Nouns DAO

Summary

We’re asking for 28k USDC to fund:

• A year-long, 3D mural in an iconic location in Milan
• A showcase of Nouns apps, art, and merchandise at Appcon 2025 (April 7-13)
• Logistical costs, including team lodging and handling of physical assets

Our goal is to use Milan Design Week’s global stage to present Nouns as a leading creative force in Ethereum, alongside key players like Farcaster and Base. We aim to attract thousands of new users to Nouns and Ethereum, while merchandise sold on Slice will automatically return 50% of the profits to the DAO treasury.

We also submitted a separate proposal to Gnars DAO to fund a noggles rail as part of the showcase, which after Appcon will be donated to the local community for installation in a skate park. The two proposals have been kept separate to allow Gnars and Nouns DAOs to focus on their respective missions, and if both were to pass the overall presence of Nouns would further increase.

What is Appcon?

Appcon is the first event dedicated to showcasing the top Ethereum apps and experiences to a non-crypto audience. It takes place on April 7-13 during Milan Design Week—the biggest annual design event in the world—offering activities, talks, and interactive experiences to over 50k visitors.

As the founder of Slice and being based in Milan, I’m personally invested to make this event a success in Italy and surface the best of Ethereum to the world.

For more information, visit the Appcon Event Page.

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Proposal Details

1. Mural, 1 year (15k USDC)

Objective: Commission a year-long mural by emerging local artists that becomes a cultural landmark for Milan. This installation will symbolize the city’s adoption of Ethereum and feature an NFT minting experience during Appcon.

• Location: BAM park/Stecca socio-cultural center, next to the “Vertical Forest” skyscraper — one of Milan’s most frequented areas.
• Duration: The mural will remain on display for one year, until the next Milan Design Week. This ongoing initiative, organized by the venue and its community, also opens the possibility to present a new design next year.
• Concept: A mural blending Nouns and Ethereum themes with a 3D perspective effect to spark conversation and public interest. During Appcon, visitors can mint the artwork as an NFT to get a surprise at the merch station and a special drink at the cafe.
• Process: The organizing team will provide a brief centered on “Nouns and Ethereum in society”. A panel—including the organizing team, a design university professor, and venue representatives—will select local artist teams to paint the mural from April 1–7.
• Cost breakdown: Funds cover site expenses, lodging and food for a week for 6 artists-in-residence, and all necessary materials (paints, supplies, etc.)

2. Nouns Showcase at Appcon (8k USDC)

Objective: Feature Nouns apps, art, and merchandise at Appcon to educate newcomers about Ethereum and onboard them to the Nouns ecosystem.

Showcase details:

• Apps: Present Nouns applications and experiences that align with Appcon’s core mission.
• Art and design: Dispaly physical design pieces alongisde IYK tap-to-mint NFT experiences and screens looping Nouns video productions, aligned with Milan Design Week’s theme.
• Merchandise: Offer Nouns t-shirts and tote bags customizable via a heat press (similar to Nouns Town)
  • DAO Giveback mechanic: Merch will be sold onchain through Slice, with 50% of the profits automatically returned to the DAO treasury. We estimate that selling 400 t-shirts will generate approximately $7.5k for the DAO.
• Costs breakdown: Venue set up, merch production

Additional notes:

• Benjamin Latsko (latsko.eth) will support with the IYK minting experience and all graphics for the merch station at no cost.
• After the event, we’ll share visitor wallet addresses and email contacts with Benjamin for post-event Nouns remarketing.
• Fattybuthappy will join us in Milan to oversee the showcase, engage with the audience and host public talks about Nouns.

3. Logistical Support (5k USDC)

Objective: Ensure smooth operations for teams involved and proper handling of physical assets throughout the event.

Costs breakdown:

• Lodging & transportation: Arrange accommodations and local transportation for up to two teams from the Nouns ecosystem, with up to 2 members per team.
• Shipping, setup and installation: Manage shipment, custom clearance, and installation of physical assets at the venue, ensuring everything arrives and is set up efficiently.

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Expected Outcomes

• Cultural legacy: The mural will serve as a long-term public symbol of Milan’s adoption of crypto, affirming Nouns as one Ethereum’s leading ambassadors.
• Blueprint for DAO treasury growth: Onchain merchandise sales via Slice will channel profits directly back to the DAO treasury, establishing a model that can be easily adopted by any merchant.
• Onboarding: Through art, apps and engaging experiences, Nouns will introduce the local community and thousands of attendees to its ecosystem and Ethereum.
• Global visibility: Appcon and Milan Design Week offer an international stage to introduce Nouns’ distinctive design to a diverse audience new to crypto.