An annual event in Surrey aims to increase the representation of women and non-binary artists on Wikipedia.
Both in-person and online, another “Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon” is planned by Surrey Art Gallery, this time on Saturday, March 12, from noon to 4 p.m.
“There is a significant gender gap” on the internet encyclopedia, an event advisory insists. “Studies estimate that less than 15 per cent of contributors identify as women. Gender inequities on Wikipedia contribute to a bias in content and language, as well as the erasure of knowledges and histories.”
To help address the issue, planners of the Surrey event invite people “of all gender identities and expressions to make an impact and support women, gender equality, feminism, and the arts on one of the world’s most popular sites. Learn how to research, create a user account, publish Wikipedia pages, and edit and maintain entries.”
Timed with International Women’s Day, the gallery event is co-managed by Rungh Magazine.
In March 2020, the planned gathering at Surrey Art Gallery was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic, but the March 2021 event went ahead virtually.
As always, participants are urged to bring ideas for entries that need updating or creating. Pre-researched artists and artworks from the gallery’s permanent collection will also be available for entry.
No prior knowledge or practice of editing Wikipedia is required, the event hosts note. However, to create new entries, participants must be registered Wikipedia users and have made 10 previous edits on existing pages.
Posted on Wikipedia.org are details about “How to run an edit-a-thon,” which “improve the encyclopedia and can be a great way to help new Wikipedians learn to edit.”
The virtual portion of the March 12 gathering in Surrey will be held on Microsoft Teams. For more event details, email artgallery@surrey.ca or call 604-501-5566.
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On March 3 at the gallery, Port Coquitlam-based artist Sneha Sansare is featured during the next Thursday Artist Talk, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sansare’s “Connecting with Nature” session will focus on her landscape paintings, and she will do a live painting demo on the occasion of Holi, the ancient Hindu festival, also known as “the festival of colours.”
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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