial revenue potential from these estates, especially given the high-profile adaptations of works such as The Lord of the Rings, which commanded a reputed $250 million in a recent TV rights bidding war.
Under Njoku-Goodwin’s plan, royalties from these extended copyrights would be directed into an independently governed cultural endowment fund managed by existing rights-collecting organizations. The fund would continue to support the charitable trusts associated with each creator’s legacy, even after these trusts wind up their operations. This approach would prioritize the public good by reinvesting income directly into the UK arts sector rather than into private or corporate accounts.
The proposal requires parliamentary approval and would represent an innovative use of copyright law to bolster arts funding amid a landscape of declining donations and government grants. Advocates argue that it has the potential to generate significant, recurring financial support without imposing additional costs on taxpayers or dependence on fluctuating corporate sponsorship. However, the plan would require the government to consider legal and policy challenges related to extending copyright terms and allocating royalties in this manner.
If adopted, the measure could create a lasting financial foundation for cultural institutions, building on the precedent established by the unique Peter Pan arrangement and potentially transforming the funding landscape of British arts and literature.