Saturday: Smash the patriarchy at Powrplant’s Wikipedia edit-a-thon

Here’s a timely event, coming just off the heels of International Women’s Day and in the midst of Women’s History Month: tomorrow, Powrplnt, the digital arts education organization in Bushwick, is organizing its own iteration of the Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon.

The global edit-a-thon, which arose in response to the paucity of female editors on Wikipedia and the relative scarcity of content on feminism and art, is in its fourth year. Powrplnt is organizing the free event in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art (which will also be hosting another edit-a-thon the same day at its digs in Manhattan). The edit-a-thon at Powrplnt will run from 1-4 p.m.

As we’ve previously covered, the lack of gender equity is a persistent issue in arts-tech, and it’s one that a number of local institutions have been working to address. For instance, Eyebeam, though it’s not involved with this particular event, has been a long-standing supporter of Art+Feminism. (It’s acknowledged under the “Friends & Allies” section of the group’s website.) Last fall, a number of Eyebeam’s staff members and alumnae wrote about how the organization is working to address sexism in its field.

One caveat: tomorrow’s event runs at the same time as Carla Gannis’s augmented-reality workshop at the Made in NY Media Center, which means enthusiasts of Brooklyn’s arts tech scene will have a tough decision to make. But still, it’s great to have options — and the opportunity to support women in arts and technology at the same time.