Q&A with Ari Sandoval (a.k.a Hashbrown) about the upcoming TezCon event in Seattle!
I cannot stress enough the importance of physical Tezos meetups and events. At Tezos Commons, we are dedicated to continuously sponsoring and supporting those who wish to organize such gatherings in their local areas we love seeing more and more Tezos enthusiasts starting such initiatives.
One such exciting event is just around the corner: on June 1st, the amazing folks at TezTones will host their first-ever physical event at the NFT Museum in Seattle, and I’m sure it’s going to be a blast! I’ve often highlighted the benefits of such events, but in this article, I thought it might be better for you to hear it directly from someone deeply involved in the coordination and organization of TezCon. So, let’s meet HashBrown!
Q&A With HashBrown
Q: Let’s start with an introduction of yourself and the team, who are the people behind TezCon?
I’m Ari Sandoval but most people know me as Hashbrown, I am an artist and founder of Teztones and one of the main organizers behind the upcoming TezCon event.
TezCon is a collaborative event put together by TezTones, Teia.Cafe, TunaKuna, and a coalition of artists and projects.
Q: How did the idea for TezCon come about?
It initially started as a really simple idea for TezTones to get together because one of our members (NFTterror) was flying out from Ireland… We realized that we could take that opportunity to gather as many of us in person to meet and celebrate all the work we put into our 1st TezTones Season and the friendships we have made. Then TunaKuna made the extremely generous offer to rent out the Seattle NFT Museum and everything got kicked into high gear.
We realized that with such a big space and 27 screens available we could make the event much larger in scope and celebrate many of the amazing artists, projects, and communities that make Tezos such a vibrant blockchain for the arts.
Q: In your opinion, what are the benefits of such IRL Tezos events?
I think in a world that is largely digital and screen based (the world in general these days, but especially blockchain) just the act of meeting the humans behind the avatars is profoundly powerful. By coming together to share food, art, and live music we can build much deeper bonds and memories than solely through online interactions. There are no rugging or connection problems IRL!!
Also, probably the main goal of this event at the end of the day is to have fun; to embrace the fact that we have the power to bring ourselves together to celebrate our accomplishments and hard work.
Q: What challenges have you faced in organizing TezCon, and how have you overcome them?
I think the main challenge was that it started as a small idea that rapidly grew in scope in a very organic way. In doing so we wanted to make the event open to as many as possible, and then that again introduced more organizational complexity. However although we had to go through those growing pains they were also the blessings that made everything possible and I think will make the event such a success!
Q: What can attendees expect from their experience at TezCon?
People can expect 27 screens featuring curations of some absolutely amazing audio and visual art from across the Tezos blockchain. We need to do a final count but I believe we have easily above 300 artists in total who’s art will be shown!
There will be a short panel about building communities and projects on Tezos with speakers to be announced soon as well as a gallery tour in the museum with artists in attendance going over their art and creative process.
We will also have live musical performances including a featured set by Yoeshi Labs, as well as a jam session featuring Yoeshi Labs, Fendel, Ryan, and myself.
Q: How have sponsors contributed to making TezCon a reality?
There would be no TezCon without sponsors. We’d love to acknowledge and thank Tezos Commons, TunaKuna, TeiaCafe, and DNS for their contributions and support.
As we wrap up this Q&A with Hashbrown, it’s clear that events like TezCon play a crucial role in building stronger connections within the Tezos community. Physical meetups and events like these offer unparalleled opportunities to meet the people behind the avatars, share experiences, and celebrate the vibrant artistic and project-based accomplishments on the Tezos blockchain.
At Tezos Commons, we are committed to continuously supporting and sponsoring such initiatives. The energy and enthusiasm at these gatherings not only strengthen our community but also inspire new projects and collaborations. If you are passionate about Tezos and are interested in organizing a meetup in your area, we encourage you to reach out to us. Together, we can continue to nurture and grow the Tezos community, one event at a time. Let’s keep the momentum going and make every meetup a memorable and impactful experience!
TezCon Seattle: A Vision Realized was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
