Art+Feminism
A global nonprofit initiative that trains and mobilizes people to improve Wikipedia's coverage of women, feminism, LGBTQ+ subjects, and the arts.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Art+Feminism is a United States–based nonprofit initiative and campaign focused on reducing gender and representation gaps on Wikipedia and related knowledge platforms. It is best known for organizing an annual, worldwide program of Wikipedia edit-a-thons, workshops, panels, conversations, and community meetups. The initiative concentrates particularly on women artists, feminist topics, transgender and non-binary subjects, and other areas that have historically received limited coverage in collaboratively produced reference works. The project began in 2014 after Artstor librarian Siân Evans developed an idea for a women-and-art project connected with the Art Libraries Society of North America. Evans discussed the concept with curator Jacqueline Mabey, who had been influenced by the way Wikipedia contributors organized public editing events around Ada Lovelace. Mabey brought in Michael Mandiberg, a professor at the City University of New York who used Wikipedia in teaching, and Mandiberg connected the project with Laurel Ptak of the art-and-technology nonprofit Eyebeam. The organizing group also recruited local Wikimedia community members Dorothy Howard and Richard Knipel. Their collaboration produced the first Art+Feminism edit-a-thon in 2014. The inaugural campaign drew approximately 600 volunteers across 30 events. In 2015, participation grew to about 1,300 people at 70 events in 17 countries spanning four continents. The campaign subsequently developed into a distributed international network in which museums, libraries, universities, galleries, cultural organizations, and independent organizers host local events using Art+Feminism's guidance and resources. Since its launch, the initiative has reported participation by more than 20,000 people at over 1,500 events, contributing to the creation or improvement of more than 100,000 Wikipedia articles. Art+Feminism's operating model combines practical editing instruction with community building. Participants are typically introduced to Wikipedia's editorial standards, research methods, citation practices, and editing tools before working on articles individually or in groups. Events may be held in person or online, and organizers can choose among edit-a-thons, panels, discussions, and meetups. Although many activities are concentrated in March during Women's History Month, the campaign is designed to continue throughout the year. The initiative emerged partly in response to public criticism of Wikipedia's gender imbalance. Reference material associated with the project has cited estimates that women account for only a minority of biographical subjects and that women have historically represented a similarly small share of Wikipedia editors. Art+Feminism treats participation and content coverage as related challenges: increasing the number and diversity of contributors can help expand the subjects, sources, perspectives, and editorial priorities represented in the encyclopedia. Its remit has also broadened beyond cisgender women to include transgender and non-binary people and wider questions concerning feminism, technology, cultural production, and access to knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 and 2021 programs to move substantially into virtual formats, including video-conference-based events. This shift enabled continued participation while also reinforcing the initiative's international and distributed character. Kira Wisniewski became executive director in 2020 and has been associated with the organization's ongoing programming and collaborations. In January 2025, Art+Feminism announced a 2025–2026 campaign organized around the question of what a genuinely feminist internet could look like. The campaign reflects the initiative's continuing interest in the relationship between technology, cultural representation, and gender equity.
History
Art+Feminism was established in 2014 as a collaborative response to the underrepresentation of women and feminist subjects on Wikipedia. The initial concept came from Siân Evans, an Artstor librarian working on a women-and-art project associated with the Art Libraries Society of North America. Evans discussed the idea with curator Jacqueline Mabey, who had observed the effectiveness of Wikipedia community events organized around Ada Lovelace. Mabey then involved Michael Mandiberg, a City University of New York professor who incorporated Wikipedia into classroom teaching. Mandiberg invited Laurel Ptak, a fellow at Eyebeam, an art and technology nonprofit, to assist with planning. Local Wikimedia organizers Dorothy Howard and Richard Knipel subsequently joined the effort. The organizers designed a public editing event aimed at improving Wikipedia's coverage of women artists while also bringing more women and other underrepresented contributors into the editing community. The project addressed two connected problems: gaps in encyclopedia content and the demographic imbalance among Wikipedia editors. Its activities also responded to broader criticism of Wikipedia's cataloging and editorial systems, which had often produced stronger coverage of men than women. The first campaign attracted around 600 volunteers at 30 locations in 2014. Art+Feminism expanded quickly. In 2015, approximately 1,300 volunteers participated in 70 events held in 17 countries on four continents. Media coverage appeared in several countries, including Australia, Canada, Cambodia, India, New Zealand, Scotland, and the United States. Universities, libraries, museums, and other cultural organizations began hosting local programs. Events were reported at institutions and organizations including the Museum of Modern Art and a range of American universities. This distributed structure allowed local hosts to adapt the format while maintaining the campaign's broad focus on gender, art, feminism, and access to knowledge. The standard event format combines an introduction to Wikipedia with research, editing, and peer support. Participants may create new articles, expand existing entries, add reliable citations, improve biographies, or address omissions involving women artists and other underrepresented communities. Art+Feminism has encouraged work on transgender and non-binary subjects as well as on cisgender women, reflecting a wider understanding of representation and gender equity. Its programming has included conventional edit-a-thons, educational workshops, panels, conversations, and informal meetups. Events may take place in physical venues or through online platforms, and activity is often concentrated in March during Women's History Month while continuing throughout the rest of the year. The initiative's scale grew beyond its first campaigns. According to the reference material associated with the project, more than 20,000 people have participated in over 1,500 events, leading to the creation or improvement of more than 100,000 Wikipedia articles. The campaign's organizers have relied on the collective labor of scholars, librarians, Wikipedians, students, artists, cultural workers, and independent volunteers. A coordinating forum on Wikipedia is used to track and connect contributions from local events. Art+Feminism also gained recognition outside the editing community. In 2014, Foreign Policy named the founding organizers among its global thinkers for their work addressing gender bias on Wikipedia. Artsy later described the initiative as a significant mechanism for bringing women together as editors and noted its adoption by major museums and arts organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the event model. The 2020 and 2021 campaigns were held virtually because of health and safety concerns, with Zoom and other digital tools replacing or supplementing in-person gatherings. The online format preserved the campaign's continuity and supported participation across geographic boundaries. Kira Wisniewski became executive director in 2020 and has been associated with the organization's continuing operations and Baltimore-area collaborations. In January 2025, Art+Feminism announced its 2025–2026 campaign, asking participants to consider what a genuinely feminist internet might be. This framing extends the initiative's original emphasis on Wikipedia articles into broader questions about digital infrastructure, participation, representation, and technological power.
- 2025
2025–2026 feminist internet campaign announced
[2]Art+Feminism announced a campaign centered on imagining a genuinely feminist internet.
- 2020
Virtual programming begins
[1]The annual campaign moved online because of COVID-19-related health concerns.
- 2020
Executive director appointed
[1]Kira Wisniewski was appointed executive director.
- 2015
International expansion
[1]The campaign grew to approximately 1,300 participants at 70 events in 17 countries across four continents.
- 2014
First Art+Feminism edit-a-thon campaign
[1]The inaugural campaign attracted approximately 600 volunteers at 30 events and established the initiative's model of collaborative Wikipedia editing focused on women artists and feminist subjects.
- 2014
Founding organizers receive international recognition
[1]Foreign Policy recognized the founding Art+Feminism organizers as global thinkers for their work addressing gender bias in Wikipedia.
Products and positioning
A grassroots, globally distributed knowledge-equity initiative that uses collaborative editing, cultural partnerships, and contributor training to improve representation on Wikipedia.
Global knowledge campaign · 2014
Annual Art+Feminism edit-a-thon
The organization's central offering is a recurring campaign in which local hosts and participants improve Wikipedia articles related to women, feminism, art, gender, and underrepresented communities. Events are usually organized around training, source evaluation, article creation or expansion, and collaborative editorial support. The program is international, decentralized, and available in physical or virtual formats.
Training · 2014
Wikipedia editing workshops
Workshops introduce new contributors to Wikipedia's editing interface, sourcing expectations, article structure, citation practices, and community norms. They are commonly delivered by libraries, universities, museums, and other cultural institutions participating in the Art+Feminism network.
Public programming · 2014
Panels, conversations, and meetups
In addition to editing sessions, Art+Feminism supports public discussions and community gatherings about feminism, art, technology, Wikipedia, and representation. These formats allow people to participate in the movement even when they are not ready to edit articles or when a host wants to explore the broader social and cultural issues behind the campaign.
Marketing campaigns
- 20252025–2026 feminist internet campaign
Global
The announced campaign asks participants to imagine the features, values, and structures of a truly feminist internet.
- 2021Second pandemic-era virtual campaign
Global
Art+Feminism again used virtual programming while concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic remained.
Outcome. The campaign remained accessible through online events.
- 2020Virtual Art+Feminism campaign
Global
The campaign adopted online event formats in response to COVID-19-related restrictions and safety concerns.
Outcome. Programming continued through virtual meetings and editing sessions.
- 2015Second annual global campaign
17 countries across four continents
The campaign expanded internationally through events hosted by cultural, educational, and Wikimedia-related organizations.
Outcome. Approximately 1,300 volunteers attended 70 events.
- 2014Inaugural Art+Feminism campaign
United States
The first campaign used coordinated local edit-a-thons to address Wikipedia's coverage gap concerning women artists and to encourage more women to become editors.
Outcome. Approximately 600 volunteers participated at 30 events.
Brand decisions
2025
Frame the 2025–2026 program around a feminist internetStrategyBackground
Art+Feminism's work had expanded from correcting individual content gaps toward broader questions about digital participation, technology, and representation.
Action taken
The organization announced a campaign focused on imagining what a truly feminist internet could look like.
2020
Move annual programming onlineStrategyBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic created health and logistical risks for in-person gatherings.
Action taken
Art+Feminism shifted its 2020 campaign to virtual platforms and continued with online programming in 2021.
Aftermath
The organization maintained campaign continuity while expanding the practical role of remote participation.
Recent events
- 2025
Art+Feminism announces its 2025–2026 campaign[2]
Campaign
The organization announced a campaign focused on imagining the characteristics and possibilities of a truly feminist internet.
- 2020
Art+Feminism events move online during the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
Other
Health and gathering restrictions led the campaign to adopt virtual programming, including events conducted through Zoom and other online formats.
- 2020
Kira Wisniewski becomes executive director[1]
Leadership change
Kira Wisniewski was appointed executive director as Art+Feminism continued developing its international programming and cultural collaborations.
- 2015
Art+Feminism expands to 70 events in 17 countries[1]
Campaign
The second annual campaign grew to approximately 1,300 participants across 70 events in 17 countries and four continents, establishing the initiative as an international program.
- 2014
Art+Feminism launches its first global edit-a-thon campaign[1]
Campaign
The inaugural Art+Feminism program brought together approximately 600 volunteers at 30 events to improve Wikipedia coverage of women artists and related subjects.
Sources3 sources
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