NYC-ARTS Open Data for Mobile

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1. What is your project? [1 sentence]

The NYC-ARTS Open Data for Mobile project will create an API that allows mobile developers to mine our vast database of arts events and 1,100+ NYC cultural organizations and venues for their own use, opening up opportunities for strengthened community information sharing and deepened arts engagement.

2. How will your project use mobile tools and approaches? [2 sentences]

This project will take the existing technology that feeds NYC-ARTS database information to the NYC-ARTS website and iPhone app and open this technology up to for-profit and non-profit mobile developers that want to integrate arts data into their smartphone or tablet applications. The API will have location-aware functionality and the data will be optimized for mobile transmission.

3. Who will use it and why? [1 sentence]

The NYC-ARTSAPIwill be a tool for mobile developers and cultural and news organizations interested in creative arts engagement, allowing users to leverage our existing tools and deep content knowledge of the NYC arts community to create new information-sharing and discussion opportunities on any type of mobile platform.

4. Please list three ways they would learn about your project.

Mobile developers and cultural organizations will learn about our project though:

1. Press coverage of NYC-ARTS – WNET’s publicity department works on an ongoing basis to generate buzz for NYC-ARTS on air, online, and mobile, and we will use the publicity department and marketing efforts to generate interest in the new Open Data for Mobile project.
2. Present the NYC-ARTS Open Data for Mobile projectat local mobile developer and digital marketing conferences and forums and push the project out to related listservs.
3. Targeted outreach to publications, developers, and organizations in the arts space that might be interested in utilizing this new platform.

5. What connections have you made, or will you make, with others [communities, organizations or networks] about your project? [2 sentences]

WNET’s Interactive Engagement Group and the NYC-ARTS teams are very connected to the New York City digital media and arts communities. We will use these relationships to develop a user base and gain feedback and input on the API development and the needs of these communities.

6. What part of the project have you already built? [1-2 sentences, feel free to include links]

We have already built an extensive database of information on cultural organizations, venues, and events in NYC and the technology to feed this information to our NYC-ARTS website (www.nyc-arts.org) and iPhone app (http://www.thirteen.org/mobile/).  We will use this as a model for the API and as an example for organizations and developers interested in using our technology.

7. What does success for your project look like? [1-2 sentences]

Success for the NYC-ARTS Open Data for Mobile project will be the creation of a viable API and adoption of our technology by developers and arts organizations for creative use in our New York City community and potentially beyond. Furthermore, we look forward to seeing the creative ways that additional users might leverage our technology, such as tourism organizations, news groups, or other media properties.

8. What resources do you need to succeed? [1-2 sentences]

We need financial support to develop and market the API. Additionally, we would love to access the Knight network of advisors, grantees, and partners to discuss best practices in the mobile development field and ensure that our tactics and technological practices—in particular with respect to social media integration—are the most effective way to achieve our goals, serve our audience, and create lasting impact.

Additional details:
Please list who is on your team: WNET’s Interactive Engagement Group, including Joe Harrell (Director, Local Digital Initiatives), David Hirmes (Director of Digital Strategy/Developer), Brian Lee (Director of Technology)
Expected number of months to complete project: 6-9 months for development + 6 additional months of continued outreach, marketing efforts, and developer support
Estimated Project Cost: $80,000
Name: Laura Gordon
Twitter: http://twitter.com/nycarts/
Email address: gordonl@wnet.org
Organization [if applicable]: WNET, New York Public Media
City: New York
Country: USA
How did you learn about the contest? Knight Foundation email announcement