Art and Feminism 2024 in Uganda.

Art + Feminism 2024 in Uganda is an empowering and inclusive initiative bridging the gender gap on Wikimedia platforms, with a focus on representing women in the arts. Leveraging the global Wikimedia community's collaborative power, we aim to address gender imbalances in content and contributors. This project embodies our commitment to gender equity, diversity, and creating a more inclusive knowledge base on Wikimedia platforms. We look forward to collaborating with individuals and organizations to advance these vital goals.

The Art + Feminism write-shop celebrates women's remarkable achievements, contributions, and resilience in the art industry. This event follows a nationwide storytelling competition where participants showcase their creativity to challenge stereotypes, amplify marginalized voices, and drive meaningful change

Project goals

1. Promote Gender Equity: To increase the visibility and representation of women artists, art movements, and feminist perspectives on Wikimedia platforms.
2. Empower Women Editors: To empower women and gender-diverse individuals to become active contributors and leaders in the Wikimedia community.
3. Enhance Content Quality: To improve the quality and depth of content related to women in the arts, feminism, and related topics.

Project objectives

1. Wikipedia Edit-a-Thons: Organize edit-a-thons to create and improve articles related to women artists, feminist movements, and art history.
2. Workshops and Training: Offer training sessions to newcomers, especially women and gender-diverse participants, to build their editing skills and confidence.
3. Art and Feminism Resources: Develop resources and guidelines to support the creation and improvement of content about women in the arts and feminism.
4. Community Building: Foster a supportive and diverse community of editors who collaborate on gender-related content

Planned activities

• As we gather to honour their invaluable impact, we also aim to use this forum to foster dialogue, empower aspiring professionals, and inspire positive change and contributions for women artists within the Wikimedia landscape.
• The gathering will feature engaging panel discussions, an insightful guide to participating in the Wikimedia Foundation, and networking opportunities, providing attendees with a unique forum to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate on strategies to advance gender equality and representation in artistry.
• An Awards ceremony to recognize and applaud outstanding individuals (competition winners) who have demonstrated exemplary dedication and innovation in promoting gender equality, diversity, and inclusion using Artistry.

Important dates

S/N	From Date	To Date	Activity	Description of the activity	Status
1.	16 April 2024	22 May 2024	Call for submissions for story pitches in Art and Feminism	Calling Ugandan artists, graphics designers and feminist bloggers to submit their work to challenge negative narratives about feminism, combat gender backlash online, promote gender equality, and amplify feminist voices. By submitting; poems, audios, essays, comics, paintings, images, illustrations and videos.	Done
2.	09 November 2024	20 November 2024	Art+Feminism Virtual Edit-a-thon	Participants will receive training on contributing to Wikimedia projects, including Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons. Information will be translated into Luganda Wikipedia. The editathon aims at documenting women's remarkable achievements, contributions, and resilience in the art industry who are using as poetry, music, essays, comics, painting, photography, or videography to challenge negative narratives about feminism and combat gender backlash online. This editathon will bridge information gaps related to gender, feminism, and the arts, with a special emphasis on contributing to Wikipedia aimed at promoting gender equality and amplifying feminist voices.	Done
3.	23 November 2024	23 November 2024	Art + Feminism 2024 in Uganda Workshop	The workshop will kickstart with introduction to Wikipedia and discussion on the impact of story telling using art to challenge the negative narrative around feminism and counter gender backlash against feminist organising online. Art+Feminism workshop will also showcase the poetry, music, essays, comics, painting, photography, or videography used to challenge negative narratives about feminism and combat gender backlash online. Winners will be awarded by judges. Mental Health and digital security training. Feminist artists and gender equality advocates will receive practical expert training on how to maintain digital security and safety, particularly on Wikipedia and digital platforms while carrying out gender equality related work to counter gender backlash online and challenge patriarchal narratives online. Additionally, strategies for preserving good mental health both online and offline amidst the challenges they face. Fruits and Fruits+Networking, Q & A session.	Done
4.	24 November 2024	30 November	Publishing of the submitted poems, audios, essays, comics, painting, photography, or videography captured during the planned events	The media files will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons to promote visibility and preserve documented women's remarkable achievements, contributions, and resilience in the art industry who are using as poetry, music, essays, comics, painting, photography, or videography to challenge negative narratives about feminism and combat gender backlash online. This will bridge information gaps related to gender, feminism, and the arts as the poems will be published in the Art + Feminism 2024 in Uganda Magazine edition.	Pending

Why are we doing this project

• Gender bias is a significant issue on Wikimedia platforms, impacting the representation of women's achievements and perspectives. This project aims to address this bias by encouraging the creation and improvement of content related to women in the arts and feminism.
• We believe that diverse voices and perspectives are essential to the creation of a more comprehensive and accurate body of knowledge. By empowering women and gender-diverse individuals to contribute, we enrich Wikimedia projects and enhance their credibility.

Event participation

1. Participate by sharing the event posters on your social media channels, handles and groups with the hashtag #ArtAndFeminism 2024 in Uganda
2. You can also contribute by creating and curating content about Ugandan female Artists;
   • Creating and editing articles on Wikipedia
   • Creating Wikidata items
   • Uploading media files such as images, videos, illustrations, graphics among other files on Wikimedia Commons using the Category: ArtAndFeminism 2024 in Uganda. You can also update and also add descriptions and captions to the already uploaded media files.
3. Join the Activity tracking dashboard.

Physical Workshop

Date: 23 November 2024
Venue: Amicus Hotel – Kireka
Time: 9am – 4pm

Workshop Participants

No	Name	Username	Institution
1.	Sandra Aceng	Sandra Aceng	Wikimedia Uganda
2.	Joan Nantumbwe	NANTUMBWEJ	Wikimedia Uganda
3.	Nambogo Catherine	Nambogo Catherine
4.	Carolyne Acen	Carolyne Acen_
5.	Nampiima Halimah	Nampiima Halimah	Wikimedia Uganda
6.	Sunshine Fionah Komusana	Sunshine Fionah Komusana	WHOSE KNOWLEDGE
7.	Lyndah Katusiime	Khyndah
8.	Ruth Nagudi	ruth nagudi	Women Lens Africa
9.	Fancy Sheila Aromorach		She Laws Foundation
10.	Mubiru Shafik	Fiktube	Wikimedia Uganda
11.	Nankunda Pamela
12.	Kemigisha Ellen
13.	Joyce Namugambe		Misnews Uganda
14.	Imalingat Edith
15.	Bwiza Christine	Bwiza Christine	University of East London
16.	Patricia Humura	Patricia Humura	Makerere University
17.	Moses Karis		Defend Defenders
18.	Kikaawa Nantume		Defend Defenders
19.	Esther Oluka		Daily Monitor
20.	Wetsetse Suzan		Shendi Foundation (Artist)
21.	Kagweri Martin	martin kagweri	Wikimedia Uganda
22.	Acheng Monica Angel	Monie Photography	Touch The Slum Charity Foundation
23.	Engulu Peace H		Touch The Slum
24.	Ursula Aceng	Aceng Ursula
25.	Nagujja Serina		NSTVonline
26.	Nkamushaba Sarah	Nkamushaba Sarah	Wikimedia Ugand
27.	Sharon Atyang	Atyang344	Wikimedia Uganda
28.	Alinda Rachel S	AlindaRS	Wikimedia Uganda
29.	Okori Mercy
30.	Julie Acom		Wikimedia Uganda
31.	Namale Alyce Grace
32.	Novity

Partners

1. Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda
2. Whose Knowledge

National storytelling competition

2024 Poster for Art+Feminism storty telling competition

Ugandan artists, designers, poets, feminist bloggers and many other professionals. Share your stories for change!

Join the Movement

At Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda, we believe creativity can challenge stereotypes and drive social change. Submit your original stories, videos, and comics exploring gender, feminism, and the arts.

What We're Looking For

1. Ugandan artists and feminist bloggers using poetry, music, essays, comics, painting, photography, or videography to:
   • Challenge negative feminism narratives
   • Combat online gender backlash
   • Promote gender equality
   • Amplify feminist voices
2. Contributions to Wikipedia are highly encouraged

Submission Guidelines

1. Original work only
2. Explore themes related to gender, feminism, and the arts
3. Bridge inclusive information gaps
4. Promote gender equality
5. Innovative storytelling encouraged

Submission Deadline

The deadline was on 22 May 2024

Note: Submissions received after 22 May 2024 and before 30 November 2024, will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons and also added to the magazine as part of the campaign, but they will not be eligible for winning prizes in the National Story telling competition for Art and Feminism 2024 in Uganda.