Calling all digital artists who want to inspire the end of marijuana prohibition! Oaksterdam University is hosting a cutting edge non-fungible token (NFT) art contest to commemorate the 50th anniversary of cannabis prohibition.
Through July 9, 2021, digital artists are encouraged to enter original artwork depicting the human and environmental consequences of the war on drugs.
The contest is designed to inspire creative thought about the oppressive consequences of marijuana prohibition, while helping up-and-coming artists break into the emerging NFT marketplace.
“We are excited to merge the worlds of cannabis, art and NFTs with a potential cryptocurrency prize with this contest, which is a first for us,” said Dale Sky Jones, long-time cannabis legalization activist and chancellor of Oaksterdam U. “We’re looking to utilize these new platforms to affect cannabis policy and drug policy reform.”
Artists are asked to upload original artwork to OpenSea for a chance to win $100 per piece and 10 percent of NFT proceeds from their work(s). Select artists will also win a scholarship to Oaksterdam’s self-paced courses, which include the Business of Cannabis, Horticulture, Commercial Extraction and Manufacturing, Budtending Certification and more (valued at up to $1,000). See complete prize details below.
Selected entries will be featured in an Oaksterdam NFT collection set to drop this summer. All art becomes the property of Oaksterdam, with sale proceeds benefiting the education needed to further the fight against cannabis prohibition.
War on Drugs
Fifty years ago, on June 18, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared “war on drugs,” increasing the size of federal drug control agencies and pushing through measures such as mandatory sentencing.
The War on Drugs continued through Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No,” and “This is Your Brain on Drugs” campaigns of the ’80s, and is still being fought today. Through the decades, it has resulted in untold casualties through arbitrary criminalization and incarceration, and has been used to perpetuate racism and social injustice in America.
Oaksterdam has been on the forefront of the fight against marijuana prohibition since 2007, and as the tide of public opinion changes, our focus is on descheduling cannabis from the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
This art contest is aimed at raising funds and awareness of the cause through leading-edge NFT art. Artists may look for inspiration in history as well as in themselves and in those around them who have been impacted by the war on drugs.
How to Enter
Interested artists are asked to upload portrait-oriented, two-sided art designed in trading card or tarot card style to OpenSea. Pieces must be 2.75” x 4.75”, include animation and flip over on intervals. For complete artwork guidelines click here. Artists must be 18 years of age or older. Winners will be notified on July 17 followed by an NFT drop.
For more details on the contest, including how to submit, visit OaksterdamUniversity.com and click on the contest banner. Or, email NFT@oaksterdamuniversity.com
NFT Art Contest Prizes
Winners will be given a money prize of $100 (U.S.D.) per piece, plus 10% of NFT gross proceeds from their piece, paid in Bitcoin, Ether, or U.S. dollars (or your fiat currency of choice) within thirty (30) days of NFT drop. Artist must provide sufficient information and tax forms to receive the monetary award.
Oaksterdam will promote the winning Artists’ names. Winner also will receive an educational scholarship to attend ANY Oaksterdam University self-paced Certification Program to use or gift (winner’s choice). Any remaining proceeds will benefit disadvantaged students through the Oaksterdam University (OU) Scholarship Fund. OU operates as a not-for-profit.
