BlockDown Pageant: Portugal, hosted by web3 Inventive Advertising and Communications Company EAK Digital, will kick off its second annual in-person Web3 and blockchain competition in Algarve, Portugal, on July 10-12, 2023.
The competition will convey collectively key leaders in web3 and the creator economic system, specializing in inventive industries corresponding to music, vogue, leisure, sports activities, gaming, and humanities.
With the big inflow of web2 manufacturers over the past 18 months, BlockDown Pageant may even host audio system from main conventional manufacturers discussing their entrance and expertise into web3. Talking content material contains unique hearth chats, panels, debates, and keynote speeches.
We caught up with Blockdown founder Erhan Korhaliller to study extra in regards to the origin of the convention, this yr’s programming, and in the end how Blockdown Pageant brings collectively the inventive arts throughout web3 and extra…
Disclaimer: CryptoSlate is an official media accomplice for BlockDown Pageant.
Now in its eighth version, Blockdown Pageant returns to the Algarve, Portugal July Tenth-Twelfth, after initially launching because the web3 business’s first ever dwell 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 heart of Istanbul. This was the primary occasion we had organized and issues have been going nice, after which covid-19 hit and every part fell aside. In fact, 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 in search of 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 performed earlier than in simply 6 weeks. The thrill of bringing the entire blockchain group collectively for 12 hours per day dwell 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 a whole lot of media consideration about Akon showing at BlockDown because it was the primary world blockchain occasion he had participated in.
As any individual who spent his college days dancing to Akon on pupil nights late into the night time, I by no means thought we might find yourself working collectively like this. In order that was an enormous thrill.
Lastly, by tying the ‘lockdown into’ our title, we are going to 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 inventive arts throughout web3 with a novel 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 mentioned, BlockDown Pageant focuses on the intersection of web3 and tradition, the crossover of the inventive industries corresponding to music, sports activities, arts, vogue, gaming and leisure.
For music, we’ve partnered with web3 music platform TokenTraxx, in making a web3 music takeover stage within the secret backyard stage of the competition. We will probably be inviting 8 web3 musicians which have discovered success within the NFT area to talk and carry out on the competition. Now we have a pleasant combine of various music genres, and It’s going to give the competition nice power whereas giving everybody an opportunity to find new up-and-coming web3 music artists.
For Style, we’ve partnered up with the Metaverse Style Council for our fashion-related content material. First up, on July eleventh, we may have a metaverse-inspired vogue present on the convention’s essential stage, catwalk included! In between every vogue talking content material, there will probably 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 Pageant this yr. The Metaverse Style Council has simply launched Fashion AI, a first-of-its-kind vogue AI that can create vogue clothes primarily based in your prompts. In an America’s acquired expertise type competitors, rivals will take the stage to battle it out who can take advantage of trendy clothes and choose by knowledgeable vogue judges, which will probably be very thrilling.
For Gaming, we’ve partnered up with the Blockchain Sport Alliance to assist us in bringing collectively the most effective gaming content material doable. We may have W3E with us, who may have a gaming zone and expertise internet hosting dwell web3 gaming tournaments all through the competition.
Visitor audio system will embody leaders in web3, the creator economic system and main conventional manufacturers. Are you able to share with us a few of the key audio system and types who’ll be in attendance?
As web3 goes extra mainstream, increasingly web3 tasks need to accomplice with the world’s largest manufacturers to onboard the subsequent technology of individuals into web3. With that in thoughts, we’ve some main manufacturers at BlockDown Pageant this yr.
To call a couple of, we’ve Pär Helgosson, head of web3 and metaverse at PSG, one the world’s largest soccer golf equipment and types,
Retaining on the sports activities entrance, we’ve John Wolfe, Web3 Lead at McLaren Racing. He will probably be internet hosting a keynote speech and becoming a member of an knowledgeable 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’ve Julian O’Hayon, co-founder and CEO of BLVCK Paris. This luxurious way of life vogue model has performed wonderful 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 dwell on our essential stage alongside some nice VCs like Bankless Ventures.
And the nice factor is we nonetheless have a lot extra to announce. Test again to our audio system’ web page on the BlockDown Pageant to maintain up to date on the most recent speaker bulletins!
There will probably 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 in regards to 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 most effective designers and vogue homes to accomplice with for the Metaverse vogue present. The style present will probably be cut up into 4 segments, with a fashion-related speech and panels in between every efficiency.
For these on the competition, We may have a ten ft catwalk for the fashions to take to the stage and showcase the completely different vogue designs, and the present will probably be dwell IRL and, after all, within the metaverse on July eleventh.
Blockdown will probably be internet hosting Europe’s very first Bored Ape Yacht social gathering! Are you able to inform us extra about this collaboration and the way you have been in a position to be part of forces?
I met the Bored Ape guys in Dubai not too long ago and attended one in all their reveals and knew immediately that we needed to convey this to BlockDown Pageant. I had a gathering with them the place we have been aligned with them concerning the content material and manufacturing of the social gathering, 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 Get together may be very unique, naturally, as it’s on a yacht, the numbers are restricted, and people on that boat may even be handled to journeys by way of the world-famous Benagil Cave and be with a cease at a non-public seaside for a Bored Ape BBQ!
On July Twelfth, on the competition’s essential stage, DJ Ape will convey the Bored Ape expertise to the entire competition 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 get entangled with Blockdown this July? If that’s the case, how can they get in contact?
We need to hold our doorways open to collaboration for so long as doable. Specifically, we might love to listen to from music artists, NFT artists, Digital Style Designers, and anybody or firm that may enrich the BlockDown Pageant expertise for our company. The extra inventive the thought, the higher!
For extra info, see BlockDown Pageant: Portugal.