The Institute for Art and Olfaction has operated with open source principles from its very inception in 2012. In 2018 we formalized our commitment to Open Source protocols in an ongoing program we’re calling Open Source Smell Culture.
Open Source Smell Culture explores alternative attribution and sharing strategies for the perfume industry while expanding visibility for independent perfumers, educators and cultural organizations. True to our mission, we also hope this program will help create more inroads for people who are curious about scent.
The program takes the shape of workshops and working groups, open access data sets helmed by the IAO and community leaders devoted to similar principles, and will culminate with the publication of a set of recommendations for open source methodologies in scent creation, perfumery, and related practices.
Along the way, we will be collecting and publishing formulas, sharing information, sharing resources, and – in so doing – testing the feasibility for a public domain in the field of perfumery.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions and ideas. We particularly love to hear from IP attorneys, perfumers working in open source capacities, and potential collaborators.
The Open Sourcing Smell Culture project is an ongoing project initiated and managed by The Institute for Art and Olfaction, with the vital assistance of our partners. Please keep checking in for information and events, as they develop.
Read an article on Perfumer & Flavorist Magazine by IAO founder Saskia Wilson-Brown explaining the principles behind the program.