Creating an Arts Trail Map with Google Maps

I have been working on a map for the SouthBank Bristol Arts Trail to replace the one we had last year. I decided to use Google Maps as they publish their API so that you can write functions to call it from your own web site. It’s meant getting in there and getting your hands dirty with some JavaScript but its not been that bad (I ought to add I do VBScript programming during the day so its not too much of a shock to my system). The results can be seen here on a test page.

It’s obviously not quie ready yet and the artists and addresses are bogus (dont go there asking to see art you might get a rude reply) but it works. Click on the red markers and you get a pop-up with a picture by the artist. Drag the map around with the mouse. Zoom in and out. Its all there. I’ve got to add multiple artists at a single address yet so more hacking required before it goes live on the real site!