Greetings everyone,
I am Shola, a creative director/artist with a decade of global collaboration experience. I am passionate about bridging the gap between creative art and the decentralised web. Leveraging web3 and the CELO ecosystem, I believe we can revolutionise art expression. My web3 journey started 2 years ago when I was opportune to served as a council in Blaqk Stereo DAO, and since my time there we have achieved some remarkable milestones amongst which is a Guinness World Record with @hawwal as team lead (View relevant links below 
)
guiness world record publication
https://www.gospelnaija.com/music/never-failed-shola-agent-snypa
In recent times, The market for creative art NFTs on platforms like OpenSea sees a weekly trading volume in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. This trend reflects the growing integration of blockchain technology with music and arts. The ERC20 blockchain has emerged as a frontrunner in enabling the tokenisation of creativity, offering new possibilities for artists and listeners alike. However, there is still room for expansion and we intend exploring a dedicated division in the creative art industry which is creativity through the art of “Dance”. The potential for dance artists and other forms of creative artists to find their place within the Celo ecosystem is vast, presenting limitless opportunities for financial inclusivity and community development within the Celo ecosystem.
Challenge Definition:
The absence of a dedicated creative community within the Celo ecosystem is a noticeable gap in the decentralised finance landscape. While Celo has made significant strides in promoting financial inclusion, a dedicated platform for creative artists is lacking. Such a community could enable artists to showcase and sell their work, connect with patrons, and receive fair compensation for their creative endeavours. By incorporating a place for creatives, Celo could further expand its user base, foster artistic expression, and contribute to the overall vibrancy and diversity of the ecosystem.
Market size & demographics:
→Notably, dance acts accounted for 39% of all festival bookings in 2022, up 6% from 2021 link
→In 2021, the number of participants in dance, step, and other choreographed exercise amounted to approximately 24.75 million. link
→ Africas population is estimated at over 1.4 billion people & equivalent to 16.72% of total world population. worldometer
→ average population of youths measuring at 70% of Africa’s population link
→ in recent survey, The population of creative artists in Africa is estimated to be at a ratio of 1:8 in relation to the entire youth population
→ Africa is often divided into five regions: Northern Africa (7 countries), Western Africa (15 countries), Eastern Africa (18 countries), Central Africa (9 countries), and Southern Africa (6 countries) total of 55 nations.
CXA: CELO X ART:
Our team, actively working in the Celo ecosystem, is coming together with our skills, knowledge, and network to bridge this gap through an initiative called CELO X ART (CXA).
CXA was created from these two separate words “Celo” and “Art”. CXA or Celo X Art is the establishment of an art community within the Celo community building a platform where creatives can build and grow exponentially within the Celo ecosystem.
Goal:
The CXA project aims to empower artists in the CELO ecosystem through a community-driven platform.
By leveraging CELO’s cutting-edge technologies, it will facilitate cooperative efforts, provide resources for artistic expression, tokenisation, and collaborations among community members. This initiative will also educate and encourage creatives to interact with CELO’s DApps and marketplaces, fostering creativity, inclusiveness, and positive impact on the growth of the CELO ecosystem.
Implementation:
The project will be executed in two phases, and we are seeking 215,808 CELO at the time of writing this proposal, to bring phase 1 to fruition.
DURATION:
Phase1 = July - November 2023
Phase 2 = December
Phase 1
For this first season, we will focus on music and dance, involving hosting contests that will also double as awareness concerts across various regions, starting in Africa and expanding to other regions. After these contest, a workshop training will ensue, training these creatives on CELO ecosystem opportunities, advantages of our DApps and market places.
Phase 2
we aim to leverage on all built and amassed from phase 1 to create a framework and structure which will be used to facilitate the establishment and management of the CXA DAO of which reports along side with a well detailed proposal will submitted for review. The creatives from the CXA project will be grass-root agents in their respective regions, spreading the vision and adopting more creatives into CELO ecosystem.
We aim on monitoring their progress through weekly meetings on our discord group channel sharing our progress report and collaborating on initiatives/strategies for further expansion in the CELO ecosystem. Future plans include spreading from Africa into other regions, revolutionising art expression and tokenisation through celo.
Phase 2 is primarily the establishment of the CXA DAO of which its sole purpose will be for the educating and empowerment of creative artist in the celo ecosystem.
PROCESS:
Two prominent events will be organised in Africa to host a diverse range of artists from various regions. The first event will take place in Nigeria, welcoming contestants from both West and East Africa. The second event will be held in South Africa, bringing together participants from Northern, Southern, and Central Africa.
To ensure broad artist engagement, we will adopt a grassroots approach by networking directly with music bands and dance groups. This direct connection with leaders and coordinators of these groups will provide us access to the entire collective, minimising time and cost associated with event promotion. Additionally, this engagement will serve as an opportunity to educate them about the values of the Celo ecosystem.
Our aim is to network with a diverse range of artists, including soloists, music bands, instrumentalists, and various types of dancers such as ballet dancers, contemporary dancers, hip hop dancers, and contortionists. These artists will bring their unique artistry to synergise with African music, creating captivating performances and showcasing the cultural richness of the continent.
To foster community engagement and encourage the utilisation of our decentralised applications (dApps), we will implement a strategy prior to the contest and during the mid-concert. Interested contestants will be onboarded and invited to purchase non-fungible tokens (NFTs), create artwork, and mint them as NFTs on the blockchain. certain privileges will then be made accessible to those that successfully buy Or sell any of the NFT’s inspired from the event which will include: close to stage VIP seats, backroom VIP access etc.
This approach aims to cultivate sustained usage of our dApps and foster wealth circulation within the community.
As the contest concludes, winners will be rewarded with bounties and rewards, which can only be accessed through smart contracts on the celo blockchain. This ensures transparency, security, and immutability of the rewards distribution process, further enhancing the trust and credibility of our platform.
STRATEGY & BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
PROCESS:
To ensure efficient and focused execution, online competitions will be conducted in different cities, allowing participants to showcase their talents. From these competitions, a select group of finalists will be chosen, and they will be invited to the host nations for the finals, where the ultimate winners will be determined and rewarded. Recognising the challenges associated with hosting events in numerous countries, including time constraints, high costs, and inherent risks, we have strategically chosen to concentrate our efforts in two countries that are central to all African regions. This approach involves bringing the contestants to these host nations, where the final competition will take place.
Following the conclusion of the contest, a crucial phase will commence. The visiting participants will undergo a comprehensive workshop training, designed to introduce them to the intricacies of the Celo ecosystem. This training will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to establish Celo communities in their respective nations. By empowering these individuals with a deep understanding of the Celo platform, we aim to foster the growth and development of Celo communities across Africa.
Season 1: July - November 2023
| DESCRIPTION | COST | |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion & marketing | ||
| Social media marketing | $3,000 | |
| Banners, fliers ,badges, branded t-shirts | $1,500 | |
| Website development and maintenance | $2,000 | |
| Influencer collaborations | $2,000 | |
| TOTAL | $8,500 | |
| Workshop | ||
| Trainer/speaker fees | $500 | |
| Workshop materials | $500 | |
| Audiovisual equipments | $1000 | |
| Catering | $500 | |
| Staff and support | $1000 | |
| Venue rental | $1500 | |
| TOTAL | $5,000 | |
| Contestant logistics | ||
| Accommodation for contestant | $3,000 | |
| Transportation for contestants | $5,000 | |
| TOTAL | $8,000 | |
| Venue rental & production | ||
| Venue | $5,000 | |
| Stage & lighting set up | $3,000 | |
| Sound system & equipment | $2,000 | |
| TOTAL | $10,000 | |
| Prizes and awards | $6,000 | |
| Staffing | ||
| My team & I (x3) | ($200 per month/ 3 team members) x 5months | $3000 |
| Technical crew | $1,500 | |
| Security personel | $500 | |
| Event volunteers | $500 | |
| TOTAL | $5,500 | |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Insurance & permits | $1,000 | |
| Miscellaneous contingency | $1,000 | |
| TOTAL | $2,000 | |
| GRAND TOTAL | $45,000 | |
Event budget in nigeria (october)= $45,000
Event budget in south africa (November)= $45,000
Total cost of both events = $90,000
Amount requested: $90,000 ~ 215,808 CELO
Metrics:
- Building creatives community with an estimated 15,000+ members across all social platforms (twitter, telegram)
- Training and empowering and onboarding of artists from 20+ African countries to become community creative builders on celo
- 2 Videos from workshop orientation program as training materials for future integration of artists into celo ecosystem.
We pledge to give monthly update on our progress.
Side note:
We’ve noticed The primary focus of most DAO’s has traditionally been on supporting students within universities and colleges. However, it is essential to recognise the existence of a significantly larger community comprising young and talented individuals who have dedicated years to honing their creative art skills. Many of these individuals for various reasons have consciously chosen to forego the conventional educational system, finding inspiration from accomplished figures in the global creative arts realm. Remarkably, approximately 50% of these highly accomplished individuals have never pursued a university education, while an additional 60% of those who did enrol in a university eventually discontinued their studies before completion.
It is crucial to underscore that our primary focus centers on this distinct group of individuals who have chosen alternative paths, although it is not exclusive to them. By prioritising our efforts towards supporting and empowering individuals outside the confines of traditional academia, we aim to provide them with opportunities to harness their artistic talents and unlock their full potential.
TWITTER: @CELOXART
TELEGRAM: Telegram: Contact @celoxart
Team & Mult-Sig:
Multisig wallet: mainnet:0x4fF1d1dc1b8246315961014B9F4f69B0f219004b
| Role | Name | Multisig |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing & Social | @lizzy | 0x067d90c2C62B285DdAA4432Cb4bE5b541927FBa9 |
| Event Lead | @sixtus | 0x3E07F274Cf50464AB4b968109134D0Dc2C04D7B7 |
| project lead | @sholasparks | 0x65370F66D60D94E5237C4de5515bd47e88eD3207 |
Executive summary :
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Budget:
We request 215,808 CELO equivalent to $90,000 (At the time of correcting this proposal) for the next five months (July - November 2023).
I, Shola, a creative director/artist, have spearheaded an initiative called CELO X ART (CXA) with my team. Our primary objective is to bridge the gap between creatives and the web3 space. This two-phase project aims to empower creative artists and establish a thriving community for them within the CELO ecosystem, enabling them to express their art without limitations.Phase 1 of the project involves hosting two contests in Nigeria and South Africa, where participants will compete for prizes. In addition to the contest, contestants will undergo a comprehensive workshop training that will familiarize them with the CELO ecosystem and its DApps. They will be educated on how to integrate their art into the ecosystem and engage with CELO’s marketplaces. This phase serves as the initial step in integrating creatives into the CELO ecosystem.
Phase 2 focuses on the establishment of the CXA DAO. The CXA DAO aims to empower creatives within the CELO ecosystem, fostering growth and prosperity among artists worldwide. The introduction of the CXA DAO will take place in the second season of the project, enabling creatives to actively participate in decision-making processes and contribute to the development of the community.
As part of our future plans, we envision expanding the CXA initiative beyond Africa and into other continents. By embracing creatives from diverse backgrounds, we aim to create a global network of artists within the CELO ecosystem, facilitating collaboration and mutual growth.
Through CELO X ART (CXA), we are dedicated to unlocking the full potential of creatives in the web3 space, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and thrive in a supportive community.
CELOXART@YAHOO.COM
thanks.