Creatives own it. Seaport licenses it.
We never take ownership of anyone's work. We hold the right to license it, on terms the creative has signed.
Licensing at a glance
Creators keep ownership
The creative owns the IP in their work. Seaport licenses it; it never takes the IP.
A written licence every time
Every deliverable carries a licence naming the owner, the scope, the markets and the term.
Pick the scope you need
One campaign, several brands and markets, or yours alone in a category for a term.
The maker gets paid
A royalty goes to the creative every time their work is licensed.
How a licence works
Rights move one way, from the creative to the company. Money moves back the other way.
- 1
The creative
Owns the work and signs a written exclusive licensing agreement with Seaport, with a royalty rate for every licence.
Grants licensing rights - 2
Seaport
Grants licences to companies, sets scope and term, keeps a record of every licence, and collects and pays out the fees.
Licenses to companies - 3
The company
Gets the rights it needs for its brands and markets, and pays one invoice to Seaport.
Fees flow back
Example split only; it matches Envato's 50% author fee. Seaport sets its own rate.
Choose a licence
Three licences for frameworks in the library, and a custom licence for commissioned work.
What's on every licence
Each licence is a written record, kept in a register your legal and procurement teams can check.
- Owner
- The creative who made the work. It stays theirs.
- Licensed via
- Seaport, under the creative's written licensing agreement.
- Scope
- Which brands and uses are covered.
- Markets
- Where the work can be used.
- Term
- How long the licence runs.
- Exclusivity
- Non-exclusive, or exclusive in a category and territory.
For companies
- Rights you can prove, for every piece of work
- The scope you need: one campaign, many markets, or exclusive
- Adaptation by the person who made the work
- One invoice, whatever you license
For creatives
- You own your work. Always.
- Seaport holds the licensing rights under a written agreement you sign
- A royalty each time a company licenses your framework
- Paid adaptation work when a company wants it tailored
The legal basis
In many countries the creator is the first owner of commissioned work unless a written contract says otherwise; Singapore's Copyright Act 2021 is one example. Rules differ by country, so Seaport's agreements state it plainly: ownership stays with the creative. IPOS
Exclusive licences generally need to be in writing and signed by the copyright owner; Singapore, where Seaport is headquartered, requires exactly that. Every creative signs one with Seaport, wherever they are based. DLA Piper
The same trade-off as stock licensing: royalty-free licences are non-exclusive, so others can use the same work; rights-managed licences can be exclusive for a term and territory. Stocksy
Licensing questions
Who owns the work?
The creative who made it. Seaport holds the right to license it, on terms the creative has signed, and never takes ownership.
Can we own the work outright?
Only if the creative agrees directly. For commissioned projects you can negotiate a full transfer with them; otherwise you get a licence for the use you need.
What's the difference between Standard, Extended and Exclusive?
Standard covers one brand and one campaign or product. Extended covers several brands or markets, or paid distribution. Exclusive takes the framework out of the library in your category and territory for a set term. Standard and Extended are non-exclusive.
Can our competitors license the same framework?
With a Standard or Extended licence, yes: they're non-exclusive. An Exclusive licence stops anyone else licensing it in your category and territory for the term you choose.
Who adapts a framework to our brand?
Usually the creative who made it. Adaptation is quoted separately from the licence.
How do creatives get paid?
Seaport collects the licence fee and pays the creative a royalty every time their work is licensed. Commissioned work is paid as a project fee.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page is a summary for illustration. Contract terms should be reviewed by IP counsel in each country Seaport operates in.