Cultural partnerships

Cultural partnerships
Content partnerships — Digital image restorations — Joint events

An entertainment in Vauxhall Gardens in c.1779 by Thomas Rowlandson. Digitally restored by Wikimedia volunteers.

Cultural partnerships are co-operations between the Wikimedia movement and cultural institutions, such as galleries, libraries, archives and museums, known collectively as GLAMs. There are a wide range of possible projects - from content donations to edit-a-thon events (where Wikipedians and experts work together to improve the projects' coverage of a certain topic), and more.

Why work with Wikimedia?

• Present your collections to new audiences
• Increase worldwide engagement with the cultural heritage held by your institution
• Work with a global community of volunteers to share your content online, on the Wikimedia projects

Who is working with us?

Current cultural institutions we have worked with include:

• The British Library
• The British Museum
• Derby Museum and Art Gallery
• The National Maritime Museum
• The National Archives
• Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry
• Natural History Museum
• Science Museum
• National Library of Scotland

Wikimedia UK's work with the GLAM sector complements its work with learned societies.

If you represent a cultural institution, and are interested in working with Wikimedia UK, please contact our office on +44 (0)20 7065 0990 or glamwikimedia.org.uk.

Wikimedians in Residence

Some of the Wikimedians in Residence from around the world at GLAMcamp London in 2012

A Wikimedian in Residence is a Wikipedia editor who works in an institution to facilitate a close working relationship between the Wikimedia movement and that institution through a range of activities, including:

• Organising outreach work to encourage understanding and development of Wikimedia projects internally and externally
• Exploring sharing the institution's digital resources on Wikimedia Commons
• Organising events to create or expand existing articles about notable items or subjects of specific relevance to the collection and the organisation's expertise
• Working with the institution's staff to explain Wikipedia's and its sister projects' practices and how they might be able to contribute. This can be done via events, workshops, producing case studies and documentation of content
• Helping other Wikimedians to expand and write articles about the institutions's collections or area of expertise
• Developing other projects supporting open knowledge in the UK.

Current Wikimedians in Residence

Please visit the project pages below to find out more about current residences arranged by partnerships including WMUK - including contact details.

• National Library of Scotland – c. a year part time. On our blog
• York Museums Trust – set as 6 months part-time
• The Royal Society – 6 months part-time, until July 2014. WMUK blog
• Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol – 6 months full-time, from March 2014
• Cancer Research UK - 7 months part time, until December 2014. WMUK blog

There are plans for further residencies; if you have any queries please contact the office on 0207 065 0990, or glamwikimedia.org.uk.

Past Wikimedians in Residence

Previous residences arranged by partnerships including WMUK include:

• ARKive project, improving Wikipedia's articles on threatened species, in the Summer of 2011.
• The year long British Library cooperation in 2012-13 has centred on the Wikimedian in Residence project. You can find out more about it here. Andrew Gray's report can be seen here. We are continuing the cooperation with the British Library.
• Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums - 3 months part time. On our blog; on the project page.
• Natural History Museum and Science Museum - 8 months. On our blog.

For a list of all residences, including those in which WMUK was not involved, please see outreach:Wikipedian in Residence.

Further reading

• An example of the agreement signed by WMUK and GLAMs when arranging a Wikimedia in Residence post
• A suggested job description for a Wikipedian in Residence