Nodos: Semantic content on performing arts

Nodos is a new project with the main goal to promote and build a comprehensive knowledge base of performing arts, artists, cultural groups & spaces, plays and festivals. The work of recording and preservation this kind of artistic expressions contributes to the preservation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as has been defined by UNESCO. One of the biggest challenges related to the recording of performing arts is given by the large number of people and dynamism present in the works. In many cities, which are an important center of artistic production, the amount of presented plays each year and the scarce regularity in regards to the functions' periodicity and the duration of the seasons, entails the loss of the records of many cultural pieces. This article introduces a manner of capturing and recording such cultural heritage by means of the definition of an ontology on performing arts and the use of a semantic wiki. The semantic wiki allows building and editing the information of works and people involved in the performing arts. This can easily be done by the artists themselves. These editions can be made while artistic events are happening, creating a living catalog that grows and records the passage of the performing arts.