Wikimedia Commons is traditionally seen as Wikipedia’s image repository, but this limits its growth as a diverse multimedia platform. The session highlights Commons’ unmet potential and discusses ways to truly put the "media" into Wikimedia.

Commons is frequently overlooked as an independent project, despite clear evidence of its unique community strength. Wiki Loves Monuments attracts thousands of first-time contributors each year, showing Commons’ ability to engage users directly. Additionally, GLAM institutions enrich Commons with valuable multimedia content far exceeding what Wikipedia can use, and envision image-based content portals similar to Google Arts and Culture or Flickr Commons.

However, Wikimedia faces critical technological and cultural barriers. Slow adoption of structured data in Commons hampers the discoverability and reuse of multimedia content. Current tools for uploading large batches and integrating new file formats are limited and cumbersome. For instance, Commons only supports basic STL 3D files, lacking the advanced, textured models widely used elsewhere, restricting educational and creative applications. Numerous organizations have been waiting on Commons to support these formats.

The adoption of video content is similarly slow. Wikipedia editors often prefer text-heavy articles, creating resistance to incorporating multimedia content. This cultural bias limits opportunities for richer educational experiences and typically discourages multimedia contributions.

Commons also struggles with hosting intermediate or source files essential for multimedia creators. RAW photo files or layered Photoshop PSD files are unsupported, hindering collaborative work and reuse. Groups such as the Commons Photographers Users Group and WikiPortraits would find these as crucial capabilities.

This session proposes practical solutions to these challenges. Discussions will include accelerating structured data adoption, advocating for broader multimedia acceptance, and improving tools for uploading diverse media formats. Additionally, it will address cultural shifts needed within the Wikimedia community to value multimedia content effectively. We might need more projects and experiments beyond Commons, as we have seen with NC Commons or Commons Archive.

Enhancing multimedia in the Wikimedia sphere will significantly improve its inclusivity, impact, and sustainability, but it is unclear how easy or willing we are to get there. This session and discussion will help further that conversation.

Panelists and discussants currently consist of educators, GLAM wiki experts, Commons administrators and photographers, and more.