WIKIGLAM (Wikipedia for artists and the arts)

(Cette note n'est disponible qu'en anglais.*)

This note was created as part of interConnect, a collaborative inquiry into digital transformation. Learn more in the box at the end of the text.

GLAMs

GLAM is an acronym for galleries, libraries, archives, and museums, and refers to cultural institutions with a mission to provide access to knowledge. GLAMs collect and maintain cultural heritage materials in the public interest. As collecting institutions, GLAMs preserve and make accessible primary sources valuable for researchers. —https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLAM_(cultural_heritage), Accessed 30 January 2024. 

According to the Library and Archives Canada government website, GLAMs receive approximately 150 million visitors each year. From 2016-2019 a series of GLAM summits (2016, 2018, 2019) were held to serve as launching pads for collaboration and exchange within this cross-disciplinary sector. 

The Canadian Museums Association recognizes that members of the GLAM sector have often operated in silos, so a series of studies, working groups, and toolkits were commissioned to share insights, establish networks, and study the economic and social value of GLAMs.

GLAMs collaborating with Wikipedia

The GLAM–Wiki initiative (galleries, libraries, archives, museums with Wikipedia) helps cultural institutions share their resources with the world through high-impact collaboration alongside experienced Wikipedia editors. It is an unparalleled opportunity for the custodians of our cultural heritage to present their collections to new audiences. —https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:GLAM/About, Accessed 30 January 2024. 

Building on this initiative, Wiki-Wednesday Webinars are free online monthly learning sessions designed to help GLAM professionals understand how art galleries and museums can use linked open data (LOD) to raise awareness of their organizations and artists.

They are an ongoing series with events throughout 2023-2024. Registration for the free online upcoming webinars is here. 

Associated with the project is a guide for visual artists, Embracing WikiData for Visual Artists: A Guide to Discoverability Online, which was commissioned by Victoria Stasiuk & Associates. It is written and produced by Strategic Moves. Embracing Wikidata for Visual Artists is based on Embracing Wikidata: For Musicians Who Know Nothing About Wikidata, researched and published in May 2022 by Strategic Moves. The original Guide was commissioned by Home Routes / Chemin Chez Nous. It was realized thanks to funding by the Presenters Capacity Building Program by CAPACOA and RIDEAU. Changes were made to customize this guide for use by visual artists, including updating screen captures and information that is specific to the visual arts. This work is published under Creative Commons licence CC BY-SA 4.0.

Case Study

Data Visualization and Knowledge Graph for Phase 1  – Uninvited, a traveling exhibit of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection 

 Other resources:

Scratchpad for referencing known uses of CC licensing and material in the GLAM sector

OpenGLAM – A global network for sharing digital cultural heritage

GLAM and Indigenous Librarianship

Watch Ingrid Petri's Workshop: Oct 4 2023 Wiki Wednesday Webinar - Enhancing Online Presence for Visual Artists Using Wikidata.

About this note   

• This note was nurtured by the discussions that took place during interConnect  workshops, particularly those of co-learning group 3.1.   
• Note authored by Victoria Stasiuk and Emily Collins with revision support from the interConnect team.
• If you are the content owner or the organization concerned and would like to take control of ownership of the note, write to IMAA at info@imaa.ca. 

The interConnect initiative was led by the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA). The views expressed in this note are those of the author(s) and not official IMAA recommendations.

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*interConnect était une initiative bilingue. Cependant, en raison de la quantité de contenu créé au cours du projet, et compte tenu des contraintes budgétaires et de la capacité de l'équipe, toutes les notes n'ont pas été traduites.