Want to keep looking at art while staying environmentally conscious? Are you, as an artist, looking for support, be it in work opportunities or funding grants? Sometimes, in the creative community, we wish we had platforms where this sort of support is widely accessible. 

The two companies that we are presenting today and that have made the Longlist cut of the DIIA awards and have made it their mission to make the most out of Art & Tech in service of artists!

Legit.Art – a .ART adopter – and Talenthouse AG have both found themselves on the longlist for their spectacular innovations! Let’s meet them – Starting with Legit.Art !

Legit.Art 

Legit.Art’s Website Screenshot

This platform is especially for artists and collectors who want to explore the artworld in a relevant and environmentally conscious way! Yes – They provide us an opportunity where we could be Looking at Art, and Interacting with Art, using Technology that isn’t aiding the destruction of our planet. Legit then has a commitment to being carbon positive so it offsets two times the amount of carbon generated by each sale on the platform and even partnering with Moss Token, a global leader in environmental solutions, to offset its environmental impact in a quick, transparent, and secure way!

But now that we know they’re putting the environment first, what are they doing that’s innovative in the intersection between art and tech? 

They want to make art more transparent, accessible, and easy to navigate. 

Their main customers are art lovers, artists, and collectors. Artists are individually supported in their journey of exploring the digital realm as well as its creative potential on Legit.Art. Once every artist is selected and vetted, they get a customized support system based on their aspirations. The team at Legit oversees all technical complexities and guides artists through every step of the way, starting with the registering of an artwork, to page content and layout pricing. 

Collectors, on the other hand, are supported by Legit by virtue of the transparency and legitimacy Legit provides through their blockchain technology. 

Throughout the years, we’ve seen how Blockchain technology has revolutionized the way data is recorded, traced and stored, and Legit uses this for the security of its artworks since their inception. For Legit, blockchain is a very important tool in democratizing the art market. As Co-Founder Simone Coscarelli says:

“Within the field of disruptive innovations, blockchain technology is currently the most prominent. Although its applications are still evolving, the potential is highly promising. At Legit, we use the blockchain to secure the provenance of works of art since their first sale, helping artists maintain their legacy, protect their intellectual property and secure resale royalties. For us, blockchain is a vital tool in our mission of making the art market more transparent and equitable.”

Blockchain technology of course serves all users, whether art lovers, artists, or collectors. Legit uses Ethereum blockchain to secure works of art, and every artwork sold is cryptographically signed by the artist, thereby storing artist legacy in perpetuity as well as providing a secure resale right. 

One thing that Legit.Art is truly proud of, is the fact that their platform is user-friendly.  It’s easy to navigate, pay, resell, and publish art on the platform. The easy check-out part especially (stable cryptocurrency to facilitate conversion and overall payment experience) is a pride and one of Legit.Art’s greatest achievements. It’s a seamless experience!

Talenthouse AG 

Talenthouse AG’s Website Screenshot

Talenthouse is the ideal place for aspiring artists. This company has made its mission all about democratizing creativity and providing artists with opportunities. Through their platform, artists can submit proposals for the work they want to produce and outline the funding they need – while connecting with their peers and collaborating on other projects simultaneously. 

That is, Talenthouse empowers artists by providing them the backup they need, be it funding or networking opportunities. They are especially keen about artists who are creating work that educates, inspires change, and spreads hope and positivity around the world about the future of blockchain technology, NFTs, crypto, and the environment. 

Talenthouse is absolutely passionate about the intersection of Art & Tech. CEO Clare McKeeve elaborates:

“Art has always been used as a form of political and societal expression. By nature, Creatives and artists have always leaned towards the democratization of many aspects of life.

Technology has vastly enabled the ability to create, sell and showcase content physically and virtually on a global platform for the last decade. We can see that with the introduction of Web 3.0, this is only going to accelerate. Technological advancements have also evolved society’s mindset when it comes to art; anyone can take photos or create artwork, plus, it has increased accessibility to tools that were once reserved for professionals.

Currently, we’re seeing a shift to a more expressive type of art, one that emits a vulnerable, human energy. This is incredibly important for Creatives who want to attach a political or socially-focused message to their art, and for businesses, as the connection between brands and their audiences have become increasingly personal and community-led.

We would all be remiss if we did not recognise the profound impact technology has had on art and photography today and we should all be thrilled to see the renaissance of honest, raw artistic expression in our world today.”

Is it working? To give you an idea – just this past year, Talenthouse’s technology has supported over 4 million Creatives across 195 countries with paid-work opportunities with huge global brands. From all their projects, their most notable initiative in this field is the partnership with Arts Help. This partnership saw Talenthouse distribute $3.5million in grants to Creatives around the world who wish to produce artwork that addresses climate change. Another innovative project of theirs is the “Reckitt Project” – a project that called on creators worldwide to produce authentic images that capture the moments where humans are positively impacting the environment. This project saw more than 1,900 submissions from over 86 countries, with over 10 thousand ‘loves’ or support from their community. 

That’s amazing! But that’s not all – Talenthouse also initiated projects to help not only the environment, but communities that are struggling in dire times. Take their ElloWorks platform for example. This platform, initiated by Talenthouse, had an initiative to support Ukrainian Creatives get work and ultimately, fairly get paid for it.

Furthermore, Talenthouse acquired numerous specialized creator platforms over the past year to expand its community of creators in specificialized sectors – companies like EyeEm for those who are into photography,  Jovoto for innovation and Coolabi for interests in TV, film and books.

The fact that the Talenthouse platform is accessible and easy to use is also very rewarding. All briefs are built into their platform and users simply log into their  profiles to access the creative task – also making their business highly scalable. And not to worry – they’ve taken the necessary precautions to ensure everything is safe and protected on their platform with a high standard security infrastructure. They have modern encryptions that keep confidential data safe, and initiate security awareness campaigns. 

Great Achievements, and hence the Longlist. Maybe Shortlist? Maybe win? We’ll let our juries decide and believe us – we can’t wait. More exciting announcements to come! Stay Tuned!