Beat Estermann presented on using Wikidata to establish an international database for performing arts. The goals are to make cultural heritage data openly accessible, interconnect collections worldwide through Wikidata, and provide a single source of data for popular websites and apps. Pilot projects ingest repertoire from theaters in Zurich and Flanders to develop the data model. Challenges include organizing relevant material and resolving data quality issues. There are opportunities for synergies between Wikidata, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and other platforms to crowdsource maintenance and make performing arts information more visible internationally.

1. Wikidata & Performing Arts
Beat Estermann, Düsseldorf, 9 November 2018
Bern University of Applied Sciences, E-Government Institute
Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, 10 Dec. 2013, User:Tuheidi, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Unless otherwise noted, the content of these slides is provided under the CC BY 4.0 license.

2. Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely
share in the sum of all knowledge. That's our commitment.

3. Structured
Commons

4. Wikidata + Heritage Data:
A Short Introduction

5. • Establish Wikidata as a database that covers the entire world’s cultural
heritage.
• Establish Wikidata as a central hub that interlinks GLAM collections
around the world; and provides links to bibliographic, genealogic,
scientifc and other collections of information; create the ultimate
authority file.
• Foster truly multilingual and global collaboration among people from
various backgrounds.
• Leverage synergies between institutions, reduce duplicate work.
• Encourage debate in the community by highlighting and interrogating
differences in perspective.
• Provide a single source of data for some of the most popular web
sites and apps, including Wikipedia infoboxes and lists.
Vision (Blog posts: Stinson et al. 2016; Thornton / Cochrane 2016; Poulter 2017)

6. Thematic Projects
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Cultural_heritage [Example]

7. Wikidata + Performing Arts

8. • Realize an international performing arts database on the
basis of Wikidata
• Provide a powerful finding aid for performing arts related content
on Wikimedia Commons and elsewhere
• Promote Wikidata-powered performing arts related information
on various information platforms, including Wikipedia
• Get heritage institutions to make their performing arts related
data and content available through Wikidata, Wikimedia
Commons & other inter-connected platforms.
Vision: International Database for the Performing Arts
Role Model Projects for Inspiration:
• MusicBrainz (music recordings)
• IMDb (movies)
• IMSLP (music scores)
• Operabase (opera)

9. In the area of theatre in general:
• Pilot ingest Repertoire of Schauspielhaus Zürich 1938-1968
(~700 productions)
• Data ingest Flanders Arts Institute (over 12000 productions)
In the area of opera:
• Working toward pilot ingests of:
• Carnegie Hall Performance History (opera-related performances)
• Catalog of the Ehrenreich Collection
• Ingest of operas, arias, roles
Outlook:
• Further ingests in the pipeline
• Start resolving data modelling issues
• Start resolving data quality issues (references, inconsistencies, etc.)
• Encourage the creation of first pilot applications
State of Implementation – Focus on Wikidata

10. Wikidata Item Statistics
Source: Wikidata – WikiProject Performing Arts (5 November 2018)
Pilot Ingest
Schauspielhaus
Jan 18
Wikipedia Import
Operas / Roles / Arias
June 18
?
?
Ingest Flanders
Arts Institute
Fall 18

11. • Dataset held by the Zurich Municipal Archives, describing 699 productions
at the Schauspielhaus
• Some elements of the ontology had already been present in Wikidata;
others had first to be implemented:
Newly Created Classes:
Pilot Data Ingest –
Repertoire of Schauspielhaus Zürich, 1938-1968
Newly Created Properties:
performing arts production (Q43099500)
dance production (Q43099869)
series of performances (Q43100730)
representation of (P4646)
location of first performance (P4647)
premiere type (P4634)
name of the character role (P4633)
scenographer (P4608)

12. • theatrical production
(in the original language, with links to all the character roles):
Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (The Captain of Köpenick) (Q40289399)
• theatrical production
(in a translated version, with labels for the character roles)
Eine kleine Stadt (Our Town) (Q43689202)
• guest performance (series of performances)
(in the original language, with labels for the character roles):
L'école des femmes (The School for Wives) (Q43759980)
• premiere (single performance)
Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (The Captain of Köpenick) (Q39907209)
For further examples (e.g. for actors or character roles), see the project page.
Example Items

13. Current Challenges
Source of the graphic: eCH-0205 – Linked Open Data
Data
scraping &
cleansing
Data Ingest (data
mapping &
matching) Data
Modelling
Issues
✔ ✔

14. • There is plenty of relevant material, but it needs organizing and curation
• Structured data on Wikimedia Commons is expected to be a great enabler
Status Quo – Wikimedia Commons

15. Synergies & Potential for Cross-pollination

16. Wikidata, Wikipedia, Wikimedia
Commons
• Complementary data (artists, works,
etc.)
• Potential for crowdsourcing / community-
sourcing certain aspects of data
maintenance
• Application of the data model in an
international context
• Visibility, exposure of performing arts
related information
Swiss Performing Arts Platform
• Plenty of performance data from
Switzerland
• Comprehensive data model for the
performing arts domain
• Plenty of know-how and source material
in the area of the performing arts
• Digital content (in the longer term, due to
copyright issues)
Areas for Cooperation
• Mutual interlinking of data & content
• Community building and outreach to further data providers
• Establishing a widely accepted data modelling practice in the area of the performing arts
• Organization of editathons and similar events

17. Panel E6
Internationale Knowledge Base für die darstellenden Künste auf der
Grundlage von Wikidata: Voraussetzungen, Anwendungsszenarien und
Anforderungen aus Sicht der Forschenden und der Theaterarchive
Samstag, 09.00 – 10.30 h
Polnisches Institut, Café
Citadellstr. 7,
40213 Düsseldorf
Join-us for Tomorrow’s Workshop!

18. Thank You for Your Attention!
Contact
Beat Estermann
Bern University of Applied Sciences
beat.estermann@bfh.ch
+41 31 848 34 38