Blockchain Technologies In Community-based Arts: Implications for Fair Use and Changing Practices In Art Education

Abstract

The digital art landscape has rapidly expanded since the passing of Visual Rights Act of 1990 (Baron, 1996; CAA, 2013). With the recent advent of blockchain technologies, derived from Nakamoto’s Bitcoin currency, new possibilities have emerged for the way artistic materials can be exchanged and how communications can be conducted. This research examines emerging applications for decentralized blockchain technologies in community-based art projects and digital art startups¬. The work of three organizations, ConsenSys, Ethereum, and Monegraph, is explored. Through the use of blockchain technologies, digital artists can create a traceable and tradable record of their work, while generating a critical discourse around the reproducibility of media. In this research, I investigate the potential uses of digital art in the blockchain and its educational value in visual arts education.