Sources and Review Methodology

Where our records come from

OpenStreetMap contributors supply most mapped locations under the Open Database License. Imports use Overpass or OSM snapshots from BBBike and Geofabrik. Coverage follows city discovery extents and can include neighboring municipalities.

Wikidata structured data (CC0) supplies selected artwork identities, coordinates, and attribution. We review candidates before adding them; architectural gates, unrelated objects, and known-ended installations are not automatically treated as current artworks.

Cape Town additions cite the municipal heritage inventory and its open-data terms. That inventory originated in a 2009 survey and was digitised in 2015. A recent download does not make those observations recent.

Selected installations are documented from official venue pages, including MACAAL. Museum pins are labeled as venue-level coordinates rather than exact positions inside a building. Legacy records may also link to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons; an image’s license is separate from the geographic database license.

What the dates mean

• Imported: when a dataset was retrieved and processed.
• OSM snapshot: the timestamp of the database extract, not the date each object was surveyed.
• Source reviewed: when the cited information was checked. This is not an in-person visit.
• Scheduled through: a documented installation end date. These additions stop appearing after that date on newly rendered map and directory pages.

Validation and duplicate handling

New OSM imports check coordinates against the discovery extent, reject explicitly private, inaccessible, removed, or disused records, and preserve distinct source identifiers. Missing access tags are not evidence of public admission. Nearby works are not merged just because their coordinates are close.

Reviewed matches can add names, artists, and access details to an existing record while preserving its original coordinates and source provenance. Works sharing an exact venue coordinate appear together in a map popup, with separate directory entries. Imported datasets and curated additions are stored separately.

Artist records and attribution

A city association means an artist record was collected for that city; it does not establish residence, nationality, or a working base. Missing names and attribution remain unknown. Legacy verification flags are not identity checks or endorsements and are not presented as certification.

Biographies and imported records can contain mistakes. For important attribution or travel decisions, consult the linked artist, venue, or municipal source.

Request a correction

Contact the team with the city, artwork name or source identifier, a source URL, and the correction. For changes to access or location, include the date of your observation.