There’s a certain type of Twitter post that you’ll be seeing more of in this bear market: “It's impossible to not be optimistic about the future of NFTs/DAOs/crypto while at [insert conference name here].”

This was one of our takeaways at Permissionless, and many others at last week’s Consensus Conference in Austin

Some Twiterrati have commented on the irony of the largest NFT conference coinciding with the market route.


https://twitter.com/Ape2047/status/1536163521020547072?t=b7YOISGndJhcFpqa3CoQXg&s=09

But here at Consensys, we are not focused on the market swings so much as the tools and experiences that the world needs to make Web3 accessible for the next hundred million users. MetaMask was one of the first self-custodial wallets to make it possible to connect to a site to buy or create an NFT, and throughout 2021 grew exponentially, now with 30 million MAUs connecting to marketplaces and websites to mint and collect NFTs. In fact, Infura first became battle-hardened by supporting the biggest stress-test of the Ethereum network during the first NFT craze: CryptoKitties. Now, $1 trillion in annualized on-chain ETH transaction volume is supported through Infura’s Ethereum API. 

But importantly, NFTs offer a fairer economic model for artists and creators to own their relationship with their fans in perpetuity. In 2021, Web3 platforms paid out $174,000 per creator, while Meta paid out $0.10 per user, Spotify paid out $636 per artist, and YouTube paid out $2.47 per channel. Obviously, the market of artists and creators is still small (cue, “we’re so early” cringe), but the way that NFTs have transformed the economics of online art is undeniable. 

In addition to the side events MetaMask is sponsoring (more information below), we have a number of exciting announcements at our very own Consensys Connect event on Wednesday, June 22nd. If you're a developer curious about how to mint an NFT or already use Infura's suite of developer tools, be sure to check this one out.

  • Date: June 22nd

  • Time: 9am - 6pm

  • Venue: Microsoft, 11 Times Square, New York, NY, 10036

  • Register here

MetaMask is supporting diverse artist communities

Web3 is not a monolith. Some are interested in its intersections with finance while others see its potential for cultural production. NFT NYC presents a great opportunity to break down information silos and introduce more artists and creators to Web3 where they already are in their understanding. For that reason we are sponsoring a diverse range of side events because that focus on community education while celebrating the creative potential of these artist communities. 

As the primary way 30 million MAUs access NFTs, MetaMask supports the artists and creators that animate the Web3 space — from celebrity music talent to up-and-coming digital artists. Here are the artist communities and organizations we will be sponsoring during the week.

The Digital Diaspora

  • Date: June 19th

  • Time: 3 pm - 10 pm

  • Venue: Samsung 837, 837 Washington Street, New York, NY 10014

  • Register here

The Digital Diaspora is a Juneteenth art exhibition, public installation, and fundraising auction centered around the works of the most celebrated Black artists in NFTs. Now in its second year, the Digital Diaspora aims to bring awareness to issues of racism and inequality, while highlighting the beauty of the art birthed from these ever-present struggles.

The Digital Diaspora will be showcasing artwork up for online auction from some of Web3's most prominent Black creatives. This year, the show will be hosted at Samsung's 837 space in the Meatpacking District and will be sponsored by MetaMask. Starting with daytime panels igniting conversations around the topics of diversity, culture, and the arts, culminating into a night of performances by a variety of musical artists.

20% of the profits made from the online auctions will be donated to the Black Visions Collective. Black Visions is a a Black-led, Queer and Trans centering organization whose mission is to organize powerful, connected Black communities and dismantle systems of violence. Black Visions believes in a future where all Black people have autonomy, safety is community-led, and are in the right relationship within our ecosystems.

Felt Zine 

FELT Zine is an experimental internet art platform and artist collective. Its IRL and URL experiences examine digital activism, hip hop culture, race, gender, and class. FELT Zine is hosting a pop-up event at NFT NYC in Brooklyn at Jupiter Disco, a top-notch science-fiction themed venue to connect with its current NYC-based audience and empower more people to the NFT community. Vibrant underground techno and footwork DJs will bring the party until the early hours of Wednesday. 

Mirrors Wellness Club

When we think of New York City, the international business hub of the world, we tend to immediately picture "hustle & bustle.” Mirrors Wellness Club wants to introduce itself to New York City by curating an intimate gathering for our local Web3 society pillars providing insight on how to incorporate wellness into a completely digital space and translate that into an IRL existence.

Zoratopia

Bringing the sauce to web3 and the world, Zoratopia IRL is an exposition of what the future of Web3 should be: genuinely inclusive, thoughtfully informative, vibrationally fly. Art exhibits of the coolest artists and platforms built on Zora curated by well-known artists in Web3. Panel discussions with leaders and creatives on web3. Live celebrations with DJs in the Web3 ecosystem. Live art creation. Live performances by Web3-focused musicians. 500+ attendees across 2-3 days.

WebSH3 Conference

Women’s impact runs deep within the Web3 space. WebSH3 is set to bring these powerful women together, and drive forward the narrative that inclusivity breeds creativity. WebSH3 is a side event in NFT.NYC facilitating a Web3-oriented sisterhood meet-up where everyone is welcome to connect, collectively share knowledge, present their NFT projects and to pitch for funding. The event will consist of various activities including panels & workshops, pitching competitions, and dedicated moments for mindfulness and spirituality. And of course, an afterparty at the end with DJs and a great networking environment is always a part of the agenda.

If you are a customer or partner of Infura, please reach out to your account rep for a code to get you in for free!

The moveMINT 

moveMINT
  • Date: June 20th-24th

  • Time: 3pm - 7pm ET

  • Venue: 541 W 25th St, New York, NY

  • Sign up here

The moveMINT is a 5-day program with panels, workshops, and speaker sessions ranging from 20 minutes to full day activities. Forbidden Fruit’s goal with moveMINT is to bring awareness to dance & equitable opportunities to dancers. This event prioritizes communal education, performance, & wellness with 7 live performances, a digital gallery of dance works on the blockchain, a station where folks can learn about NFTs, guided meditation & stretching, and more. It will be a catalyst for blockchain-powered dance initiatives, & the expansion of dance’s current ecosystem in Web3.

Umba Daima + Black NFT ART 

  • Date: June 20th

  • Time: 11am - 3pm

  • Venues: West 4th & 6th Ave to Bryant Park

  • Sign up here

This series of events is focused on networking, wellness through movement and fun, and highlighting diverse creators. BLACK NFT ART RISE CLUB’s Private Networking Dinner will provide exclusive networking opportunities for NFT holders and Black collectors followed by a social and art activation event that’s open to the public. UD Park Crawl by Umba Daima is a full-day tour of Manhattan that includes outdoor games, food, and a map of destinations that we’ll travel to one by one as a group.