Culture Ministry unveils arts website

Suppose you had a digital map that pinpointed every major art venue in Costa Rica. You could browse this map, click on a balloon, and then you’d find a brief description of (for example) Yearning of the Earth, a dance company in Guanacaste. Never heard of it? There’s a link to the website.

Culture Ministry decided to make this dream a reality. The site, dubbed “SiCultura,” is a comprehensive guide to groups and events across the country, plus scattered art venues in neighboring nations. The site also provides “open data” about events and attendance, as well as short articles and updates. Visitors can access a registry of 1,200 individual artists and groups, according to the ministry.

“The principle challenge of this platform is … to strengthen the network of editors … and [broaden] the coverage [of] the artists in the country,” said Irene Morales, Vice Youth Minister, in a statement.

The ministry unveiled the new website to a small group of journalists at the Hotel Don Carlos in Barrio Amón. Spokesmen described its purpose in a series of speeches while a digital demonstration was projected nearby. They added that the site would be presented at the Congress of Ibero-American Culture, taking place in Zaragoza, Spain, in November.