8-Week Course DWeb for Creators Intensive

Decentralized Web (DWeb) for Creators empowers next-generation artists, archivists, gallerists, and others with the knowledge and tools necessary for exploring the decentralized web. From curation to publishing, to community building and data privacy, this new online course provides the necessary background, skills, and support to adopt decentralized technology into every creative practice. Artists and Cultural Producers are vital to shaping the future of the DWeb movement. From blockchain and data sovereignty to decolonization and everything in between, the DWeb for Creators online course helps artists, archivists, and other culture workers to apply the principles of decentralized technologies into every aspect of their practice. This live online version of the course offers eight core knowledge sessions and six optional praxis sessions, providing participants with options to customize their learning adventure. The DWeb for Creators curriculum and its interface will be presented live in this 8 week facilitated intensive. This curriculum offers theoretical frameworks, perspectives, tools, and other resources to the initial cohort of participants. After its completion, there will be a secondary release of all materials earmarked to be published open source in the summer of 2024. This distribution mode is intended to provide a foundation for the creation and preservation of many groundbreaking artworks and creative interventions that will serve as genre-defining examples for other creators as well as engage the public and institutions involved in exhibiting and preserving DWeb projects. This course is led by a team of several instructors working at multiple intersections of the decentralized web. They represent the leading-edge of global organizing and studio art practices involving DWeb technologies. DWeb for Creators is made possible by the support of Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web. Course and Scholarship Application Dates: Apply by March 4 Course Dates: March 6 – April 24, 2024 | Wednesdays, 10:30am – 1pm PT *Please Note: Week 3 “The Evolution of DWeb Art, Activism and History” is rescheduled to Wednesday, May 1, from⋅10:30am – 1:00pm* Optional Praxis Sessions: March 10 – Apr 28, 2024 | Sundays, 10:00am – 1:00pm PT *Please Note: Praxis 4 has now been moved to Saturday, April 13, from 10:00am – 1:00pm PT* Knowledge = facts, information, theoretical understanding Praxis = the blending of theory and practice Eight Weeks ONLINE: March 6 – April 28, 2024 We also offer Scholarships, find out more here. Experience Level: This course welcomes all who have basic computer proficiency, no coding or other technical knowledge required. Learning Outcomes – see the expanded list under each session for a detailed view We held an info session on 2/26, you can find the FAQs derived from it here. Decentralized / Non-linear This course will be provided live for two years and published as a non-linear learning journey, with curated pathway options. Facilitated co-learning opportunities hosted by Gray Area in these first two years will provide responsive design opportunities, further refining the possibilities of a non-linear, decentralized classroom experience. Self-modifying / Adaptive We are aiming to design for the curriculum to have adaptive and self-modifying properties, enabling it to evolve over time in response to internal and external feedback. Through a collaborative process we will apply DWeb principles, best practices, tools and methodologies to this course, ensuring the adaptability of the curriculum in all its aspects and forms. We will publish an open-source version of this course, its supporting materials and other supporting documentation, allowing anyone, anywhere with online access to utilize, modify, adapt and distribute the curriculum globally. Choose your own adventure Each session opens onto pathways, unveiling numerous resources put together by the instructors. Share your learnings, discuss your visions and collaborate with fellow adventurers exploring the creative possibilities of decentralization in theory and practice. Achieving our goal of true interdisciplinary collaboration is impossible without enabling individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives to join our community. To further this goal, we offer NOTAFLOF (No One Turned Away For Lack of Funds) scholarships in line with our values, so that anyone interested and committed can join this course, no matter their financial situation. Scholarships are awarded based on available capacity, and a review process overseen by the Gray Area team. This approach makes sure everyone who is passionate, curious, and dedicated to the values of the Decentralized Web can join these courses. Tuition fees (alongside ticket sales, grants, donations, and memberships) constitute a major portion of the financial support for our organization. These contributions enable us to compensate our artists and instructors w