Wikipedia: Folk Lore in Photos 2026
Clipped from Wikipedia Commons
Online Event 2026: Wiki Loves Folklore
Wiki Loves Folklore
(WLF) is an annual international photo and media contest on Wikimedia Commons, typically running from February 1st to March 31st, focused on documenting local cultural heritage, including traditions, festivals, rituals, and crafts. It aims to preserve, showcase, and promote the world's cultural diversity through user-contributed media.Key Aspects of the Initiative:
- Focus Area: The campaign invites users to document folk culture, such as dance, music, clothing,, cuisine, and oral traditions, to be used on Wikipedia.
- Platform: It is organized by the Wikimedia community and aimed at collecting media on Wikimedia Commons.
- Impact: In 2025, 1,912 contributors from 142 countries added 85,715 media files to the project, demonstrating a strong global reach.
- Prizes: The contest offers international prizes, including monetary rewards, for top submissions.
- Related Initiatives: Beyond WLF, the Wiki Loves Living Heritage campaign also supports the documentation of intangible cultural heritage.
Participants are encouraged to upload high-quality, free-licensed images and videos with detailed descriptions to help enrich Wikipedia articles.
Wikimedia "Loves" photo initiatives are annual, international, volunteer-driven contests held on
Wikimedia Commons to populate Wikipedia with freely licensed media. Key campaigns include Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth (nature/environment), and Wiki Loves Folklore (culture). These campaigns focus on documenting cultural heritage, natural sites, and intangible traditions worldwide.- Wiki Loves Monuments: Focuses on documenting historical monuments and heritage sites.
- Wiki Loves Earth: Highlights natural heritage, with special categories for "Human Rights and Environment" to showcase the impact of human activity on nature.
- Wiki Loves Folklore: Focuses on intangible cultural heritage, including folk dances, cuisine, and rituals.
- Wiki Loves Love: Documents celebrations of love, including weddings and festivals.
- Purpose: These initiatives encourage photographers to upload images under free licenses, aiming to improve coverage of diverse cultures and heritage on Wikipedia and related projects.
- Prizes & Participation: Contests often offer prizes for top photos, videos, and audio, such as the 2026 Wiki Loves Folklore contest.
These initiatives are crucial for filling visual gaps in knowledge, often targeting specific themes like sustainability or cultural diversity.
