Cross-Chain NFT Conference OxBAT

[IMPACT]

Conferences can have an immense impact within academia and beyond.

By organising such a conference, we intend to initiate a dialogue between different blockchains and their NFT spaces but also bring the topic to an academic context. We all work on a new art medium that has great potential. Learning from each other and exchanging ideas will be crucial for future growth. We want to gather a panel of experts from various fields to answer some of the most important questions around the NFT controversy.

This will be the first academic conference on NFTs and it has the potential to attract people from different blockchains, also public figures, and researchers with relevant expertise.

The conference might even serve as a first pillar of an emerging research field and therefore it is essential to have an inclusive discussion that covers the Cardano NFT space but also others.

We aim for a three-day conference, each day dedicated to one topic

1. NFTs, their artistic value, and blockchains as a new medium for art
2. implications on the 'traditional' art market; NFT spaces on different blockchains
3. the influence of NFTs and blockchain technology on the society

Blockchain technology is introducing entirely new concepts and methods to art production, art consumption and the art market. However, the public discussion is oftentimes one-dimensional and focuses on the monetary value of NFTs which damages the space.

The conference will be interdisciplinary and connect researchers and experts from different blockchains. This includes NFT artists and developers from Cardano, Ethereum, but also Tezos, Elrond, and more.

Organising academic conferences require a lot of work and their quality depends on the preparation that takes place beforehand. Therefore, the main challenge is to allocate enough time and resources to the preparation. We also rely on external funding.

[FEASIBILITY]

3 day conference: beginning of October 2022

March:

• defining goals, strategy, impact.
• align with University of Oxford
• gather people for organisation committee

April:

• finalise goals, strategy, impact
• write conference proposal
• create website
• write and send out call for papers
• gather funding opportunities
• outreach to peers from other blockchains

May:

• review submitted papers
• organise symposium (June)
• apply for external funding
• outreach to peers from other blockchains

June:

• review submitted papers
• organise symposium
• 1 day symposium

July:

• follow-up symposium
• review submitted papers
• invite keynote speakers, guests

August:

• finalise agenda
• organise logging, room booking, catering, etc.

September:

• final preparation

October:

• host conference

Conference date: beginning of October 2022

26 weeks preparation time

Oranisation committee: Eva + Mateja

1 day/week

2x

$20/hr x 8hrs/w x 26w = $4160

Total: $8320

(we apply for external funding as well)

Eva Gentner: MSt in History of Art and Visual Culture, University of Oxford

Mateja Sela: CEO Artano, former independent researcher, University of Oxford.

DPhil student in Anthropology, University of Oxford, NFT dev.

MPhil student in Anthropology, University of Oxford, NFT artists.

MSc student Oxford Internet Institute.

+ support from other researchers, profs, etc.

[AUDITABILITY]

• weekly meetings: entire organisation committee meets once a week to discuss issues and track progress
• various deadlines: there are external deadlines (e.g. other funding oportunities) we have to stick to which force us to stay on track

Successful organisation of conference which includes

• strong concept covering and reflecting the diversity of the NFT space
• speakers and guests from different blockchains and research fields
• agenda which reflects the most pressing topics
• sufficient funding opportunities

Not directly related to a previous proposal.

However, the conference is an addition to the research I am doing at the University of Oxford: https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/382738-48088