Wikidata:Requests for comment/Exhibition models
Update: this discussion has been moved to two schema proposals, as of November 6, 2025!
- You can participate in the discussion on the schema proposal pages:Wikidata:Schema proposals/exhibition concept (parent) and Wikidata:Schema proposals/exhibition manifestation (child).
Introduction to the RfC
[edit]This proposal focuses on standardizing a schema for "exhibition". There is not a consistent data model used for exhibitions -- such as art exhibitions, science exhibits, trade fairs, etc. -- that factors in parent-child relationships for traveling exhibitions, show series, or biennials, despite these being important and common types of events in international history.
Background
[edit]Problem space
[edit]- Lack of standardization around how to model exhibitions to include traveling exhibitions, particularly in terms of relationships between exhibitions which travel, yet have unique manifestations - with locations, exhibition titles, exhibiting artists, curators, subject to change from location to location.
- Lack of standardization around how to model biennials, annual art exhibitions, festivals, etc.
Existing models
[edit]- Wikidata:WikiProject Cultural events/Data structure
- Wikidata:WikiProject Visual arts/Item structure/Art exhibitions
- Wikidata:WikiProject Visual arts/Item structure/Art exhibitions/France
- Wikidata:WikiProject Events/Models
- Wikidata:WikiProject Exhibitions/Properties
- https://cradle.toolforge.org/#/subject/exhibit
- No EntitySchema for "exhibit" nor "exhibition" listed here: Wikidata:Database reports/EntitySchema directory
Proposed data model
[edit]We are proposing the adoption of the following parent-child data models as best practices.
- Parent schema - The "umbrella" exhibition concept (not a particular manifestation of the exhibition). See: Wikidata:Schema proposals/exhibition concept
- Exhibition concept (parent) example:
- Child schema - The exhibition manifestation in a particular location - use this if there is no 'parent' (i.e. if exhibition is not part of a series/traveling exhibition). See: Wikidata:Schema proposals/exhibition manifestation
- Traveling exhibition manifestation (children) example(s):
- The New American Painting as Shown in Eight European Countries 1958–1959 (Q110891236) - New York, NY, US
- Die Neue Amerikanische Malerei (Q136520781) - Basel, Switzerland
- La Nuova Pittura Americana (Q136515535) - Milan, Italy
- La Nueva Pintura Americana (Q136516881) - Madrid, Spain
- Die neue amerikanische Malerei (Q136520770) - Berlin, Germany
- Jong Amerika schildert (Q136518175) - Amsterdam, Netherlands
- La Nouvelle Peinture Americaine (Q136466237) - Brussels, Belgium
- La Nouvelle Peinture Américaine (Q136519660) - Paris, France
- The New American Painting (Q136515413) - London, UK
- Neue amerikanische Malerei (Q136520767) - St. Gallen, Switzerland
Scope
[edit]As of November 11, 2025,
- There are 16,094 items in Wikidata that are instance of (P31) art exhibition (Q667276) https://w.wiki/Fy2X
- There are 4,315 items in Wikidata that are instance of (P31) exhibition (Q464980) https://w.wiki/Fy2G
Use cases
[edit]The following use cases of complex exhibitions with multiple iterations support the need for an agreed upon parent-child data structure.
Itinerant exhibitions - The same or similar exhibition shown in different places
- Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945-1980 (Q17084648)
- Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist (Q115651716)
- Now Dig This!: Art and Black Los Angeles 1960–1980 (Q114906762)
Periodic exhibitions - Different exhibitions, held at recurring intervals
Recurring festivals - Different exhibitions, part of the same festival
Other
- Trade fairs, expos
Implementation plan
[edit]Partnerships
[edit]- MoMA's 2025-2025 Pratt Linked Open Data Fellow (Wikidata:WikiProject Museum of Modern Art) is contributing time towards this project.
- We are fostering conversation with GLAM-Wiki metadata specialists about best practices.