The C3 Collective is the first multi-chain, multi-medium art community that sustainably bridges the gap between creators and collectors to offer unprecedented utility to members
Before diving in, it is important to distinguish between the Fateful Youth and Metavoicers efforts and the Collective. The aforementioned are the current projects spearheading the creation of C3, and while they are the first collections under the C3 umbrella, they are not intended to be the last. The Collective will be accepting applications from projects or larger collections from creators looking to join them and benefit from shared efforts in the areas of community building, marketing, security, and even development.
While the development timelines of both projects and the C3 Collective intersect at calculated junctures, each have a distinct roadmap and offer unique utility to holders that extend beyond the C3 Clearances.
Currently, art collectives and creator DAOs focus on raising funds to acquire expensive work, with the goal of returning any value appreciation proportionally back to members. Examples of this model are widespread across chains and many groups have been successful in curating NFT art to offer their members exposure to an otherwise unattainable, high-end asset class.
While the lines can easily blur when distinguishing creator vs collector, and the foundational motive behind both parties is first and foremost value accumulation, the methods by which returns are generated are unmistakably different — and therefor offer a clear indication of community makeup.
From this perspective, it becomes glaringly obvious that nearly all art communities are collector-centric, and those truly serving creatives are fragmented and commonly siloed within mediums. To our knowledge, no community structure exists to facilitate distinct, yet aligned value creation for creators and collectors. Without an adequate model beyond “art is the utility”, the divide between these co-dependent groups strengthens, hindering industry wide growth at the hands of:
Stifled innovation and lack of forums supporting creative refinement based on collector feedback
Limited ability for fine art NFTs to leverage key utility mechanisms offered by the technology
Disproportionate power residing with a small number of “influencers”, limiting opportunities for new artists to achieve success
While the “gap” between creators and collectors is discussed frequently across the industry, its severity is lesser known and difficult to adequately capture.
Source: AnChain.ai Blog 7 FEB 22
A recent analysis, however, conducted by AnChain.ai, provides some of the first visual evidence available on the issue. Using the same AI forensic algorithms as their groundbreaking CISO platform for blockchain ecosystem intelligence, the team mapped the relative reach and influence of the 5,092 most connected digital asset focused accounts. The result offers a visual representation of the stark disconnect between “collectors” and “artists”, *except *at the very top end of the market — illustrated above via the interaction between CryptoPunks (blue) and NFT artists (green).
This illustration is powerful in the context of C3 because it highlights not only the value in bridging the industry’s largest divide, but also the magnitude of the problem for early market entrants in contrast to the upper market.
Both new creators and collectors in the space face nearly impassible barriers to entry as they must race to educate themselves and independently succeed in crossing the gap if they are to be successful. This is not a ecosystem maximizing growth or innovation and considerable headwinds lie ahead if new systems of engagement do not emerge.
Before detailing the internal social and economic mechanisms that differentiate C3 in an increasingly competitive market, it is important to note how we are characterizing the “solution”. The hindrances faced by the current NFT art market disappear in an ecosystem where creator/collector bonds are established early in the creative process and collective, purpose-based intentions provide the underpinning for all interactions.
A community must exist for the collectors of 1–1 art, and offer more than just access to the creator. It must bring to bear all the intrinsically valuable qualities of an exclusive club founded on shared values and aligned on objectives. In other words, NFT fine art must act as a *membership*, just as a Bored Ape unlocks full access to the BAYC community.
To accomplish this, creators and collectors across fragmented mediums in the 1–1 art community must come together under a single set of values, with a single mission. These must be at a high enough level to allow creatives artistic autonomy, yet specific enough to guide future community development and instill an underlying ethos to regulate internal community conduct.
The C3 Collective is named after the core values by which it operates: Community, Culture, and Charity — and while composed of numerous creators and collections on multiple chains,** **it serves a single mission.
Collective membership will be offered in two distinct varieties: Creator and Collector, enabling purchasers to pay only for the utility they want, while benefiting from the value created by all.
C3 will raise initial community funds through the sale of Creator and Collector Clearances sold in equal proportion on both the Ethereum and Solana networks. Dividing the passes along the line they seek to remove is an intentional and impactful characteristic designed to make each more appealing to its respective demographic, and enable unique incentive mechanisms aimed at fostering collaboration and inter-community exchange.
The means by which C3 treasury funds will be used to establish and cultivate a connected creator/collector community fall into three high level categories.
**Promise to Purchase **— Creator Clearance holders will submit artwork to the artist showcase on a bi-weekly basis. Based on community votes from all Clearance holders, C3 will pledges to purchase the work(s) from the creator, which will subsequently be giveaway via raffle to eligible* Collector Clearance holders. The work will also be publicized across all C3/Fateful Youth social accounts
Incentives for C3 Creator Purchases — On an ongoing basis (i.e. not tied to any specific cadence), Collector Clearance holders will receive a rebate proportional to cost for any purchases made from Creator Clearance holders
Collector Clearance Buy-Back — External collectors will gain access to the C3 community upon purchase of any work from Creator Clearance holders (sale must be properly reported). While these collectors will be able to engage with Collective members, they will not inherently receive the benefits associated with holding a Collector Clearance, which are detailed below. These external collectors will, however, be eligible to earn a Collector Clearance free of charge for ranking among the top most engaged community members each month. The C3 Collective will use treasury funds to buy a Clearance off the secondary market, rather than dilute value by increasing supply.
*eligibility requires minimum level of consistent community engagement that will be discussed and determined with the community once Clearance sale has completed
There is one final Clearance that introduces no additional utility, but effectively adds to the total supply count of both Creator and Collector Clearances when calculating royalty disbursement.
All Fateful Youth holders at the time the Clearance sale begins will have the opportunity to mint an exclusive All Access pass, free of charge. There will be a multi-day window in which a pass can be claimed for each Fateful Youth held, to allow Ethereum users to optimize for gas. This claim period will be well communicated and closely monitored to ensure holders are aware and able to take advantage of the one-time opportunity.
The C3 Clearances will be sold entirely by mint-list, meaning there will only be a “public” sale if individuals on the mint-list fail to purchase within the communicated time-frame.
There will be a variety of ways to make the mint-list, but most opportunities will be offered through partnership projects and Creator Ambassadors (form to apply included at the bottom).
Specifics on cost and supply can be found below.
The exact mint date is still TBD pending market dynamics and community preparedness, but is anticipated to fall in mid-to-late March. Ample warning will be provided across all social ahead of mint and claim period.
Executing on each of the three categories above has already begun, with the ongoing purchases Fateful Youth has made over the past couple months in support of up and coming artists.
The C3 roadmap will largely follow that of the projects within the Collective, and the key initiatives that will characterize activities moving forward are very much an echo of the methodology on which the Collective is built.
While more details will be released on the C3 roadmap and execution strategy, it will remain flexible and largely at the discretion of the community once sufficiently built.
First and foremost, join the C3 Discord if you haven’t already!
If you are a creator and interested in receiving a FREE MINT PASS for both a Creator and Collector Clearance in exchange for either donating work or acting as a Creator Ambassador, please fill out this form.
WE ARE HIRING!! Roles will be posted shortly in Discord and on the C3 website once launched. In the meantime, feel free to post anywhere in the Discord server if you are interested in supporting the Collective. No prior experience required!