Proposal Name: Create the Digital Art Movement Collection to acquire Yuga Assets (BAYC, MAYC, BAKC, and Punks and other notable NFTs for exhibition and donation to art institutions.
Proposal Category: Ecosystem Fund Allocation
Abstract
Create the Digital Art Movement Collection’, which will curate an NFT collection consisting of Yuga assets (BAYC, MAYC, BAKC and Punks), along with other notable NFTs (art and otherwise), to accelerate the advancement of the digital art movement globally.
Author Description
I am MachiBigBrother, a DeFi OG and BAYC Maxi. I proliferated BAYC in pop culture by acquiring and gifting over 50 BAYCs to leaders of the DeFi community, members of PleasrDAO, and Asian celebrities such as Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Stanley Huang, Vanness Wu, Bolin Chen, Kai Ko, 911’s 春風, ØZI.
I worked with the the founders of BAYC and produced, fully-funded, then gifted the Apes vs. Mutants mobile game to the community. I partnered with BAYC to run the official BAYC League of Legends team in 2021. I also built the first marketplace for Yuga assets, along with the ApeUSD stablecoin, backed by ApeCoin.
Team Description
Leaders of the DeFi community, Apes, Tastemakers, builders, advisors, community supporters, and industry partners. Team will receive no compensation from this AIP.
Lumberg.eth - BAYC 4646, Punk 8503
DeFi builder, Yearn multisig signer, Abracadabra multisig signer, PleasrDAO Advisory Council, MetaCartel Ventures founding member.
Jake Lee - BAYC 7297
Operations veteran, currently at 247 Comics, ex-Uber.
Jeremy Yang - BAYC 6447
Smart contract developer with multiple NFT / DeFi projects.
Linstro.ETH - BAYC 7606
Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of an award-winning global creative and brand management agency that has partnered with the world’s leading brands. Specializing in content production, brand management, licensing, ad endorsement, and social media.
foxslightly.eth - BAYC 2807
Prior to web3, worked for 10+ years as a business/tech analyst and product manager in the Fintech space. Currently serving on the Board for ThankApe as well as an Advisor for Beyond the Swamp magazine.
BlackApple.eth - BAYC 4371
Global Art Syndicate. Black Apple (@blackappleart) • Instagram photos and videos
Existing art institution connection: Anne Shih, Chair of the Board, Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California.
Motivation
Digital art remains underrepresented in the art world. I want to change this. I want digital art to be omnipresent. By creating and curating the Digital Art Movement Collection (aka “The DAM Collection”), we can proliferate appreciation for digital art worldwide thus leading to education and adoption.
There’s no better group of people than ApeCoin DAO members to cement our place in digital art history.
Rationale
This proposal is a movement to grow the culture of digital art by way of proliferating NFTs as a critical part of, as well as the natural evolution of the digital art movement, with BAYC, MAYC, BAKC, and Punks at the forefront.
By exhibiting this collection worldwide, we will make NFTs more accessible publicly and drive conversations around the benefits of digital art. This conversation will naturally lead to benefits of digital art, enabled via permissionless blockchains as well as proof of ownership, authenticity, and provenance. Educating the public about our space is key to mass appreciation.
All funds and assets will be transparently deposited and used via the multisig that governs the Digital Art Movement Collection.
As a community, we will collectively push this collection as the quintessential NFT collection of our time.
Benefit to ApeCoin Ecosystem
This will benefit the ApeCoin ecosystem by increasing awareness of ApeCoin’s cultural influence in digital art.
Staking ApeCoin to receive governance for the Digital Art Movement Collection.
Specifications
Fellow tastemakers and I, along with the community, will decide how to execute the selection and curation of the NFTs via the Digital Art Movement (“DAM”) governance token.
Funds received will only be used for activities relating to the creation, curation and administration of the Digital Arts Movement Collection. Any proceeds generated from this collection will be added to the multisig for expenses related to the operations. This includes IP licensing, exhibition, staking and and all other proceeds.
DAM Tokens
DAM tokens will be a fair-launch project, with zero team token allocation. Initial token distribution will go to users that timelock ApeCoin for up to 5 years, decentralizing governance to the ApeCoin community. One ApeCoin locked for 5 years creates an initial balance of one timelocked APE (tlAPE), with the balance decaying linearly over time toward unlock. This means 100 ApeCoins locked for 5 years is equal to 500 ApeCoins locked for 1 year.
30% for initial distribution to ApeCoin stakers over 5 years. Distribution will be frontloaded, with distribution reducing every 6 months.
70% for the Treasury, to be determined by tokenholder vote.
Collection will contain at least 70% Yuga assets, 30% optionally for other notable NFTs.
Machi Exclusion - Machi will not have control of any keys nor will Machi be compensated in any way from this proposal. Machi is doing this because he has been a major supporter of BAYC since day 1 and a driving force in the NFT space.
Steps to Implement
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Create a Digital Art Movement Collection Safe multisig. Key holder selection can include top AIP voters, both FOR and AGAINST, and trusted members of the community.
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Send Foundation-approved quantity of ApeCoin to the newly-formed Digital Art Movement Collection Safe multisig.
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Machibigbrother and the tastemaker team will execute the selection and curation of the NFTs.
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To avoid any conflicts of interest, the Digital Art Movement Collection will be restricted from buying any NFTs owned by Machibigbrother and the tastemaker team. Nor will they acquire any NFTs recently (within 1 month) transferred or sold by Machi and the team.
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The Digital Art Movement Collection will reach out to institutions of art appreciation such as museums, schools, and galleries and begin arranging collection exhibits, and gallery showings.
Timeline
The team is ready and the project will begin as soon as the AIP is passed.
Collection Milestones:
- Initial curation of the collection
- First showing/event of the collection
- Grants of NFTs to notable art institutions, e.g.- The LACMA, The Getty Center, The Louvre, The Met
Governance Milestones:
- Creation of the Collection and multisig
- Deployment of governance token and staking process for token distribution
There is no completion date, as the project will be ongoing and self-sustaining. We intend to deploy at least 50% of our capital budget within the first year.
Overall Cost
11,000,000 ApeCoin to be provided in tranches via a mechanism to be determined together with the APE Foundation at a later date.