BlockDown Festival: Portugal, hosted by web3 Inventive Advertising and Communications Company EAK Digital, will kick off its second annual in-person Web3 and blockchain pageant in Algarve, Portugal, on July 10-12, 2023.
The pageant will carry collectively key leaders in web3 and the creator economic system, specializing in artistic industries resembling music, vogue, leisure, sports activities, gaming, and humanities.
With the big inflow of web2 manufacturers during the last 18 months, BlockDown Competition may also host audio system from main conventional manufacturers discussing their entrance and expertise into web3. Talking content material contains unique fireplace chats, panels, debates, and keynote speeches.
We caught up with Blockdown founder Erhan Korhaliller to study extra concerning the origin of the convention, this yr’s programming, and in the end how Blockdown Competition brings collectively the artistic arts throughout web3 and extra…
Disclaimer: CryptoSlate is an official media companion for BlockDown Competition.
Now in its eighth version, Blockdown Competition returns to the Algarve, Portugal July Tenth-Twelfth, after initially launching because the web3 business’s first ever stay digital occasion in April of 2020. What impressed you to launch BlockDown because the world shut down?
Our web3 PR and Advertising company, EAK Digital, was organizing the primary Istanbul Blockchain Week in 2019, we had an epic speaker lineup and the Hilton Lodge booked within the middle of Istanbul. This was the primary occasion we had organized and issues have been going nice, after which covid-19 hit and the whole lot fell aside. After all, we needed to cancel the occasion and refund all sponsors; this was devastating to me as I’d labored extraordinarily laborious on placing this collectively.
When the world shut down in March 2020, we have been all searching for issues to take our minds off of the covid-19 pandemic. I used to be sitting in my childhood bed room at this level (because of the lockdown!), questioning what we must always do. We had this nice speaker lineup however no convention, thus BlockDown was born.
BlockDown allowed me and my crew to laser concentrate on making a metaverse-inspired digital expertise that has by no means been achieved earlier than in simply 6 weeks. The joy of bringing the entire blockchain neighborhood collectively for 12 hours per day stay throughout 48 hours, taking within the largest audio system and tasks from Beijing to Los Angeles, was an exhilarating expertise.
I used to be additionally impressed by having Akon with us as a speaker for 5 BlockDown editions. Again within the first version in April 2020, there was quite a lot of media consideration about Akon showing at BlockDown because it was the primary international blockchain occasion he had participated in.
As someone who spent his college days dancing to Akon on pupil nights late into the evening, I by no means thought we’d find yourself working collectively like this. In order that was a giant thrill.
Lastly, by tying the ‘lockdown into’ our identify, we’ll always remember what impressed BlockDown and staying true to our DNA and core values of internet hosting occasions with interactivity, enjoyable, and engagement tied to the guts of the occasion.
BlockDown isn’t your typical web3 convention, because it focuses on bringing collectively the artistic arts throughout web3 with a singular mixture of world-class content material, arts, vogue, leisure, music and distinctive networking alternatives. Are you able to inform us extra about what’s in retailer with the programming this yr?
As you rightly stated, BlockDown Competition focuses on the intersection of web3 and tradition, the crossover of the artistic industries resembling music, sports activities, arts, vogue, gaming and leisure.
For music, we have now partnered with web3 music platform TokenTraxx, in making a web3 music takeover stage within the secret backyard stage of the pageant. We might be inviting 8 web3 musicians which have discovered success within the NFT house to talk and carry out on the pageant. Now we have a pleasant combine of various music genres, and It’s going to give the pageant nice power whereas giving everybody an opportunity to find new up-and-coming web3 music artists.
For Style, we have now partnered up with the Metaverse Fashion Council for our fashion-related content material. First up, on July eleventh, we may have a metaverse-inspired vogue present on the convention’s foremost stage, catwalk included! In between every vogue talking content material, there might be a vogue present for vogue lovers and curious minds alike to benefit from the newest in the way forward for vogue.
As well as, one thing we’re very enthusiastic about is the world’s first vogue AI hackathon occurring at BlockDown Competition this yr. The Metaverse Style Council has simply launched Type AI, a first-of-its-kind vogue AI that may create vogue clothes based mostly in your prompts. In an America’s acquired expertise fashion competitors, opponents will take the stage to battle it out who can take advantage of modern clothes and decide by skilled vogue judges, which might be very thrilling.
For Gaming, we have now partnered up with the Blockchain Game Alliance to assist us in bringing collectively the perfect gaming content material doable. We may have W3E with us, who may have a gaming zone and expertise internet hosting stay web3 gaming tournaments all through the pageant.
Visitor audio system will embody leaders in web3, the creator economic system and main conventional manufacturers. Are you able to share with us among the key audio system and types who’ll be in attendance?
As web3 goes extra mainstream, increasingly more web3 tasks need to companion with the world’s largest manufacturers to onboard the following era of individuals into web3. With that in thoughts, we have now some main manufacturers at BlockDown Competition this yr.
To call just a few, we have now Pär Helgosson, head of web3 and metaverse at PSG, one the world’s largest soccer golf equipment and types,
Preserving on the sports activities entrance, we have now John Wolfe, Web3 Lead at McLaren Racing. He might be internet hosting a keynote speech and becoming a member of an skilled panel of manufacturers discussing how Mclaren Racing has efficiently entered web3 and the place they see the long run trajectory of the business.
Lastly, on the model entrance, we have now Julian O’Hayon, co-founder and CEO of BLVCK Paris. This luxurious life-style vogue model has achieved superb issues in web3 and is a pioneering instance of different vogue manufacturers integrating web3 into their current enterprise fashions.
We even have the CEO of Animoca Manufacturers, Robby Yung, becoming a member of us for a fireplace chat stay on our foremost stage alongside some nice VCs like Bankless Ventures.
And the good factor is we nonetheless have a lot extra to announce. Examine again to our audio system’ web page on the BlockDown Competition to maintain up to date on the most recent speaker bulletins!
There might be a metaverse vogue present going down IRL and on-line, that includes awe-inspiring designs from prime NFT designers. Are you able to inform us extra concerning the occasion, and the way you determined to decide on which designers to collaborate with?
Sure, we’re wanting ahead to this. As talked about earlier than, that is in collaboration with the Metaverse Style Council, advising us on the perfect designers and vogue homes to companion with for the Metaverse vogue present. The style present might be cut up into 4 segments, with a fashion-related speech and panels in between every efficiency.
For these on the pageant, We may have a ten ft catwalk for the fashions to take to the stage and showcase the totally different vogue designs, and the present might be stay IRL and, after all, within the metaverse on July eleventh.
Blockdown might be internet hosting Europe’s very first Bored Ape Yacht get together! Are you able to inform us extra about this collaboration and the way you have been in a position to be a part of forces?
I met the Bored Ape guys in Dubai just lately and attended one in every of their reveals and knew immediately that we needed to carry this to BlockDown Competition. I had a gathering with them the place we have been aligned with them relating to the content material and manufacturing of the get together, and they’re excited to come back to Portugal for the primary time.
They are going to be internet hosting two events, the Bored Ape Yacht Social gathering could be very unique, naturally, as it’s on a yacht, the numbers are restricted, and people on that boat may also be handled to journeys via the world-famous Benagil Cave and be with a cease at a non-public seashore for a Bored Ape BBQ!
On July Twelfth, on the pageant’s foremost stage, DJ Ape will carry the Bored Ape expertise to the entire pageant for a 2-hour DJ set that includes distinctive tracks and merchandise. I can’t wait to see it!
Was it nonetheless doable for web3 creators to become involved with Blockdown this July? If that’s the case, how can they get in contact?
We need to maintain our doorways open to collaboration for so long as doable. Particularly, we’d love to listen to from music artists, NFT artists, Digital Style Designers, and anybody or firm that may enrich the BlockDown Competition expertise for our company. The extra artistic the concept, the higher!
For extra info, see BlockDown Festival: Portugal.
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