Cultural partnerships/Contribute

/Contribute
This page serves as a directory of the types of project that institutions often conduct with Wikimedia UK. If you have an idea for a project that is not listed then please get in touch on glamwikimedia.org.uk.

How can my institution work with Wikimedia UK?

Content partnerships

Many institutions we work with donate content from their archives to Wikimedia Commons - the free media repository sister project of Wikipedia. The type of content varies, from high-resolution scans of public domain paintings, to photographs of objects in their collection. From the British Library and National Archives to smaller local museums, like the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum and the York Museums Trust, institutions' contributions are always valued. Some of the donated media can be seen below:

One of over 300 images from the National Archives' War Art collection, donated as a result of a digitisation grant by Wikimedia UK
An archival photograph of the HMS Mauretania, from the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museum.
Ridges of tuff on lower slopes of Soufriere Volcano. TA81.jpg

A 1902 photograph from the Tempest Anderson vulcanology collection, at the Yorkshire Museum
An internet-friendly photograph, one of over 5000 images donated by the British Library from their Canadian Collection

Joint events

Edit-a-thons

Participants in an edit-a-thon with the Burgon Society, a society who study the history of academic gowns.

An edit-a-thon is an event where an institution opens their doors to Wikimedians and gives them access to resources and documents from their archives to help them write articles about topics related the the institution. They will provide sources, experts and a place to edit so the editors can improve Wikipedia's coverage of a certain subject. These events can also provide an opportunity for new editors to learn more about contributing to Wikipedia. Previous edit-a-thons have ranged in topic and been organised at institutions as diverse as:

British Library, June 2011 on English and Drama
Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, March 2012 on the history of Coventry
Jisc, June 2012 on World War I
Royal Society, October 2012 on women in science, engineering and technology
Natural History Museum, October 2013 on women in archaeology
National Library of Scotland, November 2013 on early Scottish photography

Backstage passes

Wikipedians went behind the scenes at the British Museum

In a backstage pass, institutions allow Wikimedians to go "behind the scenes" and see objects not normally on show to the public. These are events aimed at sharing the expertise of real-world cultural institutions with the wiki-expertise of our volunteers. Principally this involves an organisation or interest group hosting a private tour for the benefit of local Wikimedians and in reciprocation we help improve the content on Wikipedia that is relevant to that organisation. Events like this have previously been organised at institutions like: