Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Alliances Fund/臺灣替代空間藝術資料庫建置計劃：維基數據與 Wikibase 技術應用前期研究

Questions from ESEAP Funds Committee

Hello Shin Leh Yuan Art Space, thank you for applying for the Wikimedia Alliances fund. We are in the process of reviewing your application and would like to hear your responses to the following questions:

Strategy

These are scenario planning question and it's meant to give us insights into your thought process:

1) Given the fluidity of COVID-19 that limits in-person gatherings etc, what would be an alternative plan (if in person gatherings are not possible) so that you can continue to deliver on the project grant?

2) How are you planning for the sustainability of the project and potential funders for future iterations of the project beyond this project grant (if successful) from the Wikimedia Alliances Fund?

Programme

3) How do you plan to collaborate with Wikimedia Taiwan to build the Wikibase community locally?

4) Apart from Wikidata, are there plans to upload artwork content onto Wikimedia Commons (or use it in other wikiprojects) and share the content freely?

5) What are key risks and challenges that you may need to mitigate in the implementation phase?

6) Do you have a preliminary idea on how you plan to link the back-end website setup (setting up Wikibase database) and front-end website design?

7) Would it be possible to update your project schedule so that it matches the 12-month funding duration of the project grant?

Budget

8) Could you provide more clarity on the following line budget items - workshop materials, photographer, website development and printing expenses. Refer to budget document for more details.

9) On resourcing, are there plans to seek co-funding for the project? Could you share how Shin Leh Yuan Art Space will be providing in-kind contribution to the project?

Metrics

10) In the summary table for core metrics, you indicated number of editors as zero. Could you verify if this is correct? If yes, could you also share your thought process re target for this indicator?

It would be really helpful to respond by 11 Feb 2022 before our next deliberation round. Thank you. JChen (WMF) (talk) 04:51, 7 February 2022 (UTC)

Responses to the ESEAP Funds Committee

Thank you for your kind consideration of our grant request. Please find our replies below.（很抱歉，我們先用中文回應，不知道您們那邊有沒有人能夠協助翻譯或解釋）

Strategy

1) 在計劃書中，我們列出研究維基數據／Wikibase 在藝術場域的應用技術與實際案例、研究臺灣藝術圈對於開放鏈結資料庫的需求、建立臺灣在地 Wikibase 技術開發與應用社群這三個大工作方向；依照執行方式，可以分成調查研究工作與建立在地社群兩種類型。關於調查研究工作部分，是由我們或委請專業人士協助進行調查，部分工作項目需要與當事人討論或訪談。如果台灣禁止實體聚會的時候，調查研究的工作會以在家工作為主，需討論或訪談時則是以線上會議處理。關於建立在地社群部分，我們目前是安排實體工作坊模式，廣邀社會各界人士共同學習，當中也包括可能已有相關技術的技術人才。這種公開聚會的模式主要希冀藉由討論與實際操作，維持參與熱度與對計劃的關注度。如果台灣禁止實體聚會的時候，我們會直接找尋國內外已經有應用維基數據／Wikibase 經驗的專業人士，以線上教學工作坊的模式進行。

[Machine translation] In the plan, we listed three aspects: research on the application technology and practical cases of Wikidata/Wikibase in the art field, research on the demand for open link databases in the Taiwanese art circle, and establishment of a local Wikibase technology development and application community in Taiwan. It is a major work direction; according to the implementation method, it can be divided into two types: investigation and research work and the establishment of local communities. Regarding the investigation and research work, we plan to commission professionals to assist in the investigation, and some work items need to be discussed or interviewed with the parties. If Taiwan bans physical gatherings, the work of investigation and research will be mainly working from home, and when discussions or interviews are required, it will be handled through online meetings. Regarding the establishment of local communities, we are currently arranging physical workshops, inviting people from all walks of life to learn together, including technical talents who may already have relevant technologies. This public gathering mode mainly hopes to maintain the enthusiasm of participation and the attention to the plan through discussion and practical operation. If Taiwan bans physical gatherings, we will directly look for professionals at home and abroad who have experience in applying Wikidata/Wikibase, and conduct online teaching workshops.

2) 本計劃是希冀透過維基媒體基金會的補助，協助我們與 Wikidata Taiwan 進一步掌握 Wikibase 的基本技術。而依照整個替代空間資料庫的規劃，在本計劃完成之後，我們還需要進一步強化視覺化數據呈現技術、及擴充更多台灣藝術數據。因此在計劃書中，我們已經先把後續幾年的伺服器與網域費用先列入其中，以成為後續推廣應用的基礎。在本計劃結束後，我們一方面計劃與台灣的維基數據社群繼續合作，共同思考如何打造更加多元的視覺化數據技術呈現（這意味著依照本計劃進行的使用者調查與訪問，尋找相對應的既有技術、邀集開源社群志工與資源協助、申請補助開發特定功能等）；另一方面則計劃藉由台灣國家藝文機構的補助，透過專題研究案的方式，逐年為該藝術資料庫補入更多的藝術資料。

[Machine translation] The plan is to help us and Wikidata Taiwan to further master the basic technology of Wikibase through the grant of Wikimedia Foundation. According to the planning of the entire alternative space database, after the completion of this project, we need to further strengthen the visual data presentation technology and expand more Taiwan art data. Therefore, in the plan, we have included the server and domain costs for the next few years first, so as to become the basis for subsequent promotion and application. After the end of this project, we plan to continue to cooperate with the Wikidata community in Taiwan to jointly think about how to create a more diverse technical presentation of visual data (this means conducting user surveys and interviews in accordance with this project to find corresponding support from open source community and source for other funding streams. In addition, we plan to use the subsidies from the Taiwan National Arts and Culture Organization to provide the art materials year by year through special research projects. Add more art materials to the library.

Programme

3) 由於目前台灣維基媒體社群對於 Wikibase 技術的應用還處在聽聞該技術，但未曾真正實際應用的階段，也沒有本地的範例可以提供其他單位參考。因此在目前的規劃中，本計劃首要的目標是與台灣的維基數據社群 Wikidata Taiwan 學習掌握 Wikibase 技術，因此會積極與 Wikidata Taiwan 社群串聯與合作，特別是在有關 Wikibase 技術開發與應用的工作坊。隨著使用與理解相關技術單位與人士增加、及公開相對應的教學或參考資源，我們認為可以讓 Wikimedia Taiwan 和 Wikidata Taiwan 增加 Wikibase 在不同領域應用與合作機會，也能更有效地推廣在地維基數據應用。而當使用 Wikibase 的單位與人數增加時，專門針對 Wikibase 技術的社群或交流群組便有機會自主成立。

[Machine translation] Because the application of Wikibase technology in Taiwan Wikimedia community is still in the stage of hearing about this technology, but it has not been actually applied, and there is no local example to provide reference for other units. Therefore, in the current planning, the primary goal of this project is to learn and master Wikibase technology with Wikidata Taiwan, a Wikidata community in Taiwan. Therefore, it will actively connect and cooperate with the Wikidata Taiwan community, especially in the development and application of Wikibase technology. With the increase in the use and understanding of related technical units and people, and the disclosure of corresponding teaching or reference resources, we believe that Wikimedia Taiwan and Wikidata Taiwan can increase the application and cooperation opportunities of Wikibase in different fields, and can also more effectively promote local wikis data application. When the number of units and people using Wikibase increases, a community or communication group dedicated to Wikibase technology will have the opportunity to establish itself.

4) 關於將藝術作品內容上傳到維基共享資源這件事情，我們認為以本計劃的特性、及台灣當代藝術圈的習慣，是有實行上的難度。這其中有幾點原因：

• 雖然新樂園藝術空間等替代空間提供藝術家展覽空間，但在授權協議上來說，並未持有在該空間展出作品的授權；
• 在 1990 年代至 2000 年代，新樂園藝術空間等許多替代空間，大多是以與實際展覽空間互動的裝置藝術作品 / 展覽，因此相關紀錄上傳的含意不同於各別藝術作品（例如繪畫、雕塑）的上傳；
• 諸如新樂園藝術空間等替代空間，在自主經營長達近 25 年之後，許多空間的經營紀錄、展覽記錄其實都未整理完成，且每位藝術家對的參與經驗或深度都不一樣。這會讓我們難以特別挑選某幾件作品作為代表，去與特定藝術家進行授權討論。
• 台灣本地藝術圈對於開放作品授權本身大多是持較傳統或保守的概念。
• 因此在本計劃中，我們沒有直接將藝術作品內容上傳至維基共享資源列為工作項目。但相對應地，在本計劃工作坊中的產物（例如人物訪談、教學手冊、研究成果），我們有思考是否可以在確認內容後，上傳至維基共享資源或相對應的計劃，提供更多人使用。

[Machine translation] Regarding the matter of uploading the content of art works to Wikimedia Commons, we believe that due to the characteristics of this project and the habits of Taiwan's contemporary art circle, it is difficult to implement. There are several reasons for this:

• Although alternative spaces such as Xinyuan Art Space provide artist exhibition space, in terms of the license agreement, they do not hold the authorization to exhibit works in this space;
• From the 1990s to the 2000s, many alternative spaces such as Xinyuan Art Space were mostly installation art works/exhibitions that interacted with the actual exhibition space, so the meaning of uploading related records was different from that of individual art works (such as paintings, sculptures, etc.) ) upload;
• For alternative spaces such as Xinyuan Art Space, after nearly 25 years of independent operation, the business records and exhibition records of many spaces have not been sorted out, and each artist has a different experience or depth of participation. This makes it difficult for us to specifically select a few works as representatives for licensing discussions with specific artists.
• Taiwanese local art circles mostly hold a more traditional or conservative concept for the licensing of open works.
• Therefore, in this program, we do not directly upload artwork content to Wikimedia Commons as a work item. But correspondingly, in the products of this project workshop (such as character interviews, teaching manuals, research results), we have considered whether we can upload the content to Wikimedia Commons or a corresponding plan after confirming the content to provide more people use.

5) 目前我們認為最大的挑戰是，本計劃是否能夠為建立在地的 Wikibase 社群打下有效的基礎，特別是台灣許多人都沒有相關技術經驗的情況下，如何從頭到尾推廣、掌握這項技術，並在最後以藝術主題的開放鏈結資料庫架構進行實踐或建立前端網站。目前我們想到的解決方案是，藉由共學工作坊的運作模式，盡可能從 Wikidata Taiwan 社群和相關開源社群找尋技術人才，並與目前已知曾經接觸過 Wikibase 技術的人才聯繫，盡量掌握基礎的建置資料庫所需技術與經驗。而當相關的學習有一定成果後，邀集有興趣繼續深入實踐的人，以藝術資料庫為主題範疇嘗試建立最基礎的網站架構。

[Machine translation] At present, we believe that the biggest challenge is whether this plan can lay an effective foundation for the local Wikibase community, especially when many people in Taiwan have no relevant technical experience, how to promote and master this project from beginning to end. technology, and at the end practice or build a front-end website with an open-link database architecture on art themes. At present, the solution we have in mind is to find technical talents from the Wikidata Taiwan community and related open source communities as much as possible through the operation mode of the co-learning workshop, and contact the talents who are currently known to have been exposed to Wikibase technology, so as to master the skills as much as possible. Basic skills and experience required to build a database. When the relevant studies have achieved certain results, we invite people who are interested in further practice to try to establish the most basic website structure with the theme of art database.

6) 在關於建立 Wikibase 數據庫這件工作上，我們和 Wikidata Taiwan 社群都只有初步的概念（我們大概知道一個資料庫網站的架構、Wikibase 的技術簡介等），因而還沒有相當明確的工作流程。如同前面所述，由於台灣維基媒體社群對於 Wikibase 數據庫沒有實際應用的經驗，因此我們才希望與 Wikidata Taiwan 社群的成員一起共同研究，然後將相關的經驗轉換成對應的教學文件。至於前端設計的部分，我們目前會希望先透過經驗訪談、使用者調查的方式，理解一個藝術資料庫的前端設計應當具備那些功能、或者這個資料庫可能要處理現有台灣藝術網站的缺陷，並在第二階段的網站架構、及後續計劃的數據視覺化呈現功能開發中，將這部分列為工作目標。

[Machine translation] Regarding the establishment of the Wikibase database, we and the Wikidata Taiwan community have only a preliminary concept (we probably know the structure of a database website, the technical introduction of Wikibase, etc.), so there is no very clear workflow. As mentioned earlier, since the Taiwan Wikimedia community has no practical experience with the Wikibase database, we hope to research together with members of the Wikidata Taiwan community, and then convert the relevant experience into corresponding teaching documents. As for the front-end design, we currently hope to understand the functions that the front-end design of an art database should have through experience interviews and user surveys. This part is listed as the work target in the website architecture of the second stage and the development of the data visualization function of the subsequent plan.

7) 我們已經將計劃更正為 2022 年 6 月至 2023 年 5 月了。

We have provided an updated schedule in the link above.

Budget

8) 我們有針對預算文件上的問題回答了。

We have responded to the comments within the document.

9) 如果只是針對如何藉由 Wikibase 技術建立專題資料庫的這項計劃，我們並沒有另外找尋其他補助。但以 Wikibase 技術建立藝術資料庫的相關研究與推廣計劃，新樂園藝術空間自 2020 年至今持續圍繞著藝術資料庫的題目進行不同研究，並向不同政府單位申請計劃補助。以台灣的藝術圈來說，一個藝術資料庫要能夠獲得足夠的關注度，除了其相關技術功能需要完備外（這是本計劃希冀逐步達到的目標），也需要相對應的研究（甚至是展覽）證明開放鏈結式資料庫的必要性向其他政府單位申請的計劃補助就是要逐步累積後者的資源，相關研究資料也會轉換成維基數據的資料，擴充這個藝術資料庫的內容。在今年，我們預計會分別以針對疫情時期的替代空間經營狀況、及替代空間展覽資料的典藏問題，同樣向政府部門申請研究補助。因此關於 In kind contribution 的部分，我們不太確定要如何相當明確地區分不同項目的工作與志願內容，因為每個不同項目的工作都彼此串聯。可以這麼說，新樂園藝術空間這次與維基媒體基金會申請的補助，主要是為了與 Wikidata Taiwan 社群共同取得 Wikibase 技術；新樂園藝術空間向其他單位申請的補助，是為了演練這個資料庫可能的應用方式、找尋可以上傳至維基數據的資料、並以研究報告方式宣傳；而新樂園藝術空間在與其他空間在相關議題的討論或活動，也自然是會順便推廣這個以 Wikibase 架構的資料庫。

[Machine Translation] We didn't look for other grants, just for the project on how to build thematic databases using Wikibase technology. However, the related research and promotion plan of establishing an art database with Wikibase technology, Xinyuan Art Space has continued to conduct different researches on the subject of the art database since 2020, and has applied for program subsidies from different government units. Taking Taiwan's art circle as an example, in order for an art database to gain enough attention, in addition to its related technical functions needing to be complete (this is the goal that this plan hopes to achieve gradually), it also needs corresponding research (even exhibitions). ) to prove the necessity of an open link database. The program grants applied to other government units are to gradually accumulate the resources of the latter, and related research materials will also be converted into Wikidata materials to expand the content of this art database. This year, we are expected to apply for research grants from government departments in response to the operating conditions of alternative spaces during the epidemic and the collection of exhibition materials for alternative spaces. So regarding the In kind contribution part, we're not quite sure how to make a fairly clear distinction between work and volunteering for different projects, because the work of each different project is linked to each other. It can be said that the subsidy applied by New Paradise Art Space and the Wikimedia Foundation this time is mainly to obtain Wikibase technology together with the Wikidata Taiwan community; the subsidy applied by New Paradise Art Space to other units is to exercise the possibility of this database. Application methods, search for materials that can be uploaded to Wikidata, and publicize them in the form of research reports; and discussions or activities between Xinyuan Art Space and other spaces on related issues will naturally promote this Wikibase-structured database.

Metrics

10) 我們確實最初對於那個核心指標的表格感到困惑，因為本計劃的主要參與人除了確保計劃執行的負責人、負責使用者調查與相關研究的研究人員與受測試者、及共同學習如何應用 Wikibase 技術的工作坊參與者之外，並不會特別針對維基媒體計劃（例如維基百科、維基數據等）進行編輯，因此將編輯人數設定為 0 人。如同前面所述，本計劃首先要解決的是台灣維基媒體社群、開源社群成員對於 Wikibase 技術的實際應用並不熟悉，甚至至今都沒有公開的在地應用範例。以我們自己的感受來說，這會導致我們儘管相當認同開放數據的重要性，卻無法得知後續的實際應用可能性、或相關範例等，這對於在地的維基數據推廣是頗為可惜的。因此本計劃的首要工作是先把 Wikibase 技術引入台灣，並藉由新樂園藝術空間先前已經導入的維基數據資料，建置初步的平台範例。至於更多的維基數據編輯，我們認為可以等待這項技術有個基本的掌握後，在逐步將資料整理至維基數據之中，因此現階段不需要將維基數據的編輯列為首要工作目標。

[Machine Translation] We were indeed initially confused by the table of that core indicator, as the main participants of the program were not only those responsible for ensuring program execution, researchers and test subjects who were responsible for user surveys and related research, and those who worked together to learn how to apply Wikibase technology. Outside of the workshop participants, editors will not be specific to Wikimedia projects (eg Wikipedia, Wikidata, etc.), so the number of editors is set to 0. As mentioned above, the first problem to be solved by this plan is that members of the Taiwan Wikimedia community and open source community are not familiar with the practical application of Wikibase technology, and there is no public example of local application so far. According to our own feelings, this will lead to that although we quite agree with the importance of open data, we cannot know the possibility of subsequent practical application, or related examples, etc., which is quite a pity for the local Wikidata promotion. Therefore, the primary task of this project is to first introduce Wikibase technology to Taiwan, and build a preliminary platform example based on the Wikidata data previously imported by Xinyuan Art Space. As for more Wikidata editing, we believe that we can wait for this technology to have a basic grasp, and then gradually organize data into Wikidata. Therefore, at this stage, we do not need to make Wikidata editing a priority.

Alliances Fund Programme Funding approved in the amount of TWD 974,275

Congratulations! Your grant is approved in the amount of TWD 974,275 for one year (see details of approved budget), with a grant term starting 1 March 2022 and ending 28 February 2023.

The ESEAP Funds Committee is pleased to support the work of Shin Leh Yuan Art Space. The Committee values the efforts in putting together the grant application and budget and is aware that this project grew from your collaboration with Wikimedia Taiwan in the past years. More details here.

The Committee and Programme Officer see a number of strengths in your application. These include your proposed methodical approach to research and consultation with key stakeholders in the arts community to encourage participation and ownership of the process. Being a pioneer of the alternative art scene in Taiwan, we are aware that Shin Leh Yuan Art Space and the project team have the know-how and networks to deliver on the project.

We support your growth area which is to work with Wikimedia Taiwan and community volunteers to focus first on dataset content generation of your (and/or your partner network) archives, then making the information available on Wikidata before moving onto Wikibase. We recommend adjusting your project timeline accordingly and moving related work on Wikibase to after the midpoint of the project.

While your preference is to do both concurrently, our sense is that getting a good grasp of Wikidata’s applicability to your work will help shape your research and consultation on Wikibase. We hear Wikibase is relatively new to the Wikimedia movement in Taiwan.

In your 2022/2023 learning journey, the Committee and Programme Officer envisions you may make further inroads in these areas, and we (together with Wikimedia Taiwan) look forward to being on this journey:

• Exchanges with potential learning partner: Wikibase Community Usergroup; and
• Bringing together a Wikibase community in Taiwan (with support from Wikimedia Taiwan)

Thank you.

On behalf of ESEAP Funding Committee, JChen (WMF) (talk) 09:13, 22 February 2022 (UTC)