Refraction is an artist-owned community leading the next wave of digital art, music and culture — online, onchain and IRL.

EDITORIAL
March 27, 2024

Beyond Boiler Room: Exploring the Future of Creator-Led Streaming

Understanding the necessity and the asymmetries of live streams is what drove our most recent research project in partnership with Livepeer - trying to think through what the future of live streams might look like and, also, crucially, how Web3 technologies might intervene.

Refraction DAO

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MUTEK 2023 x R.AV CLUB

PARTNERS

MUTEK

(Montreal x Global)

Public Records

(NYC)

Rainbow Disco Club

(Japan)

Standard Time

(Toronto)

Magma

(São Paulo)

MUSE0

(Metaverse)

Space 289

(London)

Nyege Nyege

(Kampala)

Contact

(Tokyo)

Rhizome

(US)

Safe Sound

(Miami)

Paradise

(Vancouver)

Panke

(Berlin)

FOUNDING ARTISTS

Ana Caballero
Andy Rolfes
Anna Lucia
Becka Saville
Cibelle Cavalli Bastos
Claire Silver
Deadbeat
Dina Chang
Ellie Pritts
Darwin
Gabrielle Mic
Genki Nishida
Ikaro Cavalcante
Kazuhiro Aihara
Linda Dounia
Lorna Mills
Malcolm Levy
Manami Sakamoto
Mathew Jonson
Nate Boyce
Nathaniel Stern
Nicolas Sassoon
p1xelfool
Pacific Rhythm
Panther Modern
Phillip D Stearns
Portrait XO
Random Pattern
Rick Silva
Robert Gallardo
Sarah Moosvi
Sasha Stiles
Scott Killdall
Skye Nicolas
Suren Seneviratne
Teen Daze
Tim Saccenti
Yoshi Sodeoka

TEAM

Anbar El Mokri
Andrew Ryce
Carly Eiseman
Chris Dammeyer
Devaughn Dix
Dina Chang
Doug Witte
Elisabeth Sweet
Graham Bertie
Greg Liburd
Heiko Hoffmann
Henry Ivry
Izzy Ocampo
Jonny Ostrem
Kaitlyn Davies
Linus Booth
Liv Diamond
Malcolm Levy
Michael Delle Donne
Michail Stangl
Pauline Le Mell
Poppy Sowage
Raf Katigbak
Samm Z Cooper
Sharon Shum
Tanis Smither
Tara Dilloughery
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Frequently Asked Questions

We are a decentralized global creative community of artists, curators, technicians, and fans focused on moving the culture forward through collectively reimagining live experiences in the physical world and in the open metaverse. Our cornerstone is Refraction Festival, a fully on-chain IRL<->URL project featuring musical performances and art installations in over ten cities across five continents.

Is it mandatory to join Discord to become a DAO member?

Currently, the best way to stay up to date on Refraction is through our Discord. But platform fatigue is real and we want to be accessible to everyone. If you would rather stay off our server, send us a DM on Twitter or an email, and we’ll work with you to find the best way for you to stay in the loop!

Do I have to be a member of the DAO to purchase the Refraction Winter Season 0 NFT?

No! Anyone is eligible to mint. Of course, if you would like to join RefractionDAO, head over to the ✍️|apply-to-join channel in our Discord server and fill out the application form!

How do our Seasons work?

“Seasons” are how we separate our year! We follow the Earth’s seasons — The Winter and Summer solstice, and the Spring and Autumn equinox. “Season 0” is our Winter season (or summer in the South), and it will end with the closing of the Season 0 NFT mint. Our Season 0 NFT drop marks the kickoff of Refraction as a DAO. At the end of every season, we host a DAO-wide Snapshot where DAO members vote on proposals for how we’ll proceed for the next season.

Will I receive all seven of the Founding Artists' artworks if I mint the Refraction Season 0 NFT?

Yes! After collecting the NFT, you will be able to also collect all seven works by Claire Silver, Setta Studio, Yoshi Sodeoka, Ellie Pritts, Linda Dounia, p1xelfool, and Cibelle Cavalli Bastos for free. Please join the Discord and fill out the contact form following a successful mint for further instructions.

How do I collect the NFT?

Until April 4th at midnight EST, you can go to refractionfestival.com/mint to collect the NFT. Each artist in the NFT has created an artwork unique to Refraction. Our NFT mint is optimized for a desktop browser. If you are minting on a mobile device, navigate to the Metamask app and search for the website via its browser. To find it tap the accordion menu at the top left in the Metamask app, navigate to ‘Browser’ and search the minting site from there. After collecting, we will be airdropping the individual works to those who successfully minted a Season 0 NFT on Wednesday, April 13th, 2022! Keep an eye on your wallets.

So what’s the price?

The Season 0 NFT is priced at .202 ETH (plus gas). After the NFT is collected, we will be airdropping you each of the seven works for free — no gas fees!

What am I getting from the Season 0 NFT?

ART

Seven works from some of the NFT community’s top-tier digital artists (see above).

EVENTS

Guest list to ALL IRL & Metaverse events for Refraction until March 20th, 2023 — this means that any time we hold an IRL event (these happen all over the globe, so pay attention to our social media for something happening in a city near you) or a set is streamed into the Metaverse, your NFT guarantees you access.

FUTURE GREENLISTS

Access to future Greenlist opportunities for NFT drops and special features in our soon-to-be-released platform!

MULTIMEDIA PLATFORM

This will be the mainframe host for our artwork, collection, special NFT drops from the community, and includes Refraction Radio (with DJ sets, shows and programming exclusive to DAO members and NFT holders),  a podcast (in the works!), and a full online editorial publication written by members of our community and beyond focusing on artists and topics related to the DAO.

METAVERSE EXPERIENCES

An exclusive experience in the Metaverse — during our two-day flagship URL festival (dates and deets to come)!

DISCORD SERVER

Access to a special section on our Discord server exclusively for NFT holders — in this server, you’ll get advance news on all of the events and happenings in the Refraction community.

MERCH

Access to exclusive physical and digital merchandise — we’re working on some incredible things with our global community of artists.

What if I want to sell the Season 0 NFT or the other works on the secondary market?

After the seven works have been airdropped to you, they will exist as individual NFTs that can be resold, separate from one another and separate from the Season 0 NFT itself. If you sell any of the individual artworks but choose to retain the Season 0 NFT, you will retain all perks and access granted to holders until March 20th, 2023. However, if you choose to sell the Season 0 NFT at any point, you will lose your perks and access and transfer these to the secondary buyer.

How long will the Season 0 mint stay open?

Our mint will close on April 4th, 2022 at midnight PST! You can mint at any time of day up until then.

I’m unable to mint from Refraction’s website, help!

If you’ve had trouble minting Refraction’s Season 0 NFT directly from our website, you can mint just as easily on Etherscan! Steps outlined in this document.

What is web3?

  • Web3 is a shift in internet culture, empowered by new technologies and ideas around online ownership and agency. It’s important to understand that “web3” does not refer to one specific thing. Rather it’s an umbrella term for many emerging internet tools and organizations intended to support an individual’s right to their own data, creative output and online identity. Web1 was hallmarked by a “read-only” status (i.e., one could not interact with other people on Web1 interfaces). Web2 became “read + write” (think social media: with the advent of web2, you could interact with other people in real-time online). Web3, is the start of a “read + write + own” model. A search for the solution to the current state of internet culture, where interactions are tracked and owned by large technology companies without transparency.
  • Refraction leverages many of the tools and philosophies of web3 as a means to enable creativity and autonomy for artists. We partner with other web3-affiliated communities (Zora, FWB, Water & Music) to establish a network and space that encourages experimentation, fosters connection, refreshes perspective and offers new tools to create.

What is a DAO? (and what makes Refraction a DAO?)

  • A DAO, or Decentralized Autonomous Organization, is a community which allows its members to engage in shared ownership and decision making. As opposed to a traditional organization, where decisions are often made by a select few, a DAO is run by the group. Members may vote on proposals and have a direct say in how the community operates. As is often the case in Web3, DAOs are understood in different ways and thus are implemented in many shapes and sizes to best fit their mission! FWB, Water & Music, and FlamingoDAO, for example, are all DAOs who adopt their own structure and means of operating. Most DAOs are fundamentally tied to an ethos of transparency and community driven action.
  • Refraction enables shared ownership and decision-making power through Snapshot voting. In order to participate in voting, your crypto wallet must hold at least 10 $REFRACT tokens (more on this below), which are given to all members upon them joining the DAO! Our Snapshot votes are always posted in our Discord #announcements channel, so be sure to stay tuned for the next one. All of our Snapshots to date can be found here.

What is an NFT?

  • An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a digital asset whose ownership can be easily proven by a public entry on the blockchain (see below). They can be anything from visual art to music, to text, or a combination of these mediums. In the spirit of creator enablement, NFTs have allowed visual artists like Claire Silver, and musicians & DJ collectives like Pure Rave and Songcamp to engage with new forms, markets and ways of interacting with their audience and art online, providing recognition and financial realization.
  • Refraction releases its own NFTs (visual, audio, and audio-visual) which, in addition to aesthetic value, provide real-life utility via access to our shows, community and content. Partnering with present-renowned and legacy creatives, we give 80% of proceeds to the artists involved, providing a substantial jump in support compared to the traditional model of intermediary galleries taking 40-60%. Check out our Drops site for current and past NFT drops!

What is a $REFRACT token?

A $REFRACT token is our DAO’s native cryptocurrency. It allows you to participate in our Snapshot votes, giving you the direct ability to participate in governing our community. Though $REFRACT cannot be sold or traded at the moment, we plan to enter a liquidity pool in 2023, which will allow you to convert your $REFRACT to your native form of currency used in everyday life. The value of the $REFRACT token is based primarily on the number and quality of community members, and our DAO’s growth potential. As more community members enter RefractionDAO and continue to actively engage with our events, collaborative projects and governance, the value of the $REFRACT token will increase. In keeping with Refraction’s pledge to distribute economic upside, we are regularly opening more opportunities for members to earn tokens.

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency, or “crypto”, is simply a digital form of currency that can be transferred over the internet with no middleman (bank/government) intervention needed. Transactions occur faster than traditional transfers and are securely conducted using blockchain technology (see below). There are many different types of cryptocurrency (you may have heard of Bitcoin, Ethereum or Tezos), which can be used to purchase online (and in some places, offline) assets. In most cases today, crypto is used to purchase NFTs and in Refraction’s case, we typically conduct our NFT sales using Ethereum or Tezos.

What is a blockchain?

In its most basic definition, a blockchain is simply a digital ledger (record of information) whose contents cannot be changed. It can store any kind of information, though is most often used to support transactions of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Every single interaction on a blockchain is publicly visible (and will remain that way, forever), conducted without a third-party (like a bank or government) and is not able to be hacked or edited in any way. This permanence is precisely what makes blockchain special; it allows anyone to interact online safely, securely and anonymously. If you would like to learn more, this article dives deeper into more applications of blockchain and how it works under the hood.

What happens when I purchase a REFRACT PASS?

The PASS should show up in your OpenSea NFT collection (and your digital wallet). You may have to ‘unhide’ the PASS on OpenSea for it to show up in your main collection.

Once you purchase your PASS, head to our Discord to verify ownership, and start connecting with our community! You can also visit our REFRACT PASS page to take a look at our upcoming PASS drops.

What benefits come with minting a REFRACT PASS?

Purchasing a REFRACT PASS gives you full access to Refraction’s community of artists, musicians, curators and cultural partners, plus exclusive NFT drops and free admission to our marquee events (which have included NFTNYC and Art Basel Miami in past years).

I’m currently a member of Refraction: what happens to my membership if I don’t purchase a REFRACT PASS?

If you are a Refraction member and choose not to purchase a PASS, you’ll still have limited Discord access and the ability to purchase General Admission tickets to our events. You will also retain your $REFRACT tokens if you are a holder, and the ability to vote and participate in Refraction’s governance.

We will automatically be airdropping a PASS to members with 500+ $REFRACT. If you do not have sufficient $REFRACT, you’ll have until February 28th to mint a PASS before we switch you to limited Discord access.

If I have a REFRACT PASS, do I get to participate in Refraction’s governance and Snapshot votes?

In order to participate in the DAO’s governance, you must hold $REFRACT tokens, which are given as compensation to DAO contributors. If you would like the opportunity to earn $REFRACT, please fill out this form.

What if I can’t afford to mint a REFRACT PASS but still wish to be a DAO member?

That’s okay! We understand everyone’s situation might be different and we want to keep an avenue for all current active members to continue to participate in our community — you can use this form to apply for a merit-based REFRACT PASS.

How can I view the number of $REFRACT tokens I hold?

  1. Log in to your MetaMask wallet
  2. Click on the three dots in the corner of your account
  3. Navigate to ‘View account on Etherscan’
  4. In the ‘Overview’ section, navigate to the Token dropdown menu
  5. Select ‘Refraction’
  6. Under ‘Profile Summary’, navigate to the ‘More’ dropdown menu in the top right corner
  7. Select ‘Add Token to MetaMask (Web3)’
  8. $REFRACT should now be visible in the “Assets” tab of your  MetaMask wallet
  9. NB: This does not work on mobile apps, so please use a desktop browser

What happens if I choose to sell my REFRACT PASS on a secondary marketplace (or purchase one on secondary)?

If you choose to sell your REFRACT PASS on a secondary marketplace, you are forfeiting all the benefits of the PASS. You will no longer be able to claim the exclusive artworks, view our Member Portal (coming soon!), access our events for free, or have access to our Discord. You’ll be able to retain artwork you previously claimed, but any new artworks released are only claimable by wallets holding a PASS.

Likewise, if you purchase a PASS on secondary, you will gain access to all the perks!

Participate and share in the future of festivals and art culture

Looking to explore partnerships or more?

Contact Us