The educational project ‘Arte Valenciano II’, carried out in collaboration with the University of Valencia during the 2025–2026 academic year, has concluded with significant results for expanding free knowledge about Valencian artistic and cultural heritage on Wikipedia.
The initiative, coordinated by Professor of Art History Enric Olivares, has enabled students to combine academic work with the creation of encyclopaedic content for Wikimedia projects, helping to improve coverage of the region’s cultural heritage.
Project results and scope of content
During this edition, 32 new articles were created: 30 on the Spanish Wikipedia and two on the Catalan Wikipedia.
The project had 51 students enrolled. The process involved various stages of proposal, review and adaptation, during which work was carried out on encyclopaedic quality criteria, source verification and adapting the content to the Wikipedia format.
One of the main challenges identified remains the proper referencing of sources and understanding the encyclopaedic structure, areas in which teaching support has proved key to ensuring the final quality of the articles.
Valencian heritage on Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons
The content created covers a wide variety of heritage assets, strengthening the presence of Valencian heritage on Wikipedia. These include sculptures, water mills, churches, chapels, monasteries, industrial heritage, unique urban features, archaeological sites, Arab baths and intangible heritage such as the Dansà de Castalla.
In addition to the textual content, the students have contributed 113 original images uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, thereby enriching open access to visual documentation of the heritage. New categories have also been created on Wikimedia Commons and items on Wikidata, expanding the interconnection of knowledge within the Wikimedia ecosystem.
The project was coordinated by Professor Enric Olivares, whose work has been fundamental in reviewing content and adapting academic work to the encyclopaedic environment. This collaboration has allowed Wikimedia Spain to focus its support on technical and publication aspects, facilitating the students’ editing process.
The experience reinforces the value of Wikipedia as an educational tool for developing digital skills, critical thinking and the production of open knowledge based on local heritage.
Free knowledge in the classroom
At Wikimedia Spain, we welcome the results of this latest edition of the Arte Valenciano II educational project. The initiative demonstrates the potential of collaboration between universities and Wikimedia projects to bring free knowledge into the classroom and, at the same time, improve the visibility of cultural heritage online.
We will continue to promote educational projects that link academic education with the creation of a free, open and accessible encyclopaedia for everyone.
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