Connecting GLAM and Communities: Insights from the Wikimedia Italia GLAM Grant
Speakers
Since 2018 I am the GLAM Coordinator at Wikimedia Italia, responsible for partnerships and collaborations with cultural institutions.
I hold a degree in philosophy and earned a master’s in nonprofit management. I have professional experience in organizational and managerial roles within both nonprofit organizations and public research institutions. I worked for two years at Expo SpA, a highly complex environment, where I managed the operational coordination of events within the exhibition site. I have been a Wikipedia contributor since 2007, primarily active on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons.
Abstract
In this lightning talk, I will introduce the Wikimedia Italia GLAM Grant, a key initiative supporting Italian museums, archives, and libraries in digitizing and openly sharing their cultural heritage. I will explain what the grant is, how it works, and why it has become one of Wikimedia Italia’s main GLAM activities.
The grant offers financial support, mandatory training, and expert guidance to enable institutions to publish high-quality digital content under free licenses on Wikimedia platforms. I will highlight the main benefits of participating, such as increased visibility, community engagement, and sustainable open access, as well as important considerations to ensure successful projects.
To illustrate the grant’s impact, I will briefly present some successful case studies: the Biblioteca Arcivescovile Annibale De Leo in Brindisi, which digitized rare medieval manuscripts; the CNR Library in Rome, which released scientific maps previously published with all right reserved; the Teatro Regio di Torino, which shared thousands of images of contemporary stage and costume designs; and the Musei di Strada Nuova in Genoa, which combined high-quality digital reproductions with new Wikipedia content creation.
Through this overview, the talk will showcase how the Wikimedia Italia GLAM Grant fosters collaboration between cultural institutions and Wikimedia communities, promoting a shift from preservation to active sharing and participation in Italy’s cultural ecosystem.
Additional information
In this session, I will share fresh and sometimes unconventional yet highly effective ideas for Wikimedia chapter colleagues and GLAM volunteers to engage new cultural institutions with Wikimedia’s vision and practices. These approaches, while slightly different from traditional methods, have proven successful in expanding participation, strengthening collaborations and sharing beautiful and highly reusable contents. The session addresses the conference theme of freedom, equity, and reliability by showcasing how the Wikimedia Italia GLAM Grant fosters open access to cultural heritage, inclusive participation, and trustworthy content. By supporting a wide range of institutions in digitizing and openly sharing their collections, the grant removes barriers to knowledge and promotes a culture of freedom. It encourages equity by enabling organizations of all sizes and resources to actively contribute through training and expert support. Reliability is ensured through partnerships with respected institutions, professional metadata standards, and community oversight. Overall, this talk highlights how the Wikimedia Italia GLAM Grant reflects the core values of the conference while inspiring innovative strategies to grow Wikimedia’s cultural partnerships.
This presentation is especially valuable for Wikimedia affiliates considering dedicating a small budget to similar GLAM initiatives. Wikimedia Italia carries out this GLAM grant, which is somewhat unusual within the Wikimedia movement, from 2020, and with five years of experience on that, we can offer a clear and comprehensive overview of the advantages and challenges of this approach. Given the frequent interest and questions from the Wikimedia community about such practices, this session provides practical insights for affiliates and volunteers aiming to deepen their collaboration with cultural institutions. It highlights how targeted funding can foster sustainable partnerships, promote open access to cultural heritage, and strengthen connections between GLAM institutions and Wikimedia projects. By sharing lessons learned and successful examples, the presentation equips participants with knowledge on managing resources effectively and maximizing impact.
Average knowledge about Wikimedia projects or activities