About Save The Creators
Unite creators across all disciplines to claim their rights to consent, fair pay, and lasting preservation.
Why We Exist
The internet was built on a promise: that anyone with a creative spark could share their voice with the world, directly and without permission. For a brief moment, it felt like the golden age of creativity. Musicians found fans, writers found readers, and artists found patrons, all without the gatekeepers of old.
But that promise has been broken. The platforms that once connected us have become engines of extraction. Algorithms now dictate what gets seen, prioritizing engagement bait over human expression. Value chains have become opaque, directing the vast majority of revenue to intermediaries while the creators who generate the value fight for scraps.
The rise of generative AI has accelerated this crisis. Systems are being trained on our life's work without consent or compensation, aiming not to assist creativity but to replace it with cost-effective simulacra. The goal is a frictionless, lifeless internet populated by "content" rather than art.
A Framework for Collective Action
Save The Creators provides a framework for collective action that preserves individual independence. We serve as a bridge between creative disciplines, coordinating with advocacy organizations to build a unified front against extraction.
As a project of Distributed Creatives, we provide the strategic foundation and the tools necessary for creatives to reclaim control over their digital futures.
We're not asking permission. We're organizing the power creators already have.
The Seven Pillars
The strategic framework guiding everything we do.
United Creator Voice
Unite all creators across disciplines into one movement. Musicians, writers, visual artists, developers — one front, one voice. The problems are shared, and the response must be collective.
Technology in Service of Creativity
Tools that serve creators, not extract from them. Technology should amplify human expression, not replace it. Every tool in our ecosystem is evaluated by whether it increases creator agency.
Fair Value Exchange
Economic value flows to creators, not intermediaries. The people who generate the value should capture the value. Revenue models must be transparent and equitable at every layer.
Creator Sovereignty & Autonomy
Creators control how their work is used. Consent is not optional — it is the foundation. No platform, algorithm, or AI system should use creative work without explicit permission.
Transparent & Accessible Ecosystem
Clear terms, fair play throughout. No hidden clauses, no opaque algorithms, no buried rights grabs. Every creator deserves to understand the systems they participate in.
Global Community, Local Impact
Worldwide reach with local relevance. Creator rights are universal, but the fight happens in specific communities and jurisdictions. Creative exploitation is global — so is the movement against it.
Legacy & Preservation
Preserve creative works for future generations with rights intact. Art outlives platforms — the rights should too. 72 heritage crafts are already critically endangered worldwide.
Who We Are
Save The Creators is a project of Distributed Creatives, a non-profit organization.
Matty Bovard
Co-Founder & Director, Distributed Creatives
Leading the charge to build the connective tissue between creator advocacy organizations worldwide. Matty bridges research insights, advocacy partners, and industry leaders so creators can push for fair treatment, safer workplaces, and more equitable platforms.
What We Believe
Creators inherently own value — but they've signed it away because intermediaries controlled distribution. That game is over.
Collective strength through technology and large membership can shift laws and industry norms. The movement is bigger than any one organization. Save The Creators is the hub, not the whole.
We're working to ensure the next era of the web is built to support creatives, where technology serves the creator, not the other way around.
Join the Movement
Add your voice to the call for creators worldwide to claim what's rightfully theirs.
Sign the Declaration