It’s about time we updated you on the activities of the KSM Art & Social Experiments Initiative. Although our first applications date back to early spring this year, we began a new social media campaign promoting our Open Call at the beginning of July, something that has triggered a fresh influx of applications.
It’s invigorating for us as curators to know there is plenty of energy in the world among artists, experimenters and creators for crafting the visions and ideas that will help take the Web3 vision forward.
In the eight-day period between July 7th and July 14th, we received an average of one new application every day. Since then we have received a further four proposals, taking us to 35 proposals in all since the Initiative was first formed in January.
Between them, these projects reflect a broad spectrum of decentralized creativity, both geographically and thematically. While the majority of these submissions have ultimately been rejected after careful consideration, the most recent remain under active review. But the good news is that the curators are happy to announce that two foundational projects have been accepted. Consider them proof-of-concepts, if you like: examples that show technical infrastructure can double as a canvas for cultural expression.
The first accepted project is a hyper-local governance experiment that places low-cost, off-grid hardware and scanning equipment into physical community hubs, allowing members to build and collectively govern their own local digital archives from leaflets, cuttings, books, and recordings on their own terms. The second is a sculptural initiative exploring the physical materiality of cypherpunk concepts, utilizing contrasting mediums like blown glass, wax, light, crystals, and hand-woven chainmail - constructs that reflect both the vulnerability and permanence of decentralized networks.
Once these two projects are fully onboarded, we will of course happily provide further details and showcase them on our website. They will then be used to help extend our outreach, since many mainstream foundations and institutions would appreciate tangible examples of what a successful proposal entails. And this promises to be an exciting period of growth.
Up to now, most applicants have a historic connection to the Polkadot ecosystem. We expect - and hope - that in the remaining part of the year, the majority will instead be projects from individuals or collectives who are primarily artists and experimenters with little, if any knowledge of the Polkadot ecosystem.
For the sake of transparency, we wish to place on record one fact: the Initiative has had a succession of obstacles tossed in its path through which we are determined, in any case, to proceed. We are five curators with a blend of skills that broadly cover:
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The technical requirements of funding teams in the Web3 model
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Past experience working in contemporary art institutions both in gallery and institutional/public context. Experience as curators, jury and producing art projects.
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Past experience of onboarding artists via Open Calls
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The marketing skills to promote the Initiative
We also have the enthusiasm to make the project a success. However, our progress has been slowed by the fact we have had no long-term permanent co-ordinator assigned to the three Kusama Vision bounties from either the Web3 Foundation (which ultimately supplies the funds to pay the artists) or Parity Technologies, by far the largest collective driving the growth of Polkadot.
We are assured somebody will be assigned to us in due course, but in the meantime we have concerns over legal protection and the low curatorial salary (which is based on last year’s DOT valuation). We have flagged these issues but they cannot easily be addressed in the continued absence of the co-ordinator.
There have been a few other delays and technical problems, but the outlook is better. We are reasonably confident, in fact, that from August onwards we will slowly see a semblance of normality return. Once our first projects receive their first milestone payments, we will step up our active outreach. Thus we expect that through the power of networks and the delivery of funding, a flywheel effect will promote some strong applications for future funding in September and through to the end of the year.
As ever, if you’re interested and genuinely meet the criteria, please do apply. And of course, if you know someone whose work is in tune with what we’re looking to fund, let them know about us. Thanks for reading.