Joy Batchelor, halasandbatchelor.co.uk
- Do you know of women, past or present who have contributed to the arts in Gloucestershire?
- Do you want to spend an hour, or several, working towards gender balance in the historical record as presented in Wikipedia?
- Do you want to learn about how Wikipedia works?
- Do you want to learn to edit Wikipedia?
- Do you want to celebrate and encourage women’s creativity?
The Women’s Art Activation System (a recently formed Stroud-based collective) will be hosting a Wikithon from 10am-4pm on Wednesday 8th March, International Women’s Day at Atelier Textile & Craft Club. They are looking for women to write about and need local historians and sources to let them know about the hidden talents in Gloucestershire past and present. This all-day event is designed to improve coverage of women and the arts on Wikipedia, and encourage women and girls in Gloucestershire to learn to edit Wikipedia. It will be child-friendly and free to take part. Drop in for a short while or stay all day - bring suggestions and reference material, learn to edit Wikipedia, help others to learn and discover local women artists you may not have heard about!
May Morris
What will the Wikithon Involve?
The Wikithon will include tutorials for the beginner Wikipedian, ongoing editing support, reference materials, and refreshments. People of all backgrounds and technical abilities are very warmly welcomed to take part. A gong will sound each time some information is added and a mini training session takes place hourly so you can drop in and pick up the tasks throughout the day.
Inequality on Wikipedia
In a 2011 survey, the Wikimedia Foundation found that less than 10% of its contributors are female. This lack of female participation and other factors have led to an alarming shortage of content about women and art in the world’s most popular online research tool.
Art+Feminism Edit-a-thons and other initiatives make an impact on the gender gap through crucial improvements to art and feminism related subjects on Wikipedia. Since 2014, over 280 Art+Feminism Edit-a-thons have taken place across the world, creating and improving an estimated 4,600 articles. Other participants in this project include The Museum of Modern Art in New York, Tate Britain and a host of other arts institutions large and small.
The Inaugural Stroud Wikithon is organised by Katharina Child, Deborah Abramson, Uta Baldauf, Sharon Bennett, and Sarah Dixon as part of the new Women’s Art Activation System. Follow them on facebook and the facebook event page here for further info.