Page values for "Submissions:2024/Wikidata profiling of small town art"

Structured data is vital to the documentation and preservation of cultural histories in a given locale, especially when considering the contributions of discriminated minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. Here I will present a case study in creating and archiving the cultural impact of a queer, DIY (do-it-yourself) event space in a small city in the U.S. South (Charlottesville, VA)–Chinchilla Café. Using Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, we document events (e.g. concerts, dance parties) with structured data of musicians, associated artwork, and attendee photography. Chinchilla Café demonstrates a novel way to preserve and create a meaningful space in service to local artists, the queer community, and beyond.