At the Crossroads of Performing Arts and Open Data

CAPACOA is thrilled to announce that the LIVE Performing Arts Directory is now (in fact) live!

The LIVE (or Live Industry Validated Entities) Directory stands out as the first of its kind powered entirely by open data. It collects and shares reliable member information from multiple sources. This includes, for example, CAPACOA’s own member database, the Artsdata knowledge graph and Wikidata. Furthermore, it automatically updates as new open data becomes available.

Above all, the directory is based on reliable and carefully validated data. At each stage of extraction and transformation, CAPACOA and Culture Creates staff ensure that the data is highly quality. They also ensure that the information is reconciled (i.e. matched) from one database to another.

Diagram showing how the data flows and feeds into the LIVE Directory.

Like the data that drives it, this directory will constantly evolve. Already, the CAPACOA team is hard at work, entering detailed information about members’ performance venues into Wikidata. This enrichment work is part of the follow-up to the Cultural Venues Datathon last April, which used Wikidata to make a public database of buildings dedicated to the performing arts. This data will be integrated into the LIVE Performing Arts Directory this fall.

Start exploring the LIVE Directory here.

Watch the recording of the LIVE Directory Launch event.

Learn more about how the directory works.

A special thank you to our co-creators Culture Creates and Ryan Hutchinson.

The development of the LIVE Performing Arts Directory was funded by the Government of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts.