Backstage Pass Tour of the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution The Archives of American Art is world’s largest and most widely used research center dedicated to collecting, preserving, and providing access to primary sources that document the history of the visual arts in America. Join us for a behind-the-scenes peek at original documents and hear the untold stories behind America's best known art and artists! Where: Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution 750 9th St NW, Suite 2200 Washington, DC 20001 (View Map) When: Friday, July 29, 2011 9:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Who can attend? 10 Wikimedians with an interest in American art history

The results of the day will be collated at the bottom of this article! What happened: Results of the day

A Backstage Pass tour is an event aimed at sharing the expertise of real-world cultural institutions with our wiki-expertise. Principally this involves an organization or interest group hosting a private tour for the benefit of local Wikimedians and in reciprocation we help improve the content on Wikipedia that is relevant to that organization.

The day has three main parts:

1. AM - Orientation and private guided tour of 'backstage' areas of the cultural institution, led by staff experts
2. Lunch - together with staff, sponsored by the Archives of American Art
3. PM - Sitting down with the Archives' staff individually or in small groups to collaborate on editing articles relating to topics discussed during the tour

This event is being organized by the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art and their Wikipedian in Residence; contact Sarah Stierch with any questions.

Why?[edit]

Advantages for the Archives Outreach to a local interest group Access to expertise on a significant feeder-website to their institution Improved awareness of themselves through improved WP content Increased re-use of their content and expertise

Advantages for Wikimedia Improved free-culture content about this area Personal learning/interest Gaining 1-on-1 access to expertise Showing 'human face' of Wikipedia

Friday, July 29, 2011

Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
750 9th St NW, Suite 2200
Washington D.C., DC 20001
(View Map)

Meet promptly at 9:15 a.m. in the lobby of 750 9th St NW (The Victor Building), as all participants will need to show ID and register at the front desk before proceeding to the Archives on the second floor.

Participants should bring:

1. A photo ID (required to enter the building)
2. A laptop (for an afternoon editing session)
3. Lots of questions for the Archives staff!

Itinerary[edit]

In addition to a private tour of the archival storage facilities, research areas and digitization labs, we will meet with Jason Stieber, Collections Specialist for the United States, who will share the process of acquiring papers, stories related to acquisitions, and sneak peeks at newly acquired papers. Afterward, Archivist Jean Fitzgerald will share rarely seen documents and stories about the collections.

We will have lunch with the Archives staff, followed by a targeted edit-a-thon, made possible by access to free WiFi, knowledgeable staff, and primary and secondary resources. After the edit-a-thon, we will visit the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture to visit the Archives' latest exhibition in the Lawrence A. Fleischman Gallery gallery.

This event is limited to 10 Wikimedians, with preference given to those with an interest in visual art and artists or American art history. Guests are welcome at happy hour following the event.

If you can only make it for part of the day, please state so, but we hope you can join us all day.

If you don't sign up we won't know you're coming! Please make sure that we can contact you if needs be - enable "email user" in your user settings if you are logged in. I will be emailing everyone a 5 days in advance to confirm your attendance.

Attending:

1. Smallbones (talk) 16:32, 13 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
2. John_Broughton
3. --Aude (talk) 18:29, 13 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
4. --Danaman5 (talk) 01:16, 14 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
5. Wxidea (talk) 18:13, 14 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
6. Slowking4: 7@1|x 20:36, 14 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
7. --Qwerty0 (talk) 19:52, 17 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
8. Sadads (talk) 20:53, 21 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
9. --GcSwRhIc (talk) 16:09, 25 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
10. Bob Platt

Waitlist

1. i am available and ready. currently working on Virginia Poets Laureate wikipages. ijil Rainbow Hawk Giver user:ijilRHG (talk) 11:23, 28 July 2011 (UTC) Thank you Sarah(s) for a delightful day![reply]
2. --FeanorStar7 (talk) 17:13, 16 July 2011 (UTC) I am putting my name here because I am not sure I can attend. I am interested in attending. Or I could create a new section called Tentative (maybe)?; I am interested in American art thru 1865. Thank you.[reply]
3. Not sure if Ill be able too --Kumioko (talk) 22:52, 22 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
4. Your name here

Interested, but not able to participate in this event

1. A complication has arisen, and I can't commit but I am hoping to still go down. David Shankbone 03:02, 22 July 2011 (UTC) I was excited at the idea of this, but unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it down this time. Please keep me in mind for the future; it would be great to meet some of the DC area Wikipedians. --David Shankbone 04:55, 28 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
2. I will not be able to attend. I have a work commitment I must attend that day. I hope to attend another event; not sure about attending the Archives II event either.--FeanorStar7 (talk) 23:43, 20 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]
3. Your name here

• Is there an RSVP date?

• No, however, 5 days before the event you will get an email to confirm your attendance. If you don't confirm your spot could be given to a User on the wait list.

• Can I take photographs?

• You're welcome to bring your own camera, staff will go over photography policies at the beginning of the event. However, we will be looking at archival papers and documents, not actual "objects" (i.e. paintings).

• I don't have a laptop, so what should I do?

• The Archives has computer work stations you can utilize during the edit-a-thon. We do prefer you bring a laptop so you can sit in the conference room with the rest of the group.

• Will there be other Backstage Passes?

• Yes, the Smithsonian will host a Backstage Pass event in the Fall as well, at a different museum.

• Is the happy hour for all ages?

  Yes, all ages are welcome at the happy hour. More details soon.

• Backstage Pass at the British Museum
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Backstage Pass

• Creation of articles:

• D. Putnam Brinley
• Grace Mott Johnson

• Contribution to existing articles:

• Alexander Archipenko
• Oscar Florianus Bluemner
• Solon Borglum
• Andrew Dasburg
• Lyonel Feininger
• Leon Kroll
• Walt Kuhn
• Bessie Potter Vonnoh
• William Zorach

• User accounts created:

• Undead q

• Media coverage

• Wikipedian in Residence helps share Smithsonian archives from the Chronicle of Philanthropy
• GLAM-Wiki project brings the arts to Wikipedia from the Smithsonian Torch