In 2022, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) took an important step in the integration of culture with the digital world through the figure of the ‘Wikipedian in Residence’. This figure, which has proven to be crucial for the dissemination of knowledge and the reduction of information gaps in Wikipedia, allowed for a collaborative approach between the museum and the digital encyclopaedia.
Carolina Espinoza, Wikipedian in Residence at the museum between 2022 and 2024, shared with us her experience and how this project not only benefited the institution, but also opened up new opportunities to connect culture with the public through open collaboration.
A work born of collaboration and mutual support
The initiative began thanks to the MNCARS’ own study programme, under the auspices of the MNCARS Study Centre, in 2022.
Carolina highlighted how the role of Wikimedia Spain and in particular of its former president, Florencia Claes, was key to making this figure a reality. ‘It was a combination of wills, funding and a lot of support, without which it would not have been possible’, commented Espinoza, underlining the support of the museum and its team in creating a space for Wikipedia in the cultural sphere.
On the part of the museum, she also highlights the support and involvement of the then director of Public Activities, Germán Labrador, who said at the beginning of the project ‘it is time for Wikipedia to be in the museum’.
Challenges and opportunities: building teams and breaking down prejudices
The initial challenge was to train different areas of the museum to understand and work with Wikipedia. According to Carolina, one of the most rewarding achievements was to see how many members of the museum overcame prejudices about the platform and began to appreciate the benefits of collaborative learning.
In addition, they focused on integrating Wikipedia’s presence into the museum’s public activities, a challenge that also proved to be a source of experimentation for new ways of collaboration.
‘It’s amazing how many teams were open to the idea of working together and trying out new Wikipedia tools in activities such as the edit-a-thons,’ explained Carolina. This allowed not only to generate content, but also to make Wikipedia’s editing process and collaborative culture known to the general public.
Wikipedia: a powerful tool for cultural dissemination
From her experience, Espinoza reflects on the role of Wikipedia in the dissemination of culture and art. ‘Cultural activities without dissemination do not exist,’ she says, adding that Wikipedia is an ideal platform for sharing not only the content that museums host, but also institutional philosophy and history. By opening up to Wikipedia, institutions not only share their collections, but also their vision and commitment to free knowledge.
‘Wikipedia offers the possibility of correcting historical or foundational errors of cultural institutions without the need to set up a new exhibition. Sometimes it is enough to create or add information from a collective point of view to achieve a significant and more economical impact,’ she said.
In addition, for museums and cultural institutions considering opening up to Wikipedia, Carolina has a key piece of advice: ‘It is crucial to integrate Wikipedia from the beginning into the museum’s strategy. You have to think about the points where reinforcement is needed, such as the training of teams and the dissemination of content’. She also emphasised that Wikipedia is not just a dissemination tool, but a way to involve the public in a collaborative process of knowledge creation.
Memorable experiences and community building
The activities carried out during her residency, such as the edit-a-thons, left an important mark on Carolina. She highlighted the work done around the project ‘Hablando en data: Visualización de datos de mujeres creadoras’, carried out in conjunction with the University of Salamanca. This type of activity demonstrated how collaboration with Wikipedia can have an impact on the visibility of women in culture.
Another of the most remarkable experiences for Carolina was being able to bring the feminist group Cuarto Propio en Wikipedia to the museum, since they had run out of space after the closure of MediaLab Prado. ‘This was wonderful because, although it was hard to fight for a fixed place, I was able to see how important it is to see other people editing Wikipedia. And if those people are women working to reduce the inequality gap that exists on the platform, so much the better,’ she added.
The future of Wikipedia as a cultural platform
Carolina sees a promising future for Wikipedia as a cultural and educational platform. She highlighted the potential of the tools of the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) environment to fund projects and meetings to share experiences and generate innovative ideas. ‘It is important to continue the dialogue on Wikipedia and culture, and to share our experiences, both good and bad, in order to learn and move forward in this field,’ she concluded.
The figure of the Wikipedian in Residence demonstrates how cultural institutions can take advantage of digital platforms not only to expand their reach, but also to actively engage in the creation of collective and accessible knowledge. Carolina Espinoza’s experience at MNCARS is just the beginning of a journey that still has much to offer the cultural and educational community.
Find out more about Carolina Espinoza’s journey through MNCARS.
Can you help us translate this article?
In order for this article to reach as many people as possible we would like your help. Can you translate this article to get the message out?
Start translation