By Sam Rucker
When the horrors of the Ukrainian war became apparent for the world to see, many of us asked the same question: “What can we do to help?”
Members of our latest NFT Creators Klub were no different. Their approach, though, was truly innovative.
This, in part, is owed to the diverse nature of the members involved. The well-established artists that made up this cohort ranged from sculptures, painters, musicians, and more. They also came from all corners of the globe. Brazil, Mexico, France, Germany, and the U.S. — just to name a few of the artists’ homes!
They were in the middle of TOA’s program, learning how to fuse art with Web3, when the war in Ukraine broke out. So, they put their heads together and came to the conclusion that they should combine their newfound NFT knowledge with their inherent drive to create art for good.
In the end, this creative cohort decided to produce a collection of NFTs in order to raise money for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.
And just like that, the Klub 4 Ukraine project was born.
Once they had decided what they were going to do, the hard work really began, and so did the questions… What kind of NFTs should be created? What were they specifically going to raise money for? Where was the bidding going to take place?
According to Xingcen Zhou, one of the organizers and artists of Klub 4 Ukraine, it was difficult to get this project off the ground “whilst having stress levels in check.”
The art behind the NFT
The whole NFT collection revolves around a common theme: “4 Ukraine”. The 12 NFT pieces have taken their inspiration from the Ukrainian song “Mother my Mother”.
Lukas Taido, a Klub member and project contributor, says, “I asked a friend of mine (a Ukrainian artist who is currently a refugee) if she knew any traditional songs from her home country that could help set a musical direction for our collective NFT.
“She told me about an old traditional song, something that reminded her about growing up in Kyiv. Listening to the melody, and especially reading the lyrics, I was touched; struck speechless by the parallels it had with the current Ukrainian struggle.”
Subsequently, the song has been deeply integrated into the project’s ethos. Some NFT pieces have picked out elements or themes from the song to add to their individual artworks. The song itself has been added to the artwork’s score.
Xingcen Zhou says that she wanted the viewers to be able to “practice calm abiding” with her particular piece. “By doing that, they could contribute to world peace in a small but tangible way.”
If you’re interested in finding out more about the artists’ work, visit the Klub 4 Ukraine landing page and click on their individual profiles.
The impact beyond the art
Once the NFTs were ready, the next step was deciding on the best way they could directly impact the lives of Ukrainians.
In the end, members agreed that Doctors Without Borders’ humanitarian response was well-positioned to support the most vulnerable in Ukraine.
“We wanted to find a large, international and trustworthy NGO with a trackable history in humanitarian aid”, says Xingcen Zhou. Doctors Without Borders “met all of our criteria, including being 100% oriented towards humanitarian efforts and not supporting the war in any way.”
The charity’s political neutrality means that it relies exclusively on donations — making Klub 4 Ukraine all the more urgent. Besides vital medical help, the organization is also providing medical evacuations by train, mobile clinics, health worker training, and cold weather supplies to those most affected by the war.
How can you help?
As the war unrelentingly marches on, many of us are still asking the same question… But now there are clear ways to help.
Klub 4 Ukraine has already raised money for people in Ukraine, and it is not too late for you to get involved as well.
Members are still welcoming people to their PartyBid page where you can browse the NFTs on auction, donate money, and bid on the pieces available. Their live, 24-hour auction will start May 3rd at 14:00 CET.
Donors can own a piece of art history, stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and directly impact the lives of the country’s most vulnerable. All funds that can be sent to Doctors Without Borders will be done so directly (the only funds that they are unable to collect are gas fees).
The top 5 donors will receive:
- A framed version of this collective NFT (with a unique edition number)
- Free TOA 2023 Conference ticket (worth €100s)
- Free TOA Conference Speaker Dinner Drinks invitation at TOA23
- Free 1 year Klub membership (including 1 free Klub cohort and a free NFT, worth €1k+)
- A free social media post for your startup/company on TOA’s social channels (50k+ followers)
Plus, anyone who chooses to make a bid will be automatically entered into a raffle. All donors, therefore, stand to win:
- An airdrop of one artwork, randomly chosen from the 6 available pieces
- A free TOA 2023 Conference ticket (worth €100s)
Join the Klub
The main focus of this important initiative was to help with the Ukrainian struggle. Along the way though, Klub members also dived deep into how Web3 could be harnessed for the greater good.
There was likely no better way to learn about the collaborative nature of Web3 than through this NFT project.
For many members, it was their first time minting an NFT. With the help of TOA course coordinators, Klub members didn’t let a lack of experience stand in their way. It was the perfect project to put into practice everything they had learned at Klub.
If you would like to get to grips with how to create a successful NFT project, then be sure to check out our upcoming NFT Creators Klub.
To satisfy a more general Web3 or crypto curiosity, join our Crypto Founders Klub!
