The Most Unexpected CKAN Use Case I've Ever Seen: A Sheet Music Directory With AI Metadata
Wolfgang from Ondics built an open source sheet music catalog on CKAN — with AI metadata generation, YouTube playback, and cross-instance sharing. Here's how.
On Tuesday, September 9, 2025 (11:00–13:00 CEST), some of the CKAN maintainers will host a special in-person workshop ahead of csv,conf,v9 — one of the most dynamic community-led events for data makers, scientists, civic technologists, and open data advocates.
This CKAN session is part of the official pre-conference workshop series at csv,conf,v9 taking place on September 8–9 — a unique opportunity offered by the organisers, who’ve made the venue available for deeper, hands-on sessions ahead of the main event.
csv,conf,v9 is a global gathering for anyone working with data in the real world — from spreadsheets and sensors to open government portals. It focuses on how data can be used to solve real problems in communities and society.
What distinguishes csv,conf is its unique focus: it's a non-profit, community-driven event dedicated to showcasing how data creates real-world impact. It's less about theoretical constructs and more about demonstrated solutions.
The theme this year, "Data for Communities," aligns perfectly with CKAN’s mission: building infrastructure that empowers governments, researchers, and communities to make data truly useful and usable.
“Data for Communities” means recognizing that data doesn’t just belong in servers or spreadsheets; it belongs in the hands of people working to improve their neighborhoods, social services, educational resources, and policy decisions. It’s about exploring how community groups, civic organizations, and local advocates can use open data to identify pressing issues, build trust through transparency, and create lasting, positive change.
— csvconf.com
➤ Location: Bologna, Italy
➤ Dates: September 9–11, 2025
➤ Audience: Developers, data scientists, public servants, journalists, researchers, librarians, and open data enthusiasts
This workshop is a chance to connect in person with the CKAN core team, fellow contributors, and users from across the world.
You don’t need to be a developer to join.
Consistent with csv,conf’s values, the workshop is open to people from all backgrounds — tech or not. It extends beyond developers to welcome all data practitioners who recognize the potential of CKAN in facilitating effective data publishing. Whether your work involves data science, research, public administration, or community organization, if your mandate includes leveraging open data, your participation is encouraged.
If this sounds like an unmissable opportunity (and we think it is!), we would absolutely love to meet you in Bologna!
To help us plan space, please fill in this short form:
👉 CKAN Workshop Registration Form
✍️ We also welcome short presentations — just add your idea to the form if you'd like to share something during the workshop.
We hope to see you there!
➤ Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
➤ Time: 11:00–13:00 CEST
➤ Location: Palazzo Malvezzi de' Medici, Bologna, Italy (part of csv,conf,v9)
➤ Register for the CKAN WorkshopWolfgang from Ondics built an open source sheet music catalog on CKAN — with AI metadata generation, YouTube playback, and cross-instance sharing. Here's how.
A recap of what the CKAN community covered on June 17, 2026: a live demo of the new CKAN Ecosystem Catalog, a deep-dive into HDX Tabular Data Endpoints, the launch of the new community discussion forum — and, surprise surprise, a very unexpected use of CKAN as a sheet music directory with AI-assisted metadata. Yes, really.