Blockchain Hubs in the Heart of Bushwick
Yesterday, @sndbox received some great press from Bushwick Daily a magazine based here in Brooklyn. Our team spoke with reporter Jonathan Gomez about our incubator and the powerful Steem applications we use to fuel creative collaboration. The conversation covered a lot of ground as we walked through the exhibition - from the amazing Dwelling novel by @dougkarr and @opheliafu, listening in to crypto playlists by @blockmountain + @djlethalskillz, to non-profit empowerment with @phillyhistory. We emphasized cryptocurrency as a tremendous resource for creatives, not just tech-savvy miners or investors.
The 100 Bogart Gallery (where The Crypto Renaissance is being held) is right in the center of a blockchain hub. Ethereum's ConsenSys Headquarters is here, along with the Token Foundry and a number of crypto-startups. This has been a perfect setting to have an exhibition and we've been overwhelmed by the positive turnout so far.
An exhibit in Bushwick is giving local residents a look into how creative professionals can immediately begin using Cryptocurrency for their art, music, and philanthropy.
The Sndbox, which was founded by Michael Lee and Kirk Finkel, is a company designed to combine emerging blockchain applications with creative and entrepreneurial practices, hosted its first exhibition––The Crypto Renaissance––on Friday night at the 100 Bogart Street Gallery.
The show presents a series of global projects produced during The Sndbox’s four month incubator program, which displays how crypto-powered applications can be integrated into a community.
“Our hope is that people begin to see cryptocurrency as a resource that you can earn not just with a mining rig in a closet or through direct investment, but through great content and impactful ideas,” Finkel told Bushwick Daily.
Those who attended the exhibit were also introduced to Steem, a social Cryptocurrency earned through content creation, interaction and engagement on Blockchain. According to Lee, Sndbox’s Director of Operations, Steem allows members of the Blockchain to raise funds without having to spend any money or seek additional funding.
“All of the apps and projects that we’ve showcased here take those likes, hearts, and up votes we all know and treat them as a value metric for a real attention economy. Why can’t I trade in my hard-earned hearts on Instagram for value elsewhere? With cryptocurrencies like Steem, you can,” Finkel said.
One member of the Blockchain who used creative content to earn Steen is Doug Karr, a filmmaker and writer. His book ‘Dwelling’ was on display at the Exhibit. Karr was able to earn Steem from members by sharing different chapters of his book throughout the creative process, and eventually converted the Steem into Bitcoin, which he was then able to convert to dollars, giving him the ability to publish his book without spending his own money.
“I am a filmmaker, a writer and have been doing that for over 20 years, and I saw the potential of monetizing our artistic work through Steem, and I had been working on this book for ten years so when I got involved I really wanted to use the Blockchain to help make it a reality,” says Karr, who has also been able to fund a science-fiction tv show through the Steem Blockchain.
Other examples at the Cryptocurrency exhibit that depicted how creative content is able to come to life through Steem earnings were Steem Park––a full park development in Bedford Stuyvesant, completely funded by crowd-sourced Steem cryptocurrency––and Philly History––a graduate research seminar at Temple University which leveraged blockchain fundraising to crowd fund grants for The Wagner Free Institute.
Another project presented at the exhibit is Block Mountain, a collaborative and global music initiative published on the blockchain, coordinated by DJ Lethal Skillz.
Through a combination of article crowdsourcing and direct crypto-donations The Sndbox was able to raise close to $10,000 for the Cryptocurrency Renaissance exhibit itself, which elaborated how Steem Blockchain members can support one another.
The exhibit, which is the first in New York City to display work made on and through blockchain technology will be available for viewing until August 15, 2018.
The Crypto Renaissance Details
This public exhibition is a showcase of the tools and resources built for creative professionals on the Steem blockchain and specifically how @sndbox members have integrated them into their practice and daily work. The exhibition will be open to all visitors for several weeks and serve as a free and public space for New Yorkers and others to learn about the Steem blockchain, the world of crypto, and immediately begin converging their creative work with the Steem ecosystem.
- Event Website: https://cryptorenaissance.io/
- Schedule: July 20 - August 15, 2018
- Location: 100 Bogart Street | Brooklyn, 1st Floor Gallery
- Hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 12:00PM - 6:00PM
