User:SuperHamster/Sandbox

Main Proposal

1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.

Wiki Loves Monuments 2023 in the United States

2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.

2023-09-01 - 2023-12-31

4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)

United States

5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)

Wiki Loves Monuments, an annual international photographic competition that invites people to contribute photos of historical monuments and heritage sites to the Wikimedia Commons for use across the Wikimedia projects.

6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)

Map of the United States including county-level data for percentage of NRHP sites that have been illustrated.

Wiki Loves Monuments focuses on gathering photos of registered historical sites from all around the world. From the official "about us" page, "Cultural heritage is an important part of the knowledge Wikipedia collects and disseminates...An image is worth a thousand words, in every language at once and local enthusiasts can (re)discover the cultural, historical, or scientific significance of their neighborhood."

In the United States, the National Register of Historic Places is the main national register with over 80,000 listings. On the English Wikipedia, WikiProject National Register of Historic Places tracks what what percentage of sites have been illustrated, which is currently ~85%. Beyond the national register, however, are hundreds of thematic and geographic registries on the national, state, and local levels that catalog thousands of additional historic sites that can be illustrated by contest participants. Wiki Loves Monuments in the United States has a guide for finding historic sites across the country.

The United States has participated in Wiki Loves Monuments nine times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021). A directory of past events can be found at wikilovesmonuments.us. Together, these contests have resulted in over 75,000 photo uploads of historic sites across the country by an average of ~1,200 participants each year. The event also attracts new contributors to Wikimedia, with at least 70% of participants each year being new registrants.

By running this contest again in the United States, we are trying to accomplish the following:

• Help illustrate important historic and cultural sites across the United States
• Provide free-use media for use by not only the Wikimedia projects, but anyone in the world
• Onboard new contributors to the Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia platform at-large
• Build relationships with external organizations dedicated to the same causes (such as local historic societies)

7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.

During the month of September, Wikimedians and the general public will be invited to upload their photos of historic sites in the United States to the Wikimedia Commons.

8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.

Wiki Loves Monuments in the United States is organized by a group of volunteers from across the United States.

The current head of the project is Kevin Payravi (User:SuperHamster), who has helped run and lead the contest since 2016.

The full list of organizers for 2023 is still being confirmed. Previous and/or interested organizers include:

• Laura Soito (User:Quercusechinus)
• Stephanie Beene (User:Sbartlib)
• Zachary McCune

In addition to the event organizers, we will have 10-15 volunteer judges from around the country who will help judge contest photographs. 2021's jury can be viewed here as an example. The list of judges will be finalized closer to the contest.

9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)

Wiki Loves Monuments in the United States is of interest to anyone who has any combination of interest in photography, history, and free media. This event naturally targets people in the United States, but we have also attracted contributors from other countries who have visited the United States and photographed historic sites.

The main driver to the event is our central notice that runs across Wikimedia projects. Visitors to Wikimedia sites will see a banner inviting them to upload their photos and participate in the contest. Secondary ways to attract participants is mass-messaging previous participants; promoting on our social media profiles; and working with Wikimedia affiliates and external organizations (such as local historic sites) to promote the event.

Participants will be updated after the event via mass-message on-wiki, to thank them for their participation, inform them of the results of the contest, and invite them to participate next year.

11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.

Wiki Loves Monuments is a near-annual event in the United States.

12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)

• Cultural background
• Religion (many historic sites in the United States have religious relevance and significance)
• Racial (many historic sites in the United States are relevant to the struggles and achievements of various racial groups)