ECI Awards 國際數字創新獎中文簡稱國際艾奇獎，由中國學者聯合27個國家和地區數字經濟領域的創新專家學者共同發起，是公益性、學術性、獨立性研究教育機構IECIA國際數字經濟創新組織于2014年設立，也是全球第一個使用“創新的有效性”作為評價標準的數字創新的國際獎項，也被譽為全球最具權威性與影響力的數字經濟創新“諾貝爾獎”。 

通過表彰在商業模式、產品、服務、技術、營銷和管理類別中，以及個人和組織取得的最有創新性的成就，為創新加冕，不斷鼓勵和激勵世界各地在商業和創意產業的創新應用與發展。

  案例名稱：

Innovating foundation fundraising with web 3 technology

  所獲獎項： 產品模式創新類-模式創新類-金獎  

 參賽機構：Appreciator.io

  獲獎品牌：Van Gogh Sites Foundation

背景：

Collecting art may seem like a meaningless hobby but in reality, it can have a great impact on our lives. Art is a form of education and culture for the public that has been important both historically and culturally. The institutions that house such art like museums, galleries, monuments, and more, protect a long-lasting expression of the ideas, emotions, and philosophies of the past. Now, we are at risk of losing or forgetting such treasured pieces of human history. According to United Nations about 90% museums closed globally in 2020 with 13% at risk of never reopening forever.

Since the global pandemic, cultural institutions have lost a significant amount of revenue that supports them to preserve heritage and treasured historical artifacts including art, monuments, records, and more. While the post pandemic reopening has brought back lost revenue, some institutions have had to reluctantly auction off some of their artifacts to resolve financial problems. Furthermore, the decrease of foot traffic and lack of awareness from younger generations who consume art online was also becoming a challenge for the sustainability of these institutions. As for the stakeholders, NFTs and blockchain technology gave rise to more technical questions on a viable solution:

• How can these stakeholders of the art & cultural industry create new revenue streams with their collections without selling them?

• How can they reach younger and more tech savvy audiences without requiring deep technical knowledge?

• How can these new audiences gain access to such rare collections?

• Who will authenticate their NFTs?

• How can they show off their NFT collection?

• Can it be affordable and authentic? 

  
  

That is why Appreciator.io created a new fundraising model for the global art and cultural industry using web 3 (blockchain and NFT) technology. We set up the first demo showcase in an exclusive partnership between the Van Gogh Sites Foundation in Vincent van Gogh’s hometown in the Netherlands to create the first foundation certified NFT collection and physical collectibles to preserve Van Gogh’s heritage from his hometown and the impact it has had on his entire life.

目標： 

To preserve & connect the world's art & culture anytime, anywhere, leveraging technology.

While there are projects that exist to implement a similar model in the industry, we are the first to implement this model at this scale of sophistication with a foundation level partner. Furthermore, we cater to the offline engagement points that are connected to the digital ones, creating a more comprehensive consumer experience.

The core idea behind Appreciator.io can be explained with the Vincent van Gogh 39 NFT collection which was created without any monetary investment from the foundation. Countless NFT projects and collaborations are emerging globally however competitors lack in showcasing the works in engaging ways that follow the trend of marketing. The trend of marketing has shifted from an advertising model to an engagement-focused model meaning projects that fail to engage, fail to succeed. Most existing projects that share our fundraising model use one-for-one direct copies or fragments of an original piece of art from a reputable artist made into NFTs. While such creations are aimed at positive impact, they result in relatively low impact due to lack of interest, perceived value of appreciation, and offline engagement. This is clarified from the long-term view of each project’s development and what they are implementing to appreciate the value of their projects.

We differentiated ourselves through our collective experience and thinking with storytelling and engaging marketing for the audience. We also found that there was a demand for people wanting to be involved in preservation projects but afraid to do so because of large financial burdens. With our established ecosystem and partnerships, we created a platform where the public can engage with real-life preservation projects at smaller scales while also earning incentives and getting educated about heritage. At the same time, our community is being designed as a network of both web 3 and traditional art and cultural stakeholders where they can discuss how to transform and build up the industry so that more people can access and create using the resources of our partners in meaningful ways. This will become the Creator Economy Incubator and artist exchange program where both stakeholder will be able to access data and materials as well as transparent information from the collectors, creators, and institutional partners to create an ever-growing economy of its own. Local artist from China will be able to also interact under this market to co-create inside this ecosystem with our partners.

Core idea of the VG39 NFT Collection

The Vincent van Gogh 39 NFT collection is created in an exclusive partnership with the Van Gogh Sites Foundation and Appreciator.io. For the VG39 NFT collection project, the foundation was looking for an innovative way to engage with more digitally inclined audiences who tend to be younger and to build an infrastructure to sustain the foundation for the future generations. At the same time, they aimed to leverage the digital realm to widen their reach and awareness in the offline world. Although digital transformation was important to them, their core mission was to amplify the social and commercial value of Vincent van Gogh’s heritage and landmark origins in his hometown of Brabant, the Netherlands. For the project, it was not only important to capture the digital essence of the heritage but also to create a new way to engage each monument and its stories both online and offline.

We visited each of the 39 Van Gogh landmark monuments of origin to capture the essence of discovering a solitary leaf on its grounds. This tribute to nature, bathed in the light of a deeper understanding of Van Gogh’s inspiration, shows us how the world is so closely connected through the intricacies of its network of veins, made more precious by its short span of existence. Each NFT combines music production, 3D scanning & printing, 3D rendering, woodworking, silver molding, and video software to create a sophisticated experience that is worthy as an art of its own. This facilitates the VG39 Collection’s special mission to inspire people to appreciate art & nature and connect them with the great painter - Vincent Van Gogh in a never before seen way.

1.NFT Marketplace – our e-commerce store combines web 3 elements with web 2 to provide a simpler user experience for traditional art and cultural industry stakeholders who are unable to operate web 3 platforms. This was important as the barrier of entry for traditional stakeholders was too high, creating a gap between the traditional stakeholders and the new wave of art enthusiasts.The marketplace is not only digital but also incorporate physical collectibles that tie back to the digital assets we create.

2.Wallet– available on both iOS and Android, the wallet leverages blockchain technology to secure and display the NFT anytime, anywhere through a mobile device. Using VR/AR features, users can show off their digital assets in the cameras and also project the full video inside their mobile phone cameras. The wallet also allows for users to claim offline benefits such as ticketing and entry to related private offline events.

3.Physical Collectibles– artisan physical goods made with meticulous craftmanship can stand on their own as separate pieces of art. However,the collectibles are not only able to provide social proof that is certified by the foundation or brand we represent, it also allows for authority on social impact projects as a way to engage and entice direct participation for collectors in other preservation projects.

The effort is still ongoing and in early stages to provide all conversion value criteria.

Industry Value: Testimonials from clients and collaborators (continued below).

Social Value

Creating positive social impact & ESG

-VG39 ESG Pack, allowing corporate clients to reduce carbon emissions by planting the local Poplar trees in Van Gogh’s homeland with the purchase of 3 Premium tier.

 NFTs

-Under the Appreciator Social Impact Network holders and key stakeholders of the art and cultural industry will be able to create, manage, and participate in social impact projects and created heritage preservation projects for creators to be part of. The proceeds of each project will go to an impact fund for further supporting other projects. A percentage of the project will go to providing revenue for creators, Appreciator (to cover costs) and the foundations involved.

International Artist Exchange Program

-We consider global art exchange between the East and West a fitting way to exchange ideas and perspectives of the world. Connected through art, we will select artists to travel to partner heritage locations to work with local creators to create a digital and physical art piece together. This is not only to nurture new talent but also to create new opportunities for cultural exchange and appreciation by building mutual understanding.

Appreciator.io是一個屢獲殊榮的平臺，它將藝術世界與尖端技術相結合，以促進文化遺產保護。我們的第一次合作，是與全球知名基金會——荷蘭的梵高遺址基金會（原名梵高遺產基金會）。作為一個全球性的團體，我們匯集了藝術和文化界的主要參與者，包括藝術機構、藝術家、影響力者、品牌和藝術IP，為收藏家創造難忘的體驗。

我們是數字藝術和區塊鏈領域的夢想家，不斷突破任何可能的邊界。我們對藝術和文化的熱情體現在我們構思和創作的每一件作品中，包括數字藝術、沉浸式體驗和限量版收藏品。每件作品都是一件杰作，充滿了永恒的美感和文化意義，通過當代收藏家的視角來精心策劃。

與我們一起慶祝藝術與技術的交界，探索文化遺產保護的全新的可能性，讓自己沉浸在鑒賞者Appreciator.io的世界中，發掘一個新的收藏維度。在這里，創造力和創新技術完美地融合在一起。

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