Why should creatives take the plunge and mint NFTs?

A couple of weeks ago, we ran an article looking at how Voice is attempting to push the needle when it comes to the impact and purpose of NFTs. Flipping the perception that most of us have of the medium, Voice offers an environmentally friendly way to mint NFTs that also removes the cost and confusion associated with the process. Having recently launched its beta platform, Voice has now announced the first artists who will be part of its NFT residency. The idea is to not only prove to the creative community the benefit of minting NFTs through Voice, but to directly support creatives and their circles in turn.

The residency is curated by six established names from the fields of arts and culture, who each selected artists to “explore the vast opportunities provided by NFTs,” reads a recent Voice blog post. The first up to announce a line-up of residents is Misan Harriman, a photographer, creative director, and cultural commentator who has chosen artists in line with the residency’s theme, Raise Our Voice. It’s a title that nods to Voice’s belief that the money produced through minting NFTs can go directly into lifting up emerging creators and allowing artists to express themselves fully while being compensated for that work.

Misan is also the founder of What We Seee, a platform amplifying and disseminating uplifting and inspiring stories, so his selection of artists reflects that mission and delves even further into the theme. “When I saw the moral compass that Voice has, I was very interested in what Salah [Zalatimo] and his team are building,” says Misan. “The fact that it’s a purpose-led NFT platform is quite unique in this marketplace.”

Misan’s residents include Emonee LaRussa, a director and motion graphic artist (with two Emmys under her belt, no less), living in Sacramento. She predominately creates music visuals for artists all over the world, including Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Big Sean and more and she is the founder of Pamanama Studios LLC. Demonstrating the wide-ranging impact that NFTs can have, Emonee will be using the money she raises to facilitate the work of her newly launched non-profit, JumpStart Designers. The organisation aims to “provide digital art to under-served communities,” she tells It’s Nice That, through providing computers and access to the Adobe Creative Suite to lower-income kids. It’s a mission based on Emonee’s personal experience and observations of the current digital art landscape: “With digital art being so expensive we are seeing that so many kids are left in the dark strictly because of accessibility and we want to change that.”

The Voice NFT Residency seemed like a “fabulous opportunity” to raise funds to get JumpStart Designers up and running, she says, when asked about what drew her to the residency. Although she did have previous experience minting NFTs, she remarks how Voice has been “so amazing through this whole process”. That previous experience also serves to further Emonee’s belief that the potential benefits to creatives, if they were to enter the NFT space, are exponential. Before selling her six artworks as NFTs, she had never been able to make a profit through her digital art and had instead made “work for likes on Instagram. Now this has rocked my world and has allowed me to do more of my passion projects because they can pay my bills!” Naturally, she therefore encourages any creatives still unsure about minting NFTs to give it a go, especially with platforms like Voice easing the process and reducing their environmental impact. “I genuinely think NFT is the future of digital art,” she concludes.

Also featured in Misan’s cohort is London-based motion designer and art director Yemi Davis who will use his NFTs to “explore conversations around ableism, spirituality, political injustice, bullying, and inclusivity.” Then rounding off the line-up is Ali Sabet, an Iranian-American artist and brand strategist whose name will probably be recognisable to anyone up to speed with the NFT world.

To learn more about Misan’s residency, visit about.voice.com/nft-residency/misan.