Renewed UiT database now processes all the information you could need for successful leisure activities
Recently Tina Van Bockstal of cultural centre De Meent entered the 350,000th event into the UiT database, which has just been completely upgraded. The Flemish Minister for the Environment, Nature and Culture Joke Schauvliege personally visited Ms. Van Bockstal to present her with a bouquet. It is also a symbolic way of saying thank you to the over 6,000 people and organisations who enter their activities into this database every day, and in so doing, provide an up-to-date overview of the entire cultural and leisure listings for .
The renewed platform (UiTdatabank.be), co-developed by the company Ferranti, not only enables faster and easier data entry. The quality has also been improved and options for applications expanded. For example, someone looking for a leisure activity will also be able to see where and when it is playing at other locations, where extra information is available and how to make reservations. Also included is more in-depth information such as background on the artist, video and photos, reviews, information on public transport and restaurants in the neighbourhood. In short, everything that someone might want to know for planning the perfect night ‘UiT’ (out).
The activities themselves are entered by over 6,000 performers and organisers. Via the UiT database, they are distributed to over 190 channels, including virtually all the major media in , an UiT-network of over 100 cities and towns, and the multi-award-winning website UiTinVlaanderen.be (over 2 million unique visitors in 2009). The organisers only have to enter their information once in order to reach a wide and diverse audience. The decentralised entry model, whereby each organiser is responsible for their own information, is what has led to the enormous growth of the database and its listings. In order to continue to be able to properly process the ever-increasing number of activities and to take advantage of new technological developments, after 5 years there was a need to renew the system.
Since its launch in 2005 the UiT database, an initiative of CultuurNet Vlaanderen, has grown into the most complete and high-quality agenda system in Flanders and and moreover, it is acknowledged internationally as a successful e-government project. The platform has become an indispensable fixture in promoting cultural and leisure events towards the general public.