The Burnaby Art Gallery wants to do its part to improve coverage of gender, feminism and the arts on Wikipedia.
The gallery is hosting and Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon on Friday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include tutorials for beginner Wikipedians, plus ongoing editing support, reference materials and refreshments.
The event is part of a growing worldwide movement dedicated to helping improve the balance of coverage on Wikipedia.
A press release from the gallery notes that, every March since 2014, Art + Feminism edit-a-thons have taken place across the world at museums, libraries, universities, coffee shops and community centres, helping to improve more than 11,000 articles. The global project is based out of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, with events at hundreds of locations around the world. More than 7,000 people have taken part in more than 500 events around the world.
In a 2011 survey, the Wikimedia Foundation found that fewer than 10 per cent of its contributors identify as women, leading to a gap of content in the world’s most popular online research tool.
“Becoming a Wikipedia editor has been an empowering experience,” said Jennifer Cane, assistant curator at Burnaby Art Gallery, in the release. “I love the idea that we are writing ourselves into history through events like this one.”
The day’s events will focus on artists from the Burnaby Art Gallery’s permanent collection and its artist files. People with a background and/or strength in art history and research are encouraged to attend, and people of all gender identities and expressions are invited to participate.
The event is free, but space is limited.
Participants are asked to bring along lunch and a laptop. It’s free, and refreshments will be offered. RSVP by email to [email protected] or by phone to 604-297-4422.
For more on the Art + Feminism edit-a-thons, see www.artandfeminism.org.
