Quilt Index Copyright Statement

Unless otherwise noted the copyright in all art works, images, text, audio, or video depicted in this web site remain with their individual artists, authors, or creators. Contributing partners retain copyright to their contributions, and agree to permanently license contributions to the Quilt Index, for educational purposes within the context of the Quilt Index. Reproduction, duplication, transmission, or commercial exploitation of such copyrighted materials are protected by United States copyright laws and international treaties. Materials licensed to the Quilt Index may only be reused in the context of the Quilt Index, by attribution and only for non-commercial, educational purposes. (To assist in project evaluation, please inform Quilt Index staff of such uses by email.) Those wishing to use images or information found in the Quilt Index in any other way should contact the Quilt Index or the contributing institution, (see Contacts).

Correction and Take-Down Policy

The Quilt Index is a digital project that preserves and provides free online access to a wide range of resources on quilts and quiltmaking, for public and educational uses. Digital content is contributed by organizations and individuals ("Contributors") for access via the Quilt Index website in accordance with the Quilt Index Copyright Statement (above). Contributors retain the rights to their original contributions. In the case of a concern regarding content accuracy or rights for a digital resource available via the Quilt Index, please submit a request via the Quilt Index contact form. Please include a description of the concern, the submitter's relation to the resource, and a link to the item on the website. The concern will be reviewed by Quilt Index staff and forwarded to the Contributor. Staff will make every effort to address the concern in a timely way. If necessary, any record (including both image and metadata) can be removed from public viewing by a project administrator or by the content contributor until such concern is addressed.

Statement of Ethics

Quilts are material expressions of human history. Quilt artists stitch together textiles that convey personal information, chronicle histories of localities, families, and groups, as well as capture and convey larger moments of cultural history. As textual documents of life, quilts – and their associated stories of making and use – can and often do capture the wonder and diversity of our many cultures.

The Quilt Index contains images, data, and stories that have been contributed by thousands of individuals and scores of institutions around the world. The overwhelming number of quilts convey reflections of positive histories. They are often associated with celebratory events and the exploration of creative ideas. However, some quilts that have been contributed to the Quilt Index reflect what we might call a darker side of quiltmaking. These are quilts, and the stories that go with them, document experiences with and emblems of racism, white supremacy, sexism, gender bias, prejudice, homophobia or which make light of difficult traumatic collective and personal experiences with physical and mental health, suicide, murder, death, war, police brutality, and more.

All images and stories in the Quilt Index are owned by those who allowed us to put them on the Quilt Index site. Descriptions of quilts and stories often reflect the period in which the quilts were made and how they were used by those who owned them. Collectively, they show how quilts reflect lived histories. As the Quilt Index staff puts images and stories into the Quilt Index, we do not censor the images and data provided by the quilt owner.

The Quilt Index staff does strive to create metadata and guidelines for inputting quilts and stories into the Quilt Index that are respectful, inclusive, and sensitive to the diverse histories and cultures represented in our quilt collections. While maintaining the full record of quilts from the various private and public collections is important to us, we also want to be responsive to our users.

We recognize that language evolves and thus we are dedicated to reviewing and updating our content continuously to reflect ethical and responsible standards. Our goal is to honor the diverse communities and individuals whose stories and creations are shared through our platform, fostering an environment of respect, understanding, and appreciation for the rich history of quilt art and traditions.

Users of the Quilt Index should both be prepared to encounter the occasional “darker side” of quilting as they view images and read or listen to stories.

If you come across images and language in the Quilt Index records that appear inconsistent with recognizing everyone's inherent dignity and equality, please inform us. Do not hesitate to contact us if you believe some presentations of information would benefit by a warning for users. Your feedback is valuable, whether it is about this statement or our overall work. To submit your thoughts, please use the Quilt Index contact page (https://quiltindex.org/about/contact/) .
- The Quilt Index Team, May 2024

NOTE: The following resources were used in crafting the Quilt Index statement.