After this auction, AI Art has seen an increase in artists from around the world participating. In the past two years, AI Art has seen a surge in online platforms like AIArtists.org, as well as exhibitions, conferences, contests, and discussion panels dedicated to AI Art.

In the extensive discussion on creating AI Art, one issue receives continuing dispute – on what level of computer autonomy in making art-generating decisions can be regarded as essential for the creative process? Are computational technologies still defined as mere tools, or do they exhibit independent “behavioral” properties?

Define AI

The concept of Artificial Intelligence adopted is based on Marvin Minsky’s most widely recognized definition: 

The performance of tasks, which, if performed by a human, would be deemed to require intelligence.

Geraint A Wiggins. 2006. A preliminary framework for description, analysis and
comparison of creative systems. Knowledge-Based Systems 19, 7 (2006), 449–458.

Simple cellular automata, an evolutionary algorithm, or any other computing system that meets the concept can be artificial intelligence. Through the way they interact with their physical or virtual surroundings, as well as themselves, these computational systems present a certain level of intelligence. When it comes to intelligence, learning is a major leap, and model-based reasoning is essential for an AI to elicit human-like learning, decision making, and most critically, autonomy.

Art Practise

Since at least the late 1950s, a group of engineers/ artists at Max Bense’s laboratory at the University of Stuttgart began experimenting with computer graphics. Frieder Nake, Georg Nees, Manfred Mohr, and Vera Molnár investigated the use of mainframe computers, plotters, and algorithms in the manufacture of aesthetically appealing objects. A simple experiment to test some of the novel equipment in Max Bense’s laboratory rapidly evolved into an art movement.

This is only one illustration of how computer art evolved in the 1960s. Procedural, generative, or parametric” design is commonly used in the design and architecture sectors to describe the usage of algorithms.

Harold Cohen, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, has been using a self-designed program AARON, which is able to autonomously create original images, since 1973. Cohen began his research by exploring AI applications in the visual arts. He continued to develop AARON after its inception. The application could be used to make better choices, such as color or composition selection. Initially, AARON could only create black and white line drawings. It progressed to make digital prints of colored shapes like human figures and flora – the first examples of artificial intelligence art. Aaron once joked about how he could become the only artist to have a posthumous show of new works created solely after death because AARON could generate pictures on its own.

The drawing robot created by artist Patrick Tresset is yet another example of an intelligent tool. Its behavior and sketching style are both controlled by the algorithms that allow Paul’s drawings to be displayed, limiting the robot’s creative freedom. These systems are affected by studies of human behavior, specifically how artists depict behavior and how individuals interact with machines. Tresset creates robots and autonomous computational systems to manufacture a variety of products.

Sougwen Chung and her robots Drawing Operations Unit, Generation Four operated by a written AI system, alongside other robots in Chung’s performance-based artworks. She and the robots paint enormous canvases together as part of a cooperative effort and impromptu dancing.

Technological Landmark

Several significant technological advancements in recent years aided the growing interest in AI Art. Many rendering and texture synthesis methods have been created in recent decades in computer graphics and computer vision research, which are supposed to apply an “artistic style” to the input image. Academic results dated back to 2001 when the article ‘Image analogies’ was published, and 20 years later, such synthesis methods commonly applicated in image process applications become part of the modern-day ‘cannot live without mobile phone’ life. Nevertheless, deep neural networks have just lately been used to stylize photos and create new images. The quoted image illustrates key technology milestones influencing AI Art production.

GANs (Generative Adversarial Nets) are likely the most significant technological innovation that has contributed to the present growth of AI Art. Developed by Goodfellow and his colleagues, GAN marks a turning point in the use of machines to create visual content. A GAN operates by training two “competing” models: a generator and a discriminator. The generator is to figure out how the real examples in the input sample are spread out and make realistic images. The discriminator, on the other hand, is trained to tell the difference between fake images made by the generator and real images from the original sample. This framework produced convincing false variants of actual images for diverse image content kinds.

Google engineer Alexander Mordvintsev introduced DeepDreams in 2015. This strategy was meant to improve DCNN (Deep Convolutional Neural Networks) interpretability by displaying patterns that increase neuron activation. The method later became a popular new kind of digital art production because of its psychedelic and hallucinogenic style.

NST (Neural Style Transfer) is one of the most well-known AI inventions. It sped up the use and development of AI technologies for art. This method was first described in a very important paper by Gatys which showed how CNNs can be used to create stylized images by separating and combining the “content” and “style” of an image. After this breakthrough, there were a lot of new research contributions and applications. The work of Jing gives a full overview of the existing NST techniques and the different ways they can be used. “Content” refers to recognizable objects and people in an image, while “style” refers to a deviation from a photorealistic depiction of “content” that is aesthetically pleasing or interesting. But in the context of art history, style is often seen as more than just the way lines and brushstrokes look. It is often seen as a more subtle and context-dependent idea. Also, stylized images made with NST methods are usually just a clear combination of images that already exist, not an original and unique piece of art. Even though NST could be used in a creative way to make digital art, it is important to be skeptical of the trend of calling anything with a painterly look to it “art.”

Elgammal made AICAN, take GAN one step further in its ability to generate content in a creative way. In their work, they say that if a GAN model is taught by looking at pictures of paintings, it will only learn how to make pictures that look like art that already exists. Like the NST method, this won’t make anything truly artistic or new. They suggest changes to the optimization criterion that would make it possible for the network to make creative art by getting as far away as possible from well-known styles while still staying within the art distribution. Through a series of exhibitions and experiments, the creators of the AICAN system showed that people often couldn’t tell the difference between images made by AICAN and artworks made by humans. In addition to the AICAN project, many other developers and artists have used GANs with different modifications and training settings to make digital art. It has become the most popular technology in the AI Art scene right now.

In 2021, CLIP and DALL-E, two amazing new OpenAI “multimodal” neural networks have already been released. The developers claim these are “steps towards systems with better comprehension of the world”.

Named after Salvador Dali, DALL-E, a 12-billion parameter version of GPT-3 trained to generate graphics from a text description input. It employs the same transformer design as its predecessors. One way to look at it is that “it receives both the text and the image as a single stream of data containing up to 1280 tokens and is trained using maximum likelihood to generate all of the tokens, one after another”.

OpenAI’s DALL-E website has some incredible demo examples, one as follows:

By incorporating a basic pre-training job, OpenAI has shown that CLIP can perform well on a wide range of datasets. From a set of 32,768 randomly selected text snippets, predict which caption is connected with a given sample image. CLIP enables anybody to create their own classifiers and eliminates the requirement for task-specific training data and unlock certain niche tasks more easily because it doesn’t need task-specific training data.

Conclusion

Gaining attention is one of the most fundamental aspects of success in an age with too much information or art. In light of the current AI excitement, it is logical that presenting the story behind a certain artwork as something being created autonomously by an AI system seems to generate more curiosity than yet another human-made work. “Autonomous AI artist” narratives are mostly driven by marketing, and displays of AICAN-created art, like the Christie’s Belamy sale, use the concept of autonomy for publicity purposes. The application of anthropomorphic language in the instance of the Christie’s Belamy auction considerably raised the public interest in the art.

Nevertheless, as AI technologies are becoming more and more advanced, the distinction between employing an AI system as a tool or as a creator of content is becoming more blurry. The general public can hardly understand and interpret even a small subset of AI systems, since the topic’s complexities go beyond the scope of a single research subject, and scientists from a variety of fields are beginning to pay attention to it. A conceptual framework for philosophical thinking about machine art by Mark Coeckelbergh considering from several aspects the question if machines can generate art. Aesthetic theory, computational creativity, and the role of technology in the creation of art are all discussed in this paper, which also contributes to the fields of technology philosophy and philosophical anthropology as a whole. Perhaps we should adopt a more comprehensive understanding of what happens in creative perception and engagement as a hybrid human-technological and emergent or even poetic process, a model which leaves greater opportunity for allowing ourselves be surprised by creativity—human and possibly non-human.

Popularity of NFTs

So what makes NFT’s so popular? The main factors here are rarity and scarcity. Just like owning baseball cards or Pokemon cards, NFTs are unique investments that hold value because they are unique. While some NFTs do provide the owner real life benefits such as exclusive content, that is not the main draw of owning one or why prices are skyrocketing so high. 

NFTs in the Music Industry

First let’s take a look at the music world in general. The early adopters of NFT in music were EDM artists. 3LAU in particular minted NFT collectible versions of his album Ultraviolet which was the first album to become a token. Another early adopter was Snoop Dog who recently announced that his label Death Row Records would become an NFT label.

back into the hands of the musicians directly. With huge streaming corporations such as Spotify and Apple Music taking away from individual artists’ sales, there is a lot at stake for artists to make it big on those platforms and develop a loyal fanbase that will make purchases past their use of streaming. There is also a lot of money taken out by middle men like record companies. By capitalizing on the current rends and minting and selling their own NFTs, musicians can make a huge profit directly and rely on their fanbase rather than the biased algorithms of streaming services.

What does a music NFT Look like?

There are a couple different forms an NFT can take in the music industry. There are audio NFTs of albums and songs and even individual instrument parts. But there are also NFT concert tickets, collectibles, and access to extras like special online content.

One question I had when starting my research into musical and audio NFTs is who own’s the rights? I quickly learned that purchasing a minted audio file usually does not provide any rights to things such as royalties of the music even if you are the only one with that particular pie e of music. Additionally, just because every NFT is unique does not mean that multiple of the same content can not be made. For example if an NFT is a concert ticket, that does not mean you are the only person able to purchase one and go to the concert. 

There are two great examples of how NFTs have been used in the classical music industry. One of these was a joint project between the Dallas Symphony and the musicians of The Met Opera Orchestra. 

During pandemic shut downs of The Met, The Dallas Symphony invited the musicians of the Met Opera Orchestra to perform Mahler’s Symphony No.1 with them as they were able to resume concerts much earlier. The Dallas Symphony raised money to pay all of the Met musicians by creating an exclusive NFT commemorating the historic, collaborative concert. 

Benefits that came with the purchase of a token included:

• Video of the full concert of Mahler Symphony No. 1
• Five exclusive videos of rehearsal
• Four exclusive videos with musicians
• Three exclusive behind-the-scenes videos
• VIP Experience at the DSO and Musicians of the Metropolitan Opera Reunion Concert in early 2022 in New York, including roundtrip airfare to another US city, two nights of hotel, dinner with the artist and two tickets to the concert.
• A subscription to the DSO’s digital concerts for the 2021/22 Concert Season

As this was a charity auction there was high-price bidding for a piece of the action. VIP bidding started at a mere $50,000 with lower level exclusives going for $100 and $1,000 starting prices. Alex Salnikov, Head of Product & Co-founder of Rarible – the platform which hosted the Dallas Symphony NFTs said of the auction: “Like so many, the musicians of the Met Opera Orchestra were affected by the shut-down. This NFT is a true testament to the value NFTs can generate for artists and creators by creating new streams of revenue.”

Another successful use of NFTs in classical music is a project called MozartBeats. MozartBeats is an audio NFT project produced in Vienna, Austria. Overall there were twelve distinct types produced. Each was a variation on the violin, viola, and cello part of Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik (“a little night music”) and ranges from traditional variations to experimental tones and tibres. There are 625 different possible combinations to make from these. It’s current list price is $188,626.

The way this project works is that each buyer can purchase different variations of the parts to put together, creating their own variation on the original work. In the end each NFT owner has a piece of music that is all their own which they can then turn around and mint as an original variation. This project turns professional, classical music into something that an audience can be fully participatory in creating and feel ownership over even if they are not the ones playing the music directly. This opens doors into new ways to provide audience engagement in classical music and provide a more tactile experience for concert lovers.  

NFTs have a unique place in classical music if organizations and musicians continue to pave the way creating unique projects like we have seen in the previous examples. In order to draw a classical music crowd to purchasing these NFTs, we have to create content that appeals to this unique type of music lover. 

Bibliography

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Aniftos, Rania. “Billboard Explains: Nfts & the Music Industry.” Billboard, March 23, 2022. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/billboard-explains-nfts-music-industry-1235047955/?fbclid=IwAR2qwVyD0CrWwKMb4OkvIpVT_BvUVgGeXMKk1aMWaRxtrh_IcFFeJabAWEY.

Blackmon, Malen. “NFTs Are Taking off in the Music Industry. What’s an NFT?” Dallas Observer. Dallas Observer, May 5, 2022. https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/how-are-nfts-changing-the-music-industry-also-what-the-hell-is-an-nft-12012567.

“Can a Song Be Sold as an NFT? What to Know about Nfts and Music.” AU LLC, February 1, 2022. https://au-llc.com/can-a-song-be-sold-as-an-nft-what-to-know-about-nfts-and-music/?fbclid=IwAR2oVu3_ndKt0KIxkRFV51foO1sGh-5FRS96OKO-cWwczfZcMOW0BwVO6J8.

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Hall, Sophia. “The Unstoppable Rise of Nfts, and What They Could Mean for Classical Music.” Classic FM. Classic FM, October 26, 2021. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/nfts-what-they-mean-for-classical-music/.

Hu , Cherie. “Defining Music NFT Ownership, from the Digital to the Analog World.” Water & Music, May 2, 2022. https://www.waterandmusic.com/defining-music-nft-ownership-from-the-digital-to-the-analog-world/?fbclid=IwAR33AlmetRCoU-GeH4PKkkm4me3RvKf-DFtNSnJ8VcTc7-9gieL6Mye-dz4.

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Knibbe, Julie. “Music Rights and Nfts: What Should We (Realistically) Expect?” Music Tomorrow Blog, March 26, 2021. https://www.music-tomorrow.com/blog/music-rights-and-nfts-what-should-we-realistically-expect.

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Rossolillo, Nicholas. “Investing in Music Nfts.” The Motley Fool. The Motley Fool, December 13, 2021. https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/financials/non-fungible-tokens/music-nfts/.

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Women in Tech

The tech industry was never meant to be a playground designed just for men. In 1946, the group selected to work on the U.S. military’s first computer had over 50% of women programmers. During the 60s, computer scientist and programmer Margret Heafield Hamilton successfully led her team to chart Apollo 11’s path to the moon and was widely celebrated for her meticulous work. However, as the tech industry and engineering jobs became more lucrative in the late 60s, such a situation slowly shifted. Beginning in 1984, the number of female computer science major started to steadily decrease, dropping from 36% to merely 18% at the current day. Today, the makeup of U.S. software engineers is reported to be 80% men.

Despite women playing significant roles in early technology revolutions, the industry developed business structures that reinforced patriarchal norms and masculine biases. The profitable nature of the work has caused male executives to establish workplace cultures and hiring criteria that sidelined women. Such an unbalance in the workforce has also led to biases that reinforce this cycle, influencing functionalities of applications to be in favor of men. Based on research done by the MIT Media Lab, Amazon’s artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition software was found to have challenges identifying darker-skinned individuals and female faces. AI recruiting technology was also reported to favor male candidates due to its development and testing process using resumes of men.

The Cyberfeminists

In 1994, the term “Cyberfeminism” was introduced in the midst of the dot-com boom by Sadie Plat, director of the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit at the University of Warwick. Heavily influenced by feminist theorist Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto, the Cyberfeminists aimed to make the Internet a collaborative utopia where people escape gender norms: abolishing discrimination based on gender, creating a virtual world free from sexist social conditions, rebuilding equitable social relationships, and providing equal opportunities to all. However, the movement’s morale was quickly challenged by its conflicting notions. Many criticized that although the movement called for the dissolution of gender and racial hierarchies, it failed to address issues of race and marginalized, disadvantaged groups. As the dot-com bubble burst, the rally cries of Cyberfeminists further diminished. 

“Being bad grrls on the internet is not by itself going to challenge the status quo, Cyberfeminism presents itself as inclusive, but the cyberfeminist writings assume an educated, white, upper-middle-class, English speaking, culturally sophisticated readership.”

Faith Wilding, Author of Where is the Feminism in Cyberfeminism

Female Empowerment Through NFTS

In recent years, NFTs have rapidly grown to become the new financial market that bridge the digital and physical worlds. In 2020, the NFT art sales reached a total of about $41 billion. Despite the mass amount of capital yielded, NFT space faces criticisms of being deemed a “Boy’s Club,” with merely 14.23% of female engagement. Regardless of the multibillion-dollar industry, only around 5% of women report owning an NFT, and 5% to 15% of creators are reported to be female-identifying. 

The significant gap between the two has led crypto enthusiasts to advocate for inviting more women into the Web3 space. Projects and conversations revolving around feminism in crypto have soon gained attention. Many female artists, investors, and creators have joined in, aiming to empower and elevate women through such outlets. Created by Toronto-based illustrator Rachel Winter, The Remarkable Women NFT collection is one example of project committed to the celebration of all women. Inspired by cultural diversity, fashion, and feminism, the NFT artworks feature bold, colorful female figures with empowering messages written in 15 languages. The purpose of the project also extends to philanthropy, with 10% of the drop proceed donated to the 501(c)(3) organization Fund for Women’s Equity (FFWE), and 10% of the secondary sales donated to its community-driven fund to support causes that empower women globally. 

Celebrities were quick to join in. October 2021, actress Reese Witherspoon became the first celebrity to change her Twitter profile picture to a World of Women avatar. The World of Women, illustrated by artist Yam Karkai, is one of the most popular “starstruck” NFT projects that promote female representations. After its launch, the project generated more than $40 million in two weeks and was almost immediately sold out. Other than being a women-centric organization, WoW pays close attention to education and advancing members’ knowledge in Crypto. To better navigate the space, newcomers are offered the WoW Educational Hub and Discord access, where resources and conversation are provided for a deeper understanding of the market.

Other projects such as the UnicornDao suggests a Web3 investment fund for women, non-binary and LGBTQ+ NFT artists. Led by Nadya Toloknnikova, a member of Moscow-based music group Pussy Riot, the UnicornDao focuses on generating a Web3 fundraising experience through DAO. The project encourages and supports women to participate in the NFT market for financial benefits. Tolokonnikova made it clear that blockchain technology, NFT, and crypto tools can be used to eradicate sexist power structures and that it shouldn’t be an exclusive club for crypto bros.

“I fell into a trap that’s typical for a girl; that girls are not supposed to do anything tech-related. Just because of my gender, and the way I look—because I do enjoy wearing short skirts—there could still be a moment where you’re dismissed immediately, and alienated and objectified.”

Nadya Toloknnikova, Time Interview

Moving forward, Toloknnikova describes her vision for the project as building “infrastructure for a feminist revolution on the blockchain.” She claims that for the first time, she can finally utilize economic tools to leverage her goals of re-illustrating the patriarchal narrative.

Risks of Pinkwashing

As feminist ideologies rightfully swore the NFT market, some have drawn parallels between such a trend with the Cyberfeminist movement in the 90s. Criticisms conclude that although they claim to serve all women, the majority of feminist NFT projects center around white women and/or women of extremely privileged backgrounds. 

In March 2022, former director of market development for Facebook, Randi Zuckerberg, uploaded a music video to her Twitter account named “We’re All Gonna Make It” — a playful spin on Twisted Sister’s 80s classic “We’re Not Gonna Take it.” The video features Zuckerberg dancing and singing gleefully with cameos of other known female NFT enthusiasts, including Lisa Mayer, Sara Baumann, Mai Akiyoshi, and Maliha Abidi. 

Putting aside the video’s cringyness and its lack of self-awareness, the intention behind it still seems unclear. If feminists in the NFT space emphasize so much on inclusivity and welcoming all women, the excessive usage of exclusive lingo comes across as otherwise. Zuckerberg later explained herself in the same Twitter thread that she wanted to introduce crypto jargon to the newcomers in a fun way. That she was hoping the video could serve as a 2-min crypto lingo 101 lesson that also celebrates the women of Web3. 

Though Zuckerberg’s video failed to achieve what it was set to do, it seems unfair to place too much judgment on a passion project. After all, it doesn’t really pose harm to anyone other than being slightly annoying. However, the trend of celebrities promoting NFT projects does have the potential to cause actual damage. 

Bob Seeman, author of the book “Bitcoin: Unlicensed Gambling,” says in a Bloomberg interview that “celebrities and social media influencers have a lot of brand power,” yet due to its novel nature, the current crypto market is extremely underregulated, making it vulnerable to scams. In the U.S., the Security and Exchange Commission rules that it is unlawful for any person to promote a security without disclosing their financial relationship/ownership to the source. However, since the same set of rules does not apply to the crypto market, the risks of celebrities and influencers taking advantage of their audience through promoting NFTs looms over the market. 

January 2022, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Mila Kunis joined a promotion event aiming to bring more women investors into the crypto market. During the event, Kunis said to the audience: “We are so conditioned as women to be risk-averse. I want to take risks, and I want to see what happens.” There is no doubt that someone as famous as Kunis and Paltrow can afford to take on such risks. However, for the regular audience, such promotions often purposely overlook the danger and volatility of the investment with exciting buzzwords that can maximize traction. In this case, the shiny gold carrot that dangles ahead is female empowerment. The fear of missing out, as well as the urgency of joining a lucrative, male-dominated field, is dangerous in the sense that it clouds people’s judgments and makes them forget what truly matters.  

“These projects are very clearly centering mostly White women or mostly women who already come from a lot of privilege. It felt like buzzwords for people to eat up, so they felt good about supporting a women-led project.”

Adrienne Young, Social Media Strategist

NFT Bubble Bursting

Similar to the dot-com boom,  as the market continues to cool, many worry that history may repeats itself with a similar bubble burst that happened in the 90s. In March 2021, an NFT of Jack Dorsey’s first tweet was purchased by an Iranian crypto entrepreneur for $2.9 million. However, as of 14 April 2022, the largest bid for the tweet was $6,823.54. Additionally, the volume traded has shown significant drop. Based on Market Tracker, in August 2021, more than 200,000 NFT sales took place daily, which amounted to about $400 million. However, as in April 2022, the number of sales per day only ranges from 10,000 to 30,000, and the total number does not surpass ¼ of its past amount. Many have argued that the bubble burst for NFT might have already arrived. On top of decline in trading volume, the value of NFTs has also decreased tremendously. As one of the most popular NFT collections, a recent sale of a Bored Ape Yacht Club stood at $224,028.62, which was a loss of $67,799.54 for the buyer who had purchased it. In 2021, NFTs comprised a total market capitalization of approximately $23 billion. However, currently, the number has dropped to only $10 billion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, considering the current state of the crypto market, I believe the most one should do is to educate oneself, utilizing creditable resources to gain knowledge on the subject. One shouldn’t feel fearful or pressured by the market just because of their gender. If the investment seems right and one happens to have the resources to back their risks, maybe it is a good opportunity to jump in. And if it doesn’t, maybe that is okay too. Despite all, critical thinking and making your own decisions seem like the essential practices of being a feminist.

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Mainwaring, Simon. “How Remarkable Women NFTs Are Forging Innovative Avenues of Impact.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, March 10, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmainwaring/2022/03/09/how-remarkable-women-nfts-are-forging-innovative-avenues-of-impact/?sh=17946eca1337.

Morris, Chris. “The NFT Bubble Is Showing Clear Signs of Bursting.” Fortune. Fortune, March 4, 2022. https://fortune.com/2022/03/04/nft-bubble-market-crash-price-value/.

Mulko, Maia. “What are NFTs and How do they Work?” Interesting Engineering. Interesting Engineering, March 1, 2022. https://interestingengineering.com/nft-non-fungible-token#:~:text=%E2%80%9CNFT%E2%80%9D%20is%20an%20acronym%20that,attributes%20that%20give%20them%20worth.

Shaw, Anny. “‘Men Still Own the World, and It’s Not Cute’: NFT Projects and Daos Lead the Way during Women’s History Month.” The Art Newspaper – International art news and events. The Art Newspaper – International art news and events, March 8, 2022. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/03/08/men-still-own-the-world-and-its-not-cute-nft-projects-and-daos-lead-the-way-during-womens-history-month.

Tiku, Nitasha. “Famous Women Join the Crypto Hustle, but It Could Cost Their Fans.” The Washington Post. WP Company, April 19, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/04/06/women-crypto-nft/. Wolfson, Rachel. “NFTs of Empowered Women Aim to Drive Female Engagement in Crypto.” Cointelegraph. Cointelegraph, October 19, 2021. https://cointelegraph.com/news/nfts-of-empowered-women-aim-to-drive-female-engag

Mainwaring, S. (2022, March 10). How remarkable women nfts are forging innovative avenues of impact. Forbes. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmainwaring/2022/03/09/how-remarkable-women-nfts-are-forging-innovative-avenues-of-impact/?sh=445f59671337 

“While Men Wanted, Women Did: Empowering Female Creators with Nfts and Crypto.” Cointelegraph. Cointelegraph, April 16, 2022. https://cointelegraph.com/news/while-men-wanted-women-did-empowering-female-creators-with-nfts-and-crypto. 

“’World of Women’ Nfts Are Cracking Crypto’s Boys-Club Image.” Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, January 14, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/world-of-women-nfts-reese-witherspoon-1283724/. 

Rajpalsinh. “Pussy Riot Launched Unicorndao to Support Women and LGBTQ+ Artists.” The Crypto Times, March 9, 2022. https://www.cryptotimes.io/pussy-riot-launched-unicorndao-to-support-women-and-lgbtq-artists/.

May 1, 2022

A Non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, and videos. As NFTs dominate the digital art discourse, art and cultural organizations have been experimenting and exploring the format. NFT does bring some opportunities and complexities for art institutions, galleries, and museums that try to take advantage of the increased interest in this emerging form. 

Due to the pandemic, arts organizations’ income has been dramatically affected. Art managers need to think of ways to change exhibition formats, increase audience participation and engagement and find new revenue streams.

NFTs Create New Curatorial Format and Increase Audience Engagement

On Instagram, the #NFT hashtag has 10.27 million posts, and its popularity has led many museums to consider how to use NFTs to arouse greater visitor interest. Art museums create innovative NFT exhibitions by displaying artworks on large high-resolution screens. Seattle NFT museum (SNFTM), the world’s first NFT-themed museum, explored curatorial format and seized the opportunity to bring digital art and NFT communities together while promoting exposure, dialogues, and education. Through large screens and QR codes to access online portals, viewers can observe digital arts in a physical space and unlock the NFT art experience. 

Image 1: The NFT exhibition at the SNFTM. Source: Reuters

In addition, some art galleries integrate NFT and VR/AR to create a Metaverse. Specifically, Weibo Digital Art Gallery created a virtual landing space in 2022, including a three-dimensional street view display. It sets the angle, direction, and borderline that the participants can watch. The participants can scan the objects in reality and put them into virtual exhibitions. Therefore, everyone has the opportunity to create an exhibition area and display various NFT collections. In this way, NFT promotes the virtual form of an exhibition and creates new ways for the audience to interact. 

Image 2: The NFT exhibition combined VR technology. Source: CoinYuppie

Moreover, art museums enhance the audience’s participation by using NFTs as a certificate of ownership and a proof of identity, honoring the involvement and experiences of participants. Specifically, the National Museum Liverpool (NML) has created an online exhibition called Crypto-Connections, inviting viewers to choose museum objects based on their personal experiences and connections – their selections and interpretations build the basis of a decentralized gallery online. Also, each participant will receive a token representing an item they selected from the exhibit and their personal story within the exhibition. 

Image 3: The selected artworks from the exhibition Crypto-Connections. Source: NML

What is more, Art Basel Miami 2021 is partnering with blockchain platform Tezos to encourage visitors to try to “cast” an NFT artwork on-site. Specifically, the artist Mario Kingemann’s interactive installation offered a chance for visitors to cast their own NFTs on the Tezos platform by taking selfies in front of this installation. Art organizations try to provide a more immersive experience, bringing audiences to think about AI and NFTs.

Image 4: The process of minting an NFT by taking a selfie. Source: Surface

Although NFT art auctions have shown a more balanced contribution ratio between males and females than the traditional art market, gender imbalances still exist. According to ArtTactic’s report in November 2021, the contribution rate of male artists in NFT primary and secondary markets reaches 77%, while female artists only account for 23%. Some galleries try to alleviate gender inequality — SuperchiefGallery NFT is the first gallery in New York dedicated to showcasing NFTs on the ground. The works on display are entirely by female artists, and the organization aims to celebrate the creativity of the black community and female artists in the NFT field. As we can see, the addition of NFTs brings up social issues of concern, creates interest, and initiates dialogue among different races and genders.

Art organizations believe that NFTs will be a good reason to attract audiences to the exhibition. The cases above imply that the addition of blockchain and smart contracts decentralizes the museum and encourages participants to engage in it. At the same time, NFT empowers each artist with their rights and helps them enter a new ecosystem. These artists will have the opportunity to gain more attention and benefits.

NFTs Change the Way in Fundraising

In this day and age, art organizations have started to use NFT as a financial tool for fundraising. As digital arts are incorporated into museum collections, many museums are trying to monetize museum collections by marketing digital paintings that are initially from many world-class artists. They transform and replicate masterpieces as digital twins, certify, and sell them as NFTs. In 2021, Florence’s Galleria degli Uffizi sold a painting of Michelangelo for €140,000. Subsequently, the Italian Ministry of Culture stated that they would issue specific restrictions for public museums to sell unique digital reproductions. 

Image 5: Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo. Source: Artnet

Besides, NFTs can be retailed innovatively, such as in museum collections and gift stores. In fact, MoMA’s Photography Department has been in early discussions about incorporating NFTs into their gifts. For example, you can buy an umbrella at the gift shop with a Monet painting, but you can also buy an NFT as proof of participation in the exhibition. Also, museums may consider accepting cryptocurrencies as admission fees, donations, or endowment funds. 

In addition, some organizations use NFTs as a fundraising method to solve social problems effectively. For instance, the cryptocurrency industry has eagerly supported Ukraine against Russia’s unprovoked invasion. On the one hand, many NGOs began to raise funds for Ukraine. On the other hand, the Ukrainian government officially entered the cryptocurrency industry to obtain financial support to enhance the potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ukrainian MetaHistory NFT Museum raised over $650,000 by selling NFT artworks documenting the war to restore the museums and theaters in Ukraine.

Potential Risks and Things to Consider

Are NFTs worth it? Although NFTs have been very popular in recent years, many critics still worry about whether NFTs will be a fad. From my perspective, the critics’ concerns are reasonable. NFT has the features of uncertainty and instability, and it lacks a legal system to monitor the whole market. There are risks of fraud and money laundering in the NFT market. Therefore, art organizations need to think about the risks and dangers. 

First of all, arts organizations need to think about the management of digital assets if they decide to adopt NFTs in fundraising. As NFTs became popular, the number of charitable gifts by digital tokens increased. Art museums need to consider the ways to buy and hold crypto assets. Specifically, as an unstable coin, cryptocurrency’s overall value will fluctuate according to the market, and the actual value cannot be guaranteed. If art museums decide to accept cryptocurrencies, they must undertake the risks. 

According to Bloomberg, the largest U.S. donor Fidelity’s Philanthropic Powerhouse, received $331 million of digital assets in 2021, implying that donors could avoid partial taxes on non-cash investments. Arts organizations need to rethink how to promote fundraising and explore the management of digital assets. 

Image 6: A New Philanthropic Powerhouse. Source: Fidelity Charitable

Moreover, art museums need professional knowledge of NFTs and technical support if they decide to apply this emerging form. They need to ask themselves: do we have the personnel and infrastructure to process and preserve the NFT artworks? Do we have difficulty finding trusted technology partners? Are there any copyright issues for us to consider? The opacity of unregulated cryptocurrencies has always been a big problem due to the lack of a regulatory system. Infringement, counterfeiting, plagiarism, and fraud are widespread. If there is a chain breach, chain override, or hacking on a public chain, museums will face huge asset losses. These problems are so severe that several major NFT marketplaces have recently halted their NFT transactions. 

Last but not least, art museums also need to consider if the encryption’s nature affects the organization’s overall development and if NFT’s features connect to the form and theme of the museum collection. Currently, many audiences have questioned the digitalization of masterpieces as an unethical form because it lacks the deceased artist’s consent. Also, traditionalists who appreciate on-site art would object to the display of NFTs in museums. They believe that art museums should still focus on traditional art in a physical space. Indeed, museums are often publicly funded entities, and NFTs challenge the existing values of some museums. When traditional museums tried to use virtual exhibitions to reach online audiences during the epidemic, NFT encrypted art seemed to do the opposite. Based on the differences between NFTs and traditional art forms, art managers need to consider whether the addition of NFTs aligns with their core mission and future development strategies. 

Generally, it’s an exciting fusion of technology and art. NFTs change the direction of museums and bring many potential issues. To apply the new art form, museums need to make strategic changes across various departments – curation, legal, marketing, development, etc., and each sector will face new challenges to digital artwork and NFTs. Based on all this, will NFT art bring benefits to art museums? The answer may be both Yes and No.

Bibliography

Albert Agustinoy, Pablo Ramirez. International | How NFTs will change museums and art in general. Cuatrecasas, published on October 4, 2021. https://www.cuatrecasas.com/en/latam/article/how-nfts-will-change-museums-and-art-in-general 

Anders Petterson, James Cocksey. NFT Art Market Report. ArtTactic. Published in November 2021. https://arttactic.com/product/nft-art-market-report-november-2021/ 

Ben Steverman, Sophie Alexander. Crypto Gifts Surge 1,082% at Fidelity’s Philanthropic Powerhouse. Bloomberg, published on February 15, 2022. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-15/crypto-gifts-surge-1-082-at-fidelity-s-philanthropic-powerhouse 

Christina Petridou. Seattle NFT museum opens its doors to blockchain enthusiasts. Designboom, published on January 18, 2022. https://www.designboom.com/architecture/first-nft-museum-seattle-open-01-18-2022/ 

CoinYuppie. Weibo Digital Art Museum launched a virtual art exhibition based on NFT concept blockchain yesterday. Published on January 11, 2022. https://coinyuppie.com/weibo-digital-art-museum-launched-a-virtual-art-exhibition-based-on-nft-concept-blockchain-yesterday/ 

Elizabeth Merritt. NFTs, Cryptocurrency, and Museum Practice. American Alliance of Museums, published on March 9, 2022. https://www.aam-us.org/2022/03/09/nfts-cryptocurrency-and-museum-practice/ 

Fei Lu. Why Should Museums Engage With NFTs? Christie’s Art + Tech Summit Counts The Ways. Jing Culture & Commerce, published on July 19, 2021. https://jingculturecommerce.com/christies-art-tech-summit-2021-takeaways/ 

Frances Liddel. What Makes A Museum Object NFT Valuable Beyond The Scope Of The Technology? Artnome, published on May 5, 2021. https://www.artnome.com/news/2021/5/1/what-makes-a-museum-object-nft-valuable-beyond-the-scope-of-the-technology

Helen Holmes. The Every Woman Biennial Is Launching an Exhibition at Superchief Gallery NFT. Observer. Published on June 24, 2021. https://observer.com/2021/06/superchief-nft-gallery-show-every-woman-binennial/ 

Jason Vermes. As Museums begin to embrace NFTs, they face new opportunities – and risks. CBC Radio, published on February 19, 2022. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/ottawa-protesters-dig-in-the-pressure-of-black-excellence-museums-embrace-nfts-asahi-baseball-and-more-1.6347442/as-museums-begin-to-embrace-nfts-they-face-new-opportunities-and-risks-1.6356987 

Jing Academy. NFTs and Cultural Institutions: A Guide to The Crypto Space For Museums and The Arts. Accessed on April 19, 2022. https://jingculturecommerce.com/checkout/purchase-confirmation/ 

Joel Ferree, Tomas Garcia. NFTs and the Museum Part 1: NFTs 101. LACMA Unframed, published on July 12, 2021. https://unframed.lacma.org/2021/07/12/nfts-and-museum-part-1-nfts-101 

Mandee McFerren. Will NFTs change museums? Art Essere, accessed on April 20, 2022. https://artessere.com/blog/32-will-nfts-change-museums 

Matt McKnight, Diane Craft. World’s first NFT museum in Seattle aims to ‘pull back the curtain’ on blockchain art. Reuters, published on May 2, 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/worlds-first-nft-museum-seattle-aims-pull-back-curtain-blockchain-art-2022-04-29/ 

Min Chen. Curating NFTs? For Fanny Lakoubay, It’s More Art Than Science. Jing Culture & Commerce, published on June 16, 2021. https://jingculturecommerce.com/fanny-lakoubay-nfts-digital-art-curation/ 

Nate Storey. An Exhibition at Art Basel Miami Beach Allows Visitors to Mint Their Own NFT. Surface, published on November 30, 2021. https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/tezos-art-basel-miami-nft-exhibition-opens/  

National Museums Liverpool. Crypto Connections: Exploring the Personal. Accessed on May 2, 2022. https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/collections/cryptoconnections 

Robyn Conti, John Schmidt. What is An NFT? Non-Fungible Tokens Explained. Forbes. Published on April 4, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/nft-non-fungible-token/ 

Sandro Debono. Museums and the NFT hype. The Humanist Museum, published on February 14, 2022. https://medium.com/the-neo-humanist-museum/museums-and-non-fungible-tokens-e69d1514b78 

Seattle NFT Museum. Explore the Future of Art. Accessed on May 2, 2022. https://www.seattlenftmuseum.com/ 

Scott Reyburn. Museums Are Cashing in on NFTs. The New York Times, published on March 25, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/25/arts/design/museums-nfts.html 

Sebastian Smee. Will NFTs transform the art world? Are they even art? The Washington Post, published on December 18, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2021/12/18/nft-art-faq/ 

How do NFTs work?

According to Investopedia, Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are cryptographic representations of assets with unique identification codes that distinguish them from each other, kind of like digital passports. Unlike cryptocurrencies, they cannot be traded or exchanged at equivalency. NFTs are assets on a blockchain, a distributed database shared among the nodes of a computer network. As a database, a blockchain stores information electronically in digital format. The innovation of a blockchain is that it guarantees the fidelity and security of a record of data and generates trust without the need for a trusted third party. When someone buys an NFT, for example, on the trading platform Open Sea, they engage in a smart contract on the Blockchain. Smart contracts are simply programs stored on a blockchain that run when predetermined conditions are met. They are typically used to automate an agreement’s execution so that all participants can be immediately sure of the outcome without any intermediary’s involvement or time loss. They can also automate a workflow, triggering the following action when conditions are met. According to The Economist, the inventors of NFTs Anil Dash, an entrepreneur, and Kevin McCoy, a digital artist say that the value comes from providing proof that the holder owns that specific token, even if it does not give them copyright or exclusive use of that work.

“Putting artworks on the blockchain is like listing them in an auction catalogue. It adds a measure of certainty about the work being considered.”

Anil Dash

In addition to the advantages of the blockchain transaction, NFTs are more than just a pretty digital picture, because blockchains are programmable, it’s possible to endow NFTs with features that enable them to expand their purpose over time. NFTs can function like membership cards that provide access to exclusivity, be that yacht parties merchandise, and special discounts — as well as serving as digital keys to online spaces where holders can engage with each other. Moreover, because the blockchain is public, it’s even possible to send additional products directly to anyone who owns a given token.

Fundraising through NFTs

A. Organizations can make NFTs

For organizations taking their first steps in minting an NFT here are some guidelines from CoinDesk.

1. Decide the concept – What is the purpose of the NFT? What do you want it to represent?

2. Decide the platform – Do you want to use Open Sea, Rarible, Objkt or something else?

3. Connect and build community – It is important to market your NFT to create a community around the concept, e.g. join a Discord channel or market on Twitter.

4. Create your art – Should the organization out-source new artists? Do they have access to artists who are familiar with the platform?

5. Mint and share – Polygon is a platform that has no fees, after you have minted your NFT (essentially like uploading a document) you and everyone will be able to see it on your profile since the blockchain is open-source.

6. Sell your NFT – On the platform OpeanSea the cryptocurrency used is Ethereum (ETH), you will have to decide on a price and list it for it to be ready to auction.

Organizations might also consider minting NFTs as gifts for donors. While their current value might be zero, studies have shown that reciprocity matters to cultivate the donor -benefice relationship.  

B. Organizations can accept cryptocurrency profits of NFTs from others

According to TechSoup there are a few ways organizations can access funds from a digital donation but must keep in mind best accounting practices, and how NFTs are taxed.

1. Intermediary 501(c)(3) – This is the best way to simplify the legal, accounting, and administrative implications of accepting the asset. By accepting the donation through another 501(c)(3), the organization does not need to take custody of the cryptocurrency.

2. Specialized Nonprofit Crypto Processors – Payment processors such as The Giving Block and Engiven help nonprofits accept donations to their own digital wallets, allowing them to hold onto crypto as an investment if they wish. In this case, the organization takes custody of the cryptocurrency and must comply with the appropriate IRS regulations and accounting best practices.

3. Checkout Through Crypto Exchange – Exchanges like BitPay and Coinbase offer embeddable checkout experiences with automatic conversion to cash for minimal fees. Since these platforms are made for individual checkouts, the organization must handle donor support, and tax receipts, and collect donor information appropriately for tax purposes.

Looking forward

Before your organization jumps into cryptocurrency and NFTs, there are some things to consider. First, with its rise, several scammers, e.g., Open Sea, had to freeze assets of over $2.2 million. In addition, the computing process of maintaining the records of crypto transactions consumes an unsustainable amount of energy, which has led some organizations to reconsider if it’s appropriate to accept digital currencies. For example, Greenpeace announced it would stop taking Bitcoin donations earlier this year. Finally, the OECD published a research paper on what needs to be done to meet the future financial shift of cryptocurrency and digital assets. The consequences can be severe such as money laundering and tax avoidance. Therefore, for the future of fundraising through NFT to be sustainable, the government must come to a consensus and adapt current policies to ensure the proper taxation to keep up with the disruption of digital transactions because that format is here to stay. 

Resources

“How Are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) Taxed?” Accessed April 24, 2022. https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report/how-are-non-fungible-tokens-nfts-taxed.

“Nonfungible Tokens the New Fad for Campaign Fundraising – Roll Call.” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://rollcall.com/2022/01/04/non-fungible-tokens-the-new-fad-for-campaign-fundraising/.

“The Tokenisation of Assets and Potential Implications for Financial Markets – OECD.” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://www.oecd.org/finance/The-Tokenisation-of-Assets-and-Potential-Implications-for-Financial-Markets.htm.

“What Are Smart Contracts on Blockchain? | IBM.” Accessed April 27, 2022. https://www.ibm.com/topics/smart-contracts.

AMT Lab @ CMU. “NFTs and Arts Management.” Accessed May 5, 2022. https://amt-lab.org/blog/2021/7/nfts-and-arts-management.

AMT Lab @ CMU. “NFTs Legal Considerations and Implications.” Accessed May 5, 2022. https://amt-lab.org/blog/2021/9/nft-considerations-and-implications.

AMT Lab @ CMU. “OpenSea: Diving into the World of NFTs.” Accessed May 5, 2022. https://amt-lab.org/reviews/2022/1/opensea-diving-into-the-world-of-nfts.

Classy. “NFT Fundraising Explained: What Is a Non-Fungible Token Donation?,” February 25, 2022. https://www.classy.org/blog/nft-fundraising/.

Coin Telegraph. “NFT Philanthropy Demonstrates New Ways of Giving Back.” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://cointelegraph.com/news/nft-philanthropy-demonstrates-new-ways-of-giving-back.

Fortune. “Greenpeace Stops Accepting Donations via Bitcoin.” Accessed May 7, 2022. https://fortune.com/2021/05/21/greenpeace-bitcoin-carbon-footprint/.

Investopedia. “Non-Fungible Token (NFT).” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://www.investopedia.com/non-fungible-tokens-nft-5115211.

National Council of Nonprofits. “Fundraisers Turn Their Sights to Non-Fungible Tokens,” August 17, 2021. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/thought-leadership/fundraisers-turn-their-sights-non-fungible-tokens.

Network, Janelle Levesque, Director of Digital Growth, Tapp. “How to Utilize NFTs for Fundraising.” Accessed April 19, 2022. https://blog.techsoup.org/posts/how-to-utilize-nfts-for-fundraising.

News, A. B. C. “Charities Wade into NFT Craze with Mixed Financial Results.” ABC News. Accessed April 20, 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/charities-wade-nft-craze-mixed-financial-results-81986769.

Roh, Tina. “How to Accept Cryptocurrency Donations at Your Nonprofit.” Accessed May 7, 2022. https://blog.techsoup.org/posts/how-to-accept-cryptocurrency-donations-at-your-nonprofit.

Sandner, Philipp. “Digital Assets: The Future Of Capital Markets.” Forbes. Accessed April 20, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/philippsandner/2021/08/24/digital-assets-the-future-of-capital-markets/.

The Economist. “The Market for Non-Fungible Tokens Is Evolving.” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/the-market-for-non-fungible-tokens-is-evolving/21805856.

The Giving Block. “Nonprofits & NFTs Explained: A New Vision for Charitable Fundraising.” Accessed April 20, 2022. https://thegivingblock.com/resources/nonprofits-nfts-explained-a-new-vision-for-charitable-fundraising/.

What is bit rot/data decay/link rot?

All these phenomena can be pared down to the corruption or degradation of digital information. While digital information may seem permanent or eternal, like organic material, digital information does degrade overtime which is why this phenomenon is likened to “rot” or “decay”.

Bit rot, also known as data decay, occurs in many forms. For every version of digital storage that has been invented, there is an accompanying form of bit rot/data decay. In its most basic form, all digital information is written and stored as individual data bits that are either ones or zeros. These clusters of ones and zeros create the digital information we see and interact with. Even the words and images you are currently looking at on your screen can be simplified down to ones and zeros. Over time, these bits can inexplicably “flip” – meaning the ones become zeros or the zeros become one. When this occurs, it corrupts the information.  This form of data decay can occur on hard drives which means this happens most often to the files, word documents, images, etc. you save on your desktop in any and all forms (jpg, .doc, pdfs).

In solid state hard drives, another common vehicle for digital storage, data saved in charged electrons stored in microscopic transistors. Overtime, these charged electrons will escape from the solid-state drive. As the charged electrons leak out of the solid-state hard drive, the information stored in them also escapes leading to corrupt or missing data.

Data decay also takes place in older digital storage vehicles. Floppy disks, magnetic tape storage, CDs, and DVDs are all susceptible to bit rot and data decay. The plastic and metals that comprise these digital storage devices break down over time. Exposure to light, heat, and moisture can speed up this process. As the plastic and metals break down, the data stored on them changes and becomes corrupt or disappears altogether.

Another common and form of data decay occurs when hardware and software no longer exist to support the storage vehicle in question. To stay relevant, tech companies are always updating hardware and software. However, this means that eventually hardware and software can quickly become “irrelevant” and unsupported. What was once the pinnacle of safe and secure data storage can quickly become an impenetrable prison for your data.

A related issue to data decay/bit rot is link rot. Link rot occurs when information indicated to exist at a specific location on the internet, for myriad reasons, does not exist. This could be due to a server failure which could corrupt or lose information at a linked location. However, a more common cause is that he information at the linked location is no longer being maintained and has become outdated.

“We may [one day] know less about the early 21st century than we do about the early 20th century,” says Rick West, who manages data at Google. “The early 20th century is still largely based on things like paper and film formats that are still accessible to a large extent; whereas, much of what we’re doing now — the things we’re putting into the cloud, our digital content — is born digital. It’s not something that we translated from an analog container into a digital container, but, in fact, it is born, and now increasingly dies, as digital content, without any kind of analog counterpart.”

How data decay is affecting non-profit arts organizations.

The arts world is especially susceptible to the risk of falling into a “Digital Dark Age”. While many arts organizations recognize the importance of digital tools, they may not have the time, money or staff with required skills and knowledge to stay on top of the latest trends in technology and specifically data storage. Scripts, production and rehearsal notes, design plans, photographs, audio and visual recordings of productions and rehearsals, copies of programs and many other digital artifacts are currently preserved by arts organizations around the world.

Organizations save these digital artifacts for many reasons. An organization may save these artifacts digitally regardless of the artifact’s origins. Some artifacts may be “born digital” defined by Yale University as “materials that are created in a digital format. This includes websites, email, digital photographs, electronic records, and more. Born-digital items are distinct from analog items that are subsequently digitized, such as paper manuscripts or photographs.” Some artifacts, like the paper manuscripts or photographs just mentioned, are digitized and stored because digital archives often take up less space than their analog counterparts. Additionally, organizations may believe the artifacts are “safer” or will be better preserved in whatever digital format they chose compared to their original analog state.

These digital artifacts are most likely stored in or on whatever digital storage vehicle was cheapest and most popular at the time of the archiving process. It is not uncommon for organizations to have things stored on floppy disks from the 80s, CDs from the 90s, DVDs from the early aughts and flash drives and other external hard drives after that. Unfortunately, each of these storage vehicles has relatively short shelf life, especially if they are being stored in sub-optimal conditions discussed above.

As seen on the chart from Storage Craft, many digital storage vehicles, like the CD and DVD which were commonly used less than 20 years ago, are long past their recommended lifespan. If arts organizations have not already updated their digital archives due to a lack of knowledge of the issue, or lack of time, money and/or expertise it may be too late.

Organizations save these artifacts to serve as a reference for remounts or future productions that may be inspired or build upon a concept or process used in a previous work. Organizations may also use digital records and artifacts to communicate their work to the outside world via advertisements, their website, grant reports, and other external facing documents.  Organizations also save these artifacts as a record of local history for their communities and as a record of human creativity. Beyond the short-term issues of organizations losing useful data for their daily operations, we risk losing important records that can help bring nuance and deeper understanding to moments in time, to our communities, our craft, and ourselves.

How arts organizations are addressing these issues.

The first step for many organizations in battling data decay is simply being aware of it. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution that can be applied to all organizations and situations. However, there are some best practices and considerations all organizations can make, although their specific circumstances may change what the end result is on a case by case basis.

First, an organization should take thorough and honest survey of all digital (and non digital) archives. This can be a daunting task, especially if it hasn’t been done in a while. Knowing what you currently have stored and on what storage devices are a key first step. The organization should also check and confirm that the data and artifacts are still accessible both by confirming they have working hardware and software to access the information, and .that none of the information is corrupt.

The next step is to update and transfer data on old or unreliable storage systems. There are third party companies who can help transfer data from older tech for a small fee if your organization no longer has the hardware or software to do so (assuming the data is not corrupt and lost). Solid-state external hard drives are currently the most common way large amounts of data is saved. The highest end solid-state hard drives can now run diagnostic tests and even correct some levels of corruption in its files when detected. While this may be the most accessible way to currently save large amounts of data, tech experts suggest you fully replace solid state hard drives every ten years.

Additionally, on-site digital archives can be backed up in the cloud. Third party servers can store large amounts of data for a small fee. However, this technology is susceptible to the same risks that an organizations on-site digital archives face. There can also be additional concerns of data privacy and security when utilizing a third-party server for cloud based digital archives.

Once a digital archiving plan has been created, it is best to record best practices for your organization so processes don’t get lost or confused when there is staff turnover. An organizations plan may utilize outside IT consultants and/or vendors to survey, update, and maintain their digital archives.

Each organizations digital archiving plan will look slightly different based on the amount and kind of data they plan on storing, how often they plan on accessing that data, and how much money and IT expertise they are able to commit to this process. Regardless of the tools and processes organizations use, it is vital that our arts institutions are properly preserving records of the art created by, for and about their communities.

References

American Scientist. “Avoiding a Digital Dark Age,” February 6, 2017. https://www.americanscientist.org/article/avoiding-a-digital-dark-age.

“Bitter Rot of Apple.” In Wikipedia, April 4, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bitter_rot_of_apple&oldid=1081011408.

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“How to Solve 404 Error.” Accessed May 2, 2022. https://help.rockcontent.com/en/how-to-solve-404-error.

MiniTool. “Complete Guide to Bit Rot [Definition, Detection, Fixes],” March 27, 2020. https://www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/bit-rot.html.

ProStorage. “Bit Rot: What It Is and How To Stop It From Destroying Your Data,” May 22, 2018. https://getprostorage.com/blog/bit-rot-stop-destroying-your-data/.

Stiemer, Friedrich. “Bit Rot: How to Avoid the Slow Death of Hard Drives and SSDs.” Tech Advisor. Accessed April 22, 2022. https://www.techadvisor.com/how-to/storage/bit-rot-slow-death-of-hard-drives-ssds-3796137/.

StorageCraft Technology, LLC. “Data Storage Lifespans: How Long Will Media Really Last? – StorageCraft,” August 28, 2013. https://blog.storagecraft.com/data-storage-lifespan/.

The World from PRX. “Scientists Warn We May Be Creating a ‘Digital Dark Age.’” Accessed May 5, 2022. https://theworld.org/stories/2018-01-01/scientists-warn-we-may-be-creating-digital-dark-age.

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Thomson, Kristin, Kristen Purcell, and Lee Rainie. “Arts Organizations and Digital Technologies.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech (blog), January 4, 2013. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/01/04/arts-organizations-and-digital-technologies/.

Król, Karol, and Dariusz Zdonek. “Peculiarity of the Bit Rot and Link Rot Phenomena.” Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication 69, no. 1/2 (January 1, 2019): 20–37. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-06-2019-0067.

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What is NFTs?

“NFTs are tokens that can signify ownership of individual items. They permit us to tokenize objects such as art, collectibles, and even property. NFTs could only have one legitimate owner at a time and are protected by the Ethereum blockchain; no one can alter the possession record or create a new NFTs. The abbreviation NFT stands for non-fungible token. The economic term non-fungible could be used for your furniture, a music file, or your computer. These goods cannot be substituted for others due to their distinct characteristics. In contrast, the exchangeability of fungible goods is determined by their value, not their distinctive qualities. ETH and dollars, for instance, are fungible because 1 ETH / $1 USD can be swapped for 1 ETH / $1 USD.”

No two NFTs are identical from a digital standpoint. Every non-fungible token is required by one owner, whose identity is public record and easy to identify. NFTs are interoperable with anything produced on the Ethereum blockchain. “A ticket issued in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT) can be exchanged for a different NFT on any Ethereum marketplace. One could exchange a work of art for a ticket. Creators of content are able to reach a worldwide market and sell their work anywhere. Creators can keep ownership rights over their own work and receive royalties from resale transactions directly. Uses for objects can be unexpected. In a decentralized loan, for instance, digital artwork can serve as collateral.”

How NFTs change the Art industry

Nowadays, NFT has evolved as a technology that can conclusively verify the authenticity of the original digital artwork. The artist can generate a non-fungible token (NFT) for his digital art, which will produce an unalterable and irreversible record on the Blockchain, certifying the art as original and one-of-a-kind. This artwork can also be monetized through NFT by the artists. Using NFT marketplaces, he can sell his NFTs straight to a buyer.

Accessibility

NFTs help makes it easier for beginners and customers to enter the market. For instance, an unnamed 12-year-old can create NFTs of pixel whales. And, he also managed to sell them online for over $400,000. On top of that, people all over the world are buying these whales. When it comes to traditional art, only a few communities have access to these paintings, which are mostly sold at auction houses. Compared to traditional markets that are difficult to access, NFT art is global and accessible to everyone.

Transaction

“NFTs have revolutionized the way transactions are done in an industry that is largely unregulated given the amount of money flowing through it. Because the blockchain network creates a permanent record of all transactions related to a particular NFT, NFTs are able to bring change to this largely unregulated space. In doing so, the blockchain creates a contract, called a “smart contract,” which is protected by cryptography. The contract contains information about the primary market for NFTs, including the creator and first purchaser, as well as information about their subsequent changes in ownership and valuation.”

Transparency

This information’s accessibility to the public enables the development of a decentralized and transparent marketplace for artists. This is in stark contrast to the traditional art market, which has prospered without transparency, with commercial galleries, dealers, and auctioneers capturing the majority of revenues. With the emergence of NFTs, artists, particularly underrepresented ones, have discovered equitable opportunities by obtaining pricing and supplying information pertinent to their artwork in exchange for certifying it on the blockchain. Collectors also benefit from the system because they can verify the authenticity of dealers and compare pricing.

NFTs Application in Art Industry

NFTs are widely used in different artistic fields, such as painting, photography, and music production. Here are some examples:

The combination of painting： “Everydays: the First 5000 Days” is a digital artwork produced by Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple, and depicting the first 5000 days of his life. The piece is a collage of 5,000 digital pictures that Winkelmann generated for his Everydays series and assembled into a single composition. In 2021, the non-fungible token (NFT) connected with it sold at Christie’s for $69.3 million, making it the second most valuable non-fungible token on the market.

The photo “Love is War” created by Aimos Vasquez is sold for $125,000 which means 40ETH.

Music NFTs sold by Grimes and Steve Aoki are worth millions. Grimes made $6 million in 20 minutes thanks to Gemini’s NFT marketplace, Nifty Gateway. With the sale of a collection of ten exclusive digital artworks, which included some that featured original music, the Canadian singer made $5.8 million. WarNymph Collection, Vol. 1 was the title. Steve Aoki, an electronic DJ and producer, released his first NFT album, Dream Catcher, a week later on the same site. For $4.25 million, it was sold Antoni Tudisco, a renowned visual artist, collaborated on Dream Catcher’s 11 distinct artworks. Unique sound effects and visually stunning animation rounded out the package. The Weeknd (whose NFT collection sold for $2 million) and Eminem (who made $1.78 million from his first collection of NFTs) were able to make seven-figure sales on the platform because of their early sales.

NFTs Royalty

As we all know, royalty is a very important thing for artists, and NFT happens to give artists a good guarantee on the issue of royalties.

A part of the sale price of your NFT creation is paid out to you as NFT royalties. Smart contracts perform NFT royalty payments on an ongoing basis. You have a lot of options when it comes to marketplaces, including the ability to customize your royalty portion. A normal royalty is between 5% and 10%. For instance, In February, when “Crossroads” by the digital artist Beeple was resold on the secondary market for $6.6 million, more than 100 times its original sale price, Beeple received a 10 percent royalty from the transaction.

Another example is how difficult it is for most musicians to earn money in the age of streaming. Artists get cents per stream and must maintain or cultivate a significant audience in order to make a living. According to data from 2019 and 2020, ninety percent of live streaming went to the top one percent of performers. Even a modestly popular musician like Daniel Allan, whose songs received millions of listens in 2020, can only make a few hundred dollars a month from streaming, which necessitates He supported himself by mixing and mastering the music of other artists. Allan has been selling digital versions of his electro-pop tunes in the form of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) for thousands of dollars apiece, because of the influence of COVID-19. In addition, Allen’s use of NFTs enables him to collect more royalties than record labels and streaming giants. NFT provides musicians with greater independence and financial support from fans, as well as greater communication with followers. NFTs are a breakthrough for artists who are being squeezed by brokerage businesses, in my opinion.

NFTs Art Market

At a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 52.1%, the global market for non-fungible tokens is anticipated to increase from $14.02 billion in 2021 to $21.33 billion in 2022. At a CAGR of 40.2%, the market is estimated to reach $82.43 billion in 2026.

According to some industry sources, sales of art and collectibles through non-transferable titles exceeded $23 billion. In the last year, the size of the NFT art market expanded by $41 billion. It can be seen that people still have great enthusiasm for the NFT art market.

The non-fungible token (NFT) market is predicted to increase by $147.24 billion between 2021 and 2026. Over the forecast period, the market is expected to develop at a strong CAGR of 35.27 percent. This increase can be attributable to an increase in demand for digital artwork. However, uncertainty in the NFT sector may stifle growth in the next years.

NFTs Future Prediction

NFTs is still a controversial topic. Some people think that NFT is just a short-lived trend. In other words, it is a manifestation of people trying to catch up with the trend. Some argue that the energy use and carbon emissions associated with their use offset any potential benefits they might gain. However, many others believe they bring value and innovation to many different industries, from the obvious (like gaming and anything involving the metaverse) to less obvious use cases (like real estate, healthcare, and insurance. Although NFT is now widely used in the field of art, it is expected that we can see some new applications in the future, such as in restaurants. An entrepreneur is constructing a restaurant where NFT ownership is necessary prior to dining. The NFT will grant consumers access to the restaurant in 2022, which will have a cocktail bar and a private dining experience. Vaynerchuk is hardly the only restaurant that is experimenting with digital cuisine. Red Rooster in Harlem, which is owned by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, is also exploring the space. He produced an NFT that can be redeemed for a private supper for four, along with a piece of art that ingeniously depicts the chef’s fried chicken. Like many chefs, Samuelsson hopes that the culinary arts will not be left behind in the world’s digital transformation.

In the end, let us look forward to the future development of NFTs jointly.

Bibliography

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AlexWGomezz. “NFT Royalties: What Are They and How Do They Work?” Cyber Scrilla. Cyber Scrilla, December 2, 2021. https://cyberscrilla.com/nft-royalties-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work/.

Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Accessed May 6, 2022. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-06/nft-market-surpassed-40-billion-in-2021-new-estimate-shows.

Chow, Andrew R. “Can Nfts Challenge the Traditional Music Industry?” Time. Time, December 2, 2021. https://time.com/6124814/music-industry-nft/.

Christies. “Beeple (b. 1981).” Christies.com. Accessed May 6, 2022. https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/first-open-beeple/beeple-b-1981-1/112924.

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Herrera, Pedro. “2021 DAPP Industry Report.” DappRadar Blog RSS, April 1, 2022. https://dappradar.com/blog/2021-dapp-industry-report.

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Marr, Bernard. “The Biggest Future NFTS Trends Everyone Needs to Know About.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, March 17, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/01/31/the-biggest-future-nfts-trends-everyone-needs-to-know-about/?sh=39d1e44a3d09.

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Shenkler, Sam, Mos Neammanee, Claude J. Easy, Padma Yang, Sophie McNally, and Kulture Hub Squad. “5 Photographers Who Are Making Big Eth from Nfts.” Kulture Hub, August 17, 2021. https://kulturehub.com/photographers-big-eth-from-nfts-list/.

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Proof of Attendance

The average theater goer walks into a performance with their ticket stub freshly procured from the box office. An usher hands them a playbill as they find their seat. Both items unique to the time and place of the event, and available only to those physically in attendance at the performance, these forms of memorabilia offer audiences collectible, tangible tokens to commemorate an arts experience. However, common practice in the digital age is to take a picture of the stage from one’s seat with playbill in hand to post on social media and store in the cloud, transforming a physical token of memorabilia into a digital one. Today, we mark our in-person attendance with digital memories, finding opportunities to bridge ephemeral experiences with the longevity and security of our digital, online presence.

Proof of Attendance Protocols (POAP’s, pronounced poh-ap) seek to bridge the divide between in-person experiences and our digital presence through Non-fungible Token (NFT) badges that can only be collected by those who attend an event. Each badge is unique and records the owner’s attendance at an event on the blockchain, serving as irrefutable proof of attendance. They are collectible by design in the same way that a playbill, ticket stub, or concert t-shirt are, but without the risk of the collectible being lost or damaged. Their scarcity incentivizes attendance and collectability and provides those in attendance with evidence of their involvement in a community.

While POAPs originated in Ethereum communities, they are being increasingly used by mainstream organizations as a way to engage audiences and foster community across the digital-physical divide. At this year’s SXSW conference, Fox Entertainment’s new NFT studio Blockchain Creative Labs rewarded participants with POAPs at several venues throughout the festival, incentivizing attendees to go to each location to collect the whole set. Doodle, an NFT collective, partnered with Behr paint at their SXSW activation to distribute POAPs to participants that featured artwork and new paint swatches from the companies’ collaboration. In April, Warner Music Group, the third largest recording company in the music industry, inked a deal with the startup behind POAPs to create exclusive drops for concert goers and to connect artists directly with their fans.

Between the environmental impact of NFTs, the volatility of crypto currency, and the reproducibility of the digital image, the rise of NFTs in our zeitgeist is accompanied by necessary discourse. However, POAPs pose a unique use-case for these digital assets for event holders and goers alike. So, are POAPs another NFT gimmick, or a legitimate way to engage audiences across the digital-physical divide?

POAPs, Blockchain, and NFTs

POAPs were originally developed for ETHDenver 2019, an Ethereum conference and hackathon that served to showcase the capabilities of the Ethereum cryptocurrency and blockchain technology at large. The creator of POAPs, Gonzalo Sainz Trápaga, sought to create a standardized, accessible, secure, and free way for event organizers to distribute digital badges to attendees using the unique properties of blockchain and NFTs. He created POAP Inc. as a centralized platform for issuers and collectors to create and mint NFT badges using his open-source infrastructure.

POAPs are NFTs created and minted using a smart contract on the blockchain, managed by POAP Inc. to record specific event and ownership data (for an in-depth overview on this technology, read through this AMT Lab deep dive). In short, blockchain is a way to store information in a way that is almost impossible to alter or remove by using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). When an NFT is minted on the blockchain, ownership and transaction information is recorded using DLT. The ledger records this data in a way that is nearly immutable by using a “proof-of-stake” verification system. This means that even if a POAP is bought, sold, or transferred, proof of the original owner and the event is irrefutable through the ledger’s recording.

POAP’s smart contract mints NFT badges as standard ERC-721 tokens, the standard for all NFTs. The main characteristic for this type of token is that each one is unique and gives the holder ownership rights to the token. This standard guarantees that these NFT digital tokens are unique to the time and place of the event they were created for, and that they are unique to the owner of the POAP. Unlike most NFTs, POAPs are minted using the Gnosis Chain (formerly the xDai chain). This Ethereum-based sidechain uses a unique proof-of-stake mechanism that verifies transactions on a bridge chain. This makes transactions faster and inexpensive by avoiding high Ethereum gas prices and congestion. Minting NFTs on the Gnosis Chain is far more energy efficient than Bitcoin or Ethereum 1.0, mitigating the environmental impact of minting these NFTs. This also allows POAPs to be free for everyone to engage with, issuers and collectors alike, as the fees to mint POAPs as NFTs are so minimal that the company picks up the tab.

How do they work?

While POAPs are unique in how they utilize blockchain technology, neither the issuer nor the collector needs a crypto wallet to create and collect POAPs, although it is required to mint POAPs as NFTS and engage with the full range of benefits that POAPs can offer.

POAPs can be created and issued to event attendees using POAP Inc’s official platform for either in-person or digital events. Issuers fill out a form on POAP’s website to “create a drop”, which requires the issuer to provide event details including the time and place of the event, what the POAP will commemorate, how they will be distributed, how many will be issued, along with a file of the POAP’s design, and the issuer’s email address. Once the image is approved for distribution and clears the organization’s guidelines, the issuer receives an email with unique links for collectors to claim their digital badge.

Collectors can reserve POAPs through this unique link on POAPs platform. This link can be distributed to attendees directly through the email address they provide the organization upon event registration, by airdropping a link at the event, or using QR codes on-site. From this link, collectors only need to provide their email address to reserve their POAP and start or add to their collection. By connecting a crypto wallet to POAP Inc’s platform, collectors can mint the POAP as an NFT. Otherwise, POAPs can be collected and stored on the platform and on the app tied to the collector’s email address.

The process to issue and collect POAPs requires minimal effort by both parties, making them logistically easy to integrate into an event. Additionally, issuing and collecting POAPs requires minimal Personally Identifiable Information (PII) be shared with the company. Nothing more than an email address or Ethereum wallet is required by the company to issue or collect tokens, mitigating the risk of personal data being leaked.

Use Cases

At their core, POAPs were developed to bring communities together to celebrate a special, shared memory. Beyond collectability, POAPs can be used to engage audiences through a range of activities, live or digital, during or after an event takes place.

POAP tokens can be used to provide holders with exclusive access to community forums or events. This can range from Discord channel invitations to metaverse event access and VIP parties that connect members of a community together. POAP.vote allows issuers to create polls for POAP token holders, organized so that only those with unique links tied to an event can participate. Raffles can be held using POAP.fun where one eligible POAP gives collectors one raffle ticket entry. This can be used by event organizers to hold raffles with real-world or digital prizes to event attendees. Issuers can also connect to collectors through airdrops and can send event attendees discount codes or pre-sale merch links.

Still in Beta, POAP.art is the newest initiative by POAP that sits at “the intersection of art and tech.” This extension provides eligible POAP owners with a shared, interactive canvas where community members can participate in “paint parties”. During a select timeframe, community members can select one pixel color per second to create a collective work of art with other POAP holders. Canvases range in size, upwards of 4096×4096 pixels. After the paint party ends, the artwork is minted as an NFT for the community.

A crypto wallet is needed to participate – specifically a non-hardware connected MetaMask wallet – as well as an eligible POAP which can be obtained through a public POAP-claim process. Currently, this initiative is only hosted by POAP and is free for the public to participate in. But if this activation is anything like POAP’s other initiatives, it will soon be available for issuers to develop for their own private communities.

Conclusion

Memorabilia serves as a way to bookmark and catalog life events. While attendees at in-person events have traditional opportunities to collect memorabilia, like saving ticket stubs or taking photos of themselves at the event, memorabilia is more difficult to provide digital event-goers. With the rise of digital events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, POAPs give event coordinators an opportunity to distribute meaningful, unique memorabilia to these attendees. These collectible digital tokens serve as a means to display these bookmarks and encourage event attendance and participation. Coupled with interactive, community-oriented activities, POAPs as memorabilia deepen audience engagement and elevate experiences.

POAPs utilize blockchain and NFTs in unique ways while mitigating some of their drawbacks. However, collecting and displaying these tokens is most meaningful if the collector and their community are already interested and involved with digital communities. The attributes of POAPs are more aligned with what makes tangible collectibles so special, but they fall short when the collections are difficult to openly display and share. Given the growing ubiquity of Web3.0 and the increasingly active online presence of individuals and communities, POAPs pose a potential use case for NFTs to help foster community as event coordinators navigate this changing event landscape.

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Immersive art experiences are dominating the current cultural landscape, and rapidly evolving to accommodate audiences who are no longer as engaged with conventional presentations of fine art. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experiences like Sleep no More and Meow Wolf were considered the cutting edge of artistic presentation, and while both are still extremely popular and commercially viable, a new wave of immersive art experiences has permeated major cities across the country. 

Projection-based immersive art experiences have surged in popularity both in the United States and abroad in recent years. They draw major audiences, even while museum attendance still fighting to return to pre-pandemic numbers. These are works that forgo conventional museum settings for warehouses and other commercial spaces that can accommodate the necessary hardware and projectable surfaces required for these events. Visually dynamic, and aesthetically maximalist, these exhibitions are designed to captivate an audience that has spent the past several decades bombarded with digital stimulation. They transform 2-dimensional art into lush environments and are designed to both be enjoyed in person and to be shared over social media.

It is impossible not to examine this phenomenon without immediately encountering some fashion of immersive Van Gogh exhibit, which will act as the point of examination for much of this article. There are currently 50 immersive Van Gogh exhibitions happening in the United States, being produced by at least five different production companies. Each one is named with some amalgamation of the words Van Gogh, experience, immersive, beyond, alive, and original. Widely posted on social media, featured on an award-winning Netflix show, and prominently advertised on busses and billboards in major cities, Van Gogh’s popularity is reaching heights never imagined.

But why Van Gogh?

From a utilitarian perspective, it is simply far easier to display the works of Van Gogh, or any other great master, by projecting its likeness rather than by acquiring the actual work. While Van Gogh was a prolific artist, creating over 900 paintings during his short career, it is incredibly difficult for even the most well-regarded institutions to acquire one for display. His paintings are fragile, expensive, and costly to insure. They require special considerations for handling and display and can be targeted for theft. It takes a tremendous amount of work to get even a single Van Gogh painting on a wall, and once you do it can be a massive liability for your institution.

From an aesthetic perspective, his work is incredibly recognizable even to those with only a cursory appreciation of his style. Even someone with a passing familiarity with Van Gogh will quickly be able to identify his stylistic tendencies, and this recognition can be amplified when animated and reconfigured onto 3-dimensional objects

From a grimly practical standpoint, he is a very easy artist to work with because he is dead. 100 years after his death, all his works entered the public domain. If you wish to start your very own original immersive Van Gogh Experience, you do not have to seek permission from the artist, court his endorsement, or hold yourself to his presentational standards. You just need a space with plain white walls, a team of technicians to develop the show, and enough money to pay for the endeavor until the audience starts showing up.

But what do we lose when an artist like Van Gogh has their work transformed to be presented in this radically different medium?

When we look at a projected image, or even a high-quality printout, of Van Gogh’s work we can easily lose an appreciation of his technique. Van Gogh is known for an aggressive application of paint, often applied straight from the tube, or spread with a pallet knife in lieu of a brush, which imbued his works with remarkable textural quality. One cannot appreciate the techniques that were utilized to create these works when they are flattened and expanded onto a projectable surface. These exhibitions also deprive their audiences of time spent with individual works. When presented in a rapid fashion, audiences are not permitted to take their own time in examining the works, compare them to others that may be present, or discover intricacies within the carefully composed images.

Many of the most popular immersive works on display in the United States have no discernible connection to the artists whose work they represent. Immersive Frida Kahlo an exhibition based on the life and work of the acclaimed Mexican painter, only barely acknowledges that they are not affiliated, sponsored, or endorsed by the Frida Kahlo Corporation. Banksy, whose work has nerve been copyrighted has had several immersive shows produced without his consent. The Art of Banksy: Without Limits, a show that has been touring internationally since 2016, drew the ire of audiences when it became apparent that they had misrepresented the number of original works being displayed at the exhibition. Fever, a ticketing agency specializing in immersive shows ended up issuing refunds, albeit to a little less than 1% of their European ticket buyers, and less than 1.5% of their Asian ticket buyers. Banksy has openly stated that his work is currently being presented without his consent for numerous commercial endeavors, but there can be little recourse for artists in these positions.

It is important to note that this medium is not exclusively occupied by production companies who are taking advantage of the artwork in the public domain. Plenty of contemporary artists and collectives are embracing the medium and developing original works that are driven by artistic intention and fully embrace the possibilities of immersive spaces.

TeamLab is an international collective of artists who have presented immersive experiences all over the world. They successfully utilize the immersive medium to transcend conventional art, by creating works that move throughout physical space, interact with one another, and are designed by the artists themselves to create objective-driven experiences for their audiences. Their works have been shown throughout museums in the United States, Europe, and Asia, both in Museum and Gallery settings.

Jen Stark is a multimedia artist who has embraced immersive presentation of her work to great success. Throughout their career, they utilized materials such as paper, wood, metal, and paint to create organic, molecular cloud-like structures radiate with vivid colors and echoing patterns. She has done artistic collaborations with Apple, Google, Vans, MTV, and Smashbox. Recently, Stark has begun using digital mediums, creating a series of hypnotic NFTs and interactive digital projections. In 2021 Stark debuted Cascade: a Jen Stark Experience at The William Vale, a luxury hotel in Williamsburg Brooklyn. The exhibition featured 6,000 square feet of interactive projections, paintings, sculptures, and 3-D Mapped environments. Stark seems to stand-out among contemporary artists whose unique vision and individual works have seamlessly transitioned into the immersive space.

It will be a long while before most emerging artists are able to follow the lead of Jen Stark or teamLab. Development and implementation of these works are cost-prohibitive and usually require a major collective of artists and developers as well as the support of external production companies or corporations acting in roles traditionally held by patrons of the arts. While industry front runners are advancing the technology to streamline the process of creating an immersive experience, there is little incentive for them to make their proprietary software available to other artists or collectives. As this field advances, artists and collectives are likely to remain fiercely protective of their intellectual property.

TeamLab has even gone so far as to file a lawsuit against the Museum of Dream Space for copyright violation with the presumed intention of misleading audiences into thinking the two parties collaborated on an exhibition. The suit claimed the Museum of Dream Space showcased works with notable similarities with teamLabs previous works Boundaries (2017) and Crystal (2015).

TaeamLabs suit argues that the Museum of Dream Spaces exhibits appropriate their own copyright by utilizing 

“the use of multicolored flowers flowing across the ground, the streams of light/water cascading down the wall and onto the ground, and the interactivity of the work responding to the user’s proximity to the exhibit. Both works contain artwork flanking either side of a waterfall giving off the appearance of outer space or stars.”

While visual comparisons of the two exhibits show undeniable similarities, the wording of the suit is cause for concern. By attempting to enforce a copyright on such elemental aspects of artistic expression there is a huge risk for future suits against artists attempting to enter the field. While the suit between teamLab and the Museum of Dream Space could still be settled out of court if there is a ruling it could lay out the groundwork for targeted copyright enforcement among competing arts enterprises. A hearing for this case will be held on June 10, 2022, and if no judgment is made and the parties decline to settle, the case is slated to go to trial in August.

So while the field of immersive art experiences is crowded and fiercely competitive, the question remains how much longer can it last at its current pace. It is safe to say that projection-driven immersive art spaces are here to stay, but we will inevitably stop seeing nearly as many presentations of the deceased masters within these spaces. There is not nearly enough recognizable work in the public domain to keep up with the demand for much longer, and inevitably museums will begin to adopt this means of presentation to enhance the display of works they already have in their possession. Eventually, the hardware and software necessary for implementing these endeavors will become cheaper and more accessible, both to average consumers and arts institutions. As the initial gimmick of immersive spaces begins to lose its efficacy, audiences will place more value on innovation within the field which will create more room for artists who are eager to develop work specifically for immersive spaces. The commercially driven enterprises with little interest in the art itself will move on to the next big thing cash grab, and the remnants of their gift shops will likely end up in a landfill. 

If you think that’s cynical, maybe check the dumpster behind your local Immersive Van Gogh Experience.

Bibliography

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Cascone, Sarah. “Organizers of an Unauthorized Banksy Show Will Issue Refunds after Visitors Complain There Aren’t Enough Real Banksys in It.” Artnet News. Artnet News, September 6, 2021. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/seoul-banksy-show-complaint-fake-art-2002916.

Davis, Ben. “Two Immersive Van Gogh Experiences Offer the Post-Pandemic Escapism Visitors Crave. but They Have Nothing to Do with Van Gogh.” Artnet News. Artnet News, June 25, 2021. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/immersive-van-gogh-experiences-1983011.

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It seems that many nonprofits do understand the increasing abundance of virtual space. According to BDO, “There is a large push to increase the adoption of technology by organizations, with 64 percent of nonprofits planning to invest in new tech this year”. Entering the virtual space though AR and VR technology can afford nonprofit organizations new opportunities in fundraising.

What are Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality?

However, before understanding this technology’s importance in fundraising, it is crucial to know what AR and VR are and why individuals and companies are using them.

AR technology allows physical spaces to be transformed with a layer of “digital augmentation”. This technology works by modifying a digital space and making that respective space new or more interactive than it was previously. In many cases AR is used to gamify the physical space. AR software can be utilized on most smartphones and tablets, as well as headsets and kiosks. Due to the fact that AR is available to individuals who own a smartphone, AR is very accessible. Continually, AR technology is a smart tool for organizations or companies to use because AR indices audiences to interact longer with marketing media than they would before.

VR technology is software that allows users to enter into a completely virtual and artificial space. Most commonly, VR software is accessed through headsets, like the Meta Quest 2. The headset and VR technology combine to give the user a completely immersive, three-dimensional experience. When utilizing a VR headset, the user is taken out of the physical world and placed into a new virtual space.

Due to this ability, VR has become increasingly popular in the professional world. In recent years VR has been used to train employees in both hard and soft skills and has in many cases been a preferred training method to in-person training. According to a study done by Price Waterhouse Coopers, “Virtual learners were 3.75 times more emotionally connected to content than classroom learners”. Data that proves VR’s ability to engage its users is an advantage to companies and organizations who want to train new employees, give presentations to colleges, and bring on new investors or donors.

AR and VR can Show Problems to Potential Donors

AR and VR popularity has already grown rapidly in the past couple of years, and it seemingly is only going to get more common. Therefore, nonprofit organizations can benefit from utilizing this immersive and engaging technology to interact with potential donors.

A primary advantage of AR and VR is that nonprofit organizations can utilize this technology to create connections based on compassion between a nonprofit’s mission and potential donors. This technology enables nonprofits to take information from their logic models and create engaging experiences from them. Continually, nonprofits can leverage AR and VR to allow potential donors to experience the problem a nonprofit organization is trying to solve. Of this AR Insider states, “Rather than just telling prospective donors about your cause, you can show them in either a virtual world (VR), or in the real world with virtual aspects overlaying (AR)”. The organization Alzheimer’s Research UK communicated to potential donors the hardships individuals with Dementia face each day with the VR experience “A Walk Through Dementia”. The VR experience guides users through a grocery store, a home environment, and driving a car. Each stage of the experience presents common Dementia symptoms that hinder Dementia patients from being functioning in these scenarios. This project created by Alzheimer’s Research UK empowered individuals to understand Dementia in a way they were not able to before. Because of this, potential donors are able to understand the issue that their support is going towards.

An art installation in 2017 used AR to encourage individuals to support and protect our oceans. White Noise was an AR installation that used data to show audiences the amount of trash that ends up in the ocean. In this case the AR technology enhances a white, 3D printed piece of coral. The AR was updated using Twitter to show audiences the impact they were having on the ocean. Swimming fish and bright coral are shown alongside trash. This installation, like “A Walk Through Dementia”, used this technology to show potential donors an issue that would have been hard to visualize through pictures and reports alone. AR and VR was employed in both of these projects to create an emotional and relevant connection to problems that donors can help mitigate.

Fundraising Events in VR Put Nonprofits on a Global Stage

Nonprofits can also utilize VR technology to hold fundraising events in a virtual space. In 2020, the organization Orant Charities Africa created a VR fundraising event to gain funds for their “Masks for Malawi Campaign”. The event was held in the app AltSpaceVR, which is a social platform where organizations can host “[…] live, virtual events”. This virtual fundraiser was considered to be the first of its kind. Orant Charites Africa noted that guests attended from serval countries all over the world. This VR event, and the ones the organization plans to hold in the future, allow the nonprofit to interact with potential donors from multiple countries at the same event.

VR fundraisers give nonprofit organizations the opportunity to display their mission on a global stage to constituents who are located anywhere. As stated in an article published by MuseumNext, “Virtual content, online events and social media presence can make your fundraising efforts less location based and vastly increase the amount of potential fundraisers across the world”. This inclusive aspect of VR space is an advantage to organizations who are trying to reach donors that are not situated in a close geographical location. Potential donors no longer need to travel to have an interactive experience with a nonprofit organization. Instead, these donors can attend events from wherever they are and still have an immersive and engaging experience. For nonprofits who are situated in smaller areas that may be harder for donors to travel to, VR events can be a creative solution for increased reach.

AR and VR are Cost Effective Innovations for Nonprofits

AR and VR technology can also be a practical investment for nonprofits to support their fundraising initiatives. Besides this technology’s engagement advantages, AR and VR can have the ability to save organizations money in the long-term. According to BDO, “The use of technologies, including management platforms, data analytics software, automation, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, virtual reality and others can save an organization money and resources in the long run”. For some nonprofits it may be beneficial to look into their current operations and reevaluate what can be done in a virtual space. Many costs associated with this technology, such as hardware, only need to be purchased once which can be very cost effective. Therefore, if a nonprofit needs to create prototypes to show their potential donors new projects, it may be more affordable to do this virtually on AR or VR.

Virtual Fundraising Leads to Results

While investing in AR and VR technology is a large up-front cost, cases have proven that this technology is successful in getting fundraising results. The nonprofit Pencils of Promise, which seeks to make education more accessible, utilized VR to hold a fundraising event in 2015. The organization created a VR experience that could show potential donors schools before and after the work of Pencils of Promise. By fabricating this immersive experience, potential donors were able to see what their monetary support would be used for in a visual and concrete way. The event hosted by Pencils of Promised was a success, both monetarily and for the continued use of VR technology for fundraising. Of the funds raised from the initiative, “The evening’s VR installation and experience has not only helped position Pencils of Promise as an early adopter of social good storytelling […] but has also likely added to the gala’s success of raising over $1.9M from supporters during the night”. The case from Pencils of Promise demonstrates that this technology can be used to leverage a large amount of funding for nonprofit.

AR and VR Fundraising is Here to Stay

The advantages of fundraising using AR and VR have the potential to transform the fundraising space. While this technology is a large investment for organizations, for many nonprofits the benefits may outweigh the costs. AR and VR give organizations the ability to animate both problems they seek to solve and the projects these nonprofits will implement to solve them. Continually, this technology can place nonprofits on a global stage that they may have been unable to reach before. These advantages can be used to gain significant funds for organizations.

AR and VR technology will continue to become more accessible in the near future. Smartphones, which can support AR, are owned by 78.05% of the world’s population. While sales of both AR and VR hardware are continuing to grow each year. Induviduals, potential donors, are interacting in these spaces and because of this nonprofit will do so too.

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