Introducing the #888InnerArtist Initiative
The 888 Inner Circle is excited to announce the launch of the 888 Inner Artist Initiative, a comprehensive and ever-increasing set of efforts and endeavors designed to celebrate, empower and support artists.
It will be more than a single program that will expand and grow to meet the various needs of artists in a wide variety of ways. We want to join artists on their artistic journey, wherever they may be, whether they are new to Web 3.0 or have already created NFT art in the past.
Our founder 888, who is a prolific art collector, once said to his community:
“When I first started collecting, I did so to empower artists. I wanted to show them that this was truly a new world for them…888 Inner Circle was meant to be an exclusive club of like-minded individuals who could have a true community to be a part of, somewhere they could go and feel safe and feel like a true part of something special …”
The 888 Inner Artist Initiative is our community’s way of crystallizing 888’s vision for artists in the new world.
Over time, more will be shared about the various things we are planning. For now, here are the first two endeavors of the 888 Inner Artist Initiative.
The Inner Artist Channel
As 888 has said, we want to create a “true community,” one where artists can feel safe, where they can be a part of something special. To accomplish that goal, we have created a number of channels within our Discord server that will provide artists with the opportunity to commune, collaborate, showcase their art and learn from each other. We have also created a special role called, “Verified Inner Artist,” which will give verified artists special access to and privileges within these channels. Through these channels, we intend to build one of the best art communities in Web 3.0, and we will build that community artist by artist.
The first of these channels has already been launched, and artists are already being added. This channel is an “artist-gated” verified artist chat. What this means is that, for the most part, only verified artists will be able to access the chat.
You do not need to hold an 888 Inner Circle token in order to become a verified artist. In other words, access to this verified artist chat is free, though there is an application process and applicants will need to join our Discord server in order to receive the role. You also do not need any experience with NFTs. All artists are welcome to apply. That being said, if you are both an artist and a token holder, your application will receive expedited consideration.
If you are interested in becoming a “Verified Inner Artist,” please submit the following form: https://forms.gle/hbNkG5SMxXx3Fnv6A. We will consider all forms of art. Selection and invitation will be based on a variety of factors including the number of applications we receive; our ability to verify the information provided by the applicants; our ability to locate art by the applicants; the breadth and depth of the applicants’ portfolios; and any preexisting relationships with our project the applicants may have (such as for artists that we have previously partnered with).
We will also attempt to maintain a good diversity of different art styles among our group of artists. We understand that art is subjective, and non-selection should not be construed as any type of commentary on one’s talent, passion, or skill as an artist. Please keep creating, and if you are not selected at this point in time, there will be other opportunities in the future!
The Emerging Artist Fund
The second endeavor we are excited to be launching is the Emerging Artist Fund. 888 has supported many artists through the purchase of their art, and with the launch of the Emerging Artist Fund, the Inner 8 (those in our community who hold eight or more 888 Inner Circle Genesis tokens) plans to do the same. In a community vote, the Inner 8 voted to use a fund at their disposal to benefit emerging artists.
Each week, the Inner 8 will spend up to 1 ETH on art. Here is the general framework for how this will work.
- At the beginning of each week, the 888 Inner Circle Twitter will kick off a “submit your art” tweet thread. We will launch with the hashtag #888innerartist.
- Artists should reply to the tweet and post their NFT art and a link to where it can be bought. All art styles, and all formats of NFT art (1/1’s, limited editions, and PFPs) will initially be considered, though this may change on any given week. The art must be for sale by the original artist and not a piece that is being resold on secondary markets by someone other than the original artist.
- Submissions will be curated, and the curated submissions will be posted in a private Inner 8 Discord channel, where our members will select the piece we buy for that week through a community vote. Please note that artistic tastes are somewhat subjective and any vote (or lack thereof) should not be viewed as a commentary on talent or ability. Just keep creating!
- The budget each week will be 1 ETH. The piece that is purchased will then be raffled off to Inner 8 members.
- If your piece is not bought, you are welcome to resubmit that piece in subsequent weeks.
If you are an emerging artist with a piece for sale at 1 ETH or less, please consider submitting your art for this weekly event. See our project Twitter each week for details.
Update: Multi-Chain Expansion (October, 2022)
Today, as of October 28, 2022, we are pleased to announce that the Inner Artist Initiative is going multi-chain! For our weekly celebration of art, we are partnering with our friends at SparklesNFT to now consider pieces (priced at 1 ETH or less in SGB) that are sold on Sparkles, the leading NFT marketplace on the Flare network.
Sparkles, as a Champion of our White Realm, has been both a wonderful partner to us and a strong supporter of artists. They are a grassroots business, with their entire team being born out of the Flare community. They have created an effective and accessible platform to allow creators on Flare/Songbird to safely buy and sell NFTs. Their philosophy is to push boundaries, create and maintain standards, be creative, and make everything they do fun and interactive for their community, which is also, especially now, our community.
We invite the artists on Sparkles to apply to become a Verified Inner Artist. For the question, “How did you hear about 888 Inner Artist?” please feel free to enter “Sparkles” as your referral. Please also make sure that you are in our Server as a community member, so that if we verify you as a Verified Inner Artist, we can give you the role.
For those artists in our Server who would like to learn more about what Sparkles offers, you can check out their Twitter and join their Discord.
Our weekly event is a weekly celebration of art, and our partnership with Sparkles enhances that celebration by expanding opportunities for artists. We can’t wait to see all the great, new art that’s coming.
A New World
As 888 has said, Web 3.0 represents a “new world” for artists. It also represents a new world where passionate, creative and amazing artists lead the rest of us into an unprecedented, wondrous and beautiful future. We can’t wait to see all the art that will create this exciting future and meet all the artists behind that art. We welcome you all to the 888 Inner Circle community and we are here to help!
Be sure to join us next Monday August 22, 2022 at 7pm EST (4pm PST) for a Twitter Spaces Event discussing this exciting initiative!
