Dex Digital Sample Library
A nonprofit, open-access library of artist-made audio-visual materials for legal reuse under CC BY 4.0.
MISSION
dex is a nonprofit, open-access library that commissions, documents, and publishes artist-made audio-visual materials under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, enabling legal reuse—with attribution—by creators, educators, and institutions.
What We Do
COMMISSION & RECORD
We commission performance sessions designed for downstream reuse—clean audio capture, camera placements that read in editorial/score-following contexts, and session notes for teaching and research.
Publish for Legal Reuse
We release high-quality audio/video with page-level metadata and clear attribution guidance. Everything defaults to CC BY 4.0 to remove friction.
Programs & Opportunities
Open calls, residencies, and community programs broaden participation while compensating artists and expanding the public collection.
Learning & Tools
Dex Notes and reference pages explain attribution, licensing, and best practices, with examples that make reuse practical.
Impact at a Glance
- 30+ hours published to date.
- 24+ artists commissioned and featured.
- 100% CC BY 4.0 unless otherwise noted.
- 3+ countries represented across contributors and audiences.
Counts update quarterly from internal logs and public pages.
Team & Governance
Dex is led by a compact team focused on quality capture, clear rights, and practical reuse. We ship deliberately and keep the catalog public-first.
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Partners & COLLABORATORS
We work with ensembles, presenters, labels, archives, schools, and civic institutions that share our commitment to open culture.
- Co-commission a session for public release under CC BY 4.0.
- Host a recording day; we handle production and licensing.
- Contribute catalog materials with clear rights and metadata.
- Pilot education modules using Dex materials in class.
- Support a themed series through funding or in-kind services.
PRESS & Media
Boilerplate. Dex Digital Sample Library is a nonprofit, open-access catalog of artist-made audio-visual materials, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 for legal reuse.
- Founded: 2021 · Public launch: Apr 2022
- Nonprofit status: 501(c)(3)
- Default license: CC BY 4.0
- Catalog: 30+ works / 30+ hours
- Artists commissioned: 24+
- Media contact: press@dexdsl.org
Contact
We’re a small team and read every message. For general questions, proposals, or rights inquiries, use the form or email us.
- General: info@dexdsl.org
- Partnerships / Programs: info@dexdsl.org
- Media / Press: press@dexdsl.org
- Rights / Takedown: legal@dexdsl.org
- Opportunities: info@dexdsl.org
We aim to reply within 3–5 business days; complex rights questions may take longer.
License & ATTRIBUTION
Except where noted, Dex content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
CC BY 4.0 lets you reuse Dex materials—copy, share, remix, adapt, and release, including commercially—with proper attribution. Credit the artist(s) and Dex, link to the source page when possible, and indicate changes.
- Short (video description): “Source: ‘[Work Title]’ by [Artist], Dex Digital Sample Library (CC BY 4.0). Edits by [You]. [URL]”
- Liner notes / academic: “[Artist], ‘[Work Title]’. Dex Digital Sample Library, CC BY 4.0, [URL]. Adapted by [You], [changes].”
Dex name and logo are trademarks of Dex Digital Sample Library and are not covered by CC BY. Partner logos, wordmarks, or any other identifiable marks, where presented, are not covered under CC-BY licensure, and are the property of their respective rightsholders.