The University of Ljubljana and Kofein dizajn developed an innovative digital solution for storage and recommendation of the cultural events. The solution offers an excellent support for all of the ECOC candidates, since it contributes to all of the defined success criteria. The prototype that comprises a complete digital infrastructure for event management is available for implementation for all ECOC cities and candidates. The developed tools will strengthen the project in various ways.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECOC SUCCESS CRITERIA
- Contribution to the long term strategy: analysis and evaluation of the ECOC title’s effect onto the host city;
- European dimension: aggregating and spreading culture over wider European and international public;
- Cultural and artistic content: the capability to connect the local cultural heritage and traditional art practices to the new, innovative and experimental artistic expressions;
- Capacity to deliver: a universal infrastructure for sourcing, storing, spreading, analysing cultural consumption is a complete digital support to upgrade the “physical” infrastructures;
- Outreach: represents the essential digital tool for spreading info; enables the inclusion of the local communities and the civil society, the marginal groups; enables connections among cities/regions/countries;
- Management: enables an efficient marketing and communication strategy, including the analysis and evaluation of the data affecting the future strategic development;
The innovation of the recommending system was awarded by the European Commission.
The system is supported by all relevant national institutions (MGRT, STO, MZZ, SVRK, SPIRIT, MJU, MOP, MK), and many European institutions (the European Commission, the macro-regions EUSALP, EUSAIR, DANUBE).
THE BENEFITS
1 MARKETING SIMPLIFIED
Offering information on the events and spreading the audience are two basic tasks of a cultural organiser. The bigger the event, the bigger the challenge.
Our system offers all back-end and front-end tools to keep marketers as well as the public informed:
- a desktop portal with event information;
- a mobile app for IOS;
- a mobile app for Android;
- a plug-in for web-pages;
- an API for open access to all events for third party advertisers.
2 PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION
How to find the right people for the right events? Better, the right events for the right people? We developed an innovative, awarded recommendation algorithm specifically for cultural events. The algorithm uses artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning, to find the best events for every user. It is built into a web application and mobile applications (IOS and Android).
3 EASY DATA INPUT
It is often difficult to keep the database of events updated.
We make this easy through automatic connection to all existing databases with events data and a public, user-friendly online form, that enables even local communities and civil society to participate in the data sharing.
4 SUSTAINABILITY
What happens to the database and its applications once the ECOC status and the funding are over? The system is set-up as an open digital infrastructure and is according to all the EU and OECD recommendations. Open data recieves encourgment in means of funding as well as is seen as an important source/capital from developers in entrepreneurs. This enables the sustainability of a well implemented project.
ADDITIONAL INFO
- the infrastructure is currently implemented as a functional prototype for Slovenia; the developed modules are: the database, a desktop user interface for input and management of the events and recommending, mobile apps (IOS and Android), recommendation algorithm; further applications can be developed;
- the system is developed as an open source software; *the IP rights are only managed for the optional innovative modules i. e. recommendation algorithm;
- the set-up and management (during the ECOC year) of the infrastructure can be executed by Kofein dizajn; installation and support fees may apply;
- the database and its data during and after the ECOC year remain a property of the project organiser/ECOC city;
CONTACT
Zarja Vintar, MA, Msc, project leader
Kofein dizajn, Beethovnova 9, Ljubljana, Slovenia, +386 1 4268500
zarja@kofein.si