@everyone

…and that’s a wrap for 2023!

This time last year, HUG featured just over 300 artists.

Today…

• HUG is home to more than 10,000 artists from 135 countries. We’re glad and grateful for them all. Together, we’re committed to increasing diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts. - Reviews are one of our earliest and most popular features on HUG. We had 1,671 art lovers write 16,499 individual reviews for 3,690 different artists!- We launched Creator Royalties, a weekly newsletter dedicated to little histories, mini-masterclasses, and opportunities in arts and tech. In that time, Creator Royalties has published 45 articles for 10,399 subscribers and counting. - Since our first Open Call last April, we have hosted 68 Open Calls and received 15,935 submissions from 3,926 artists. - From those, we’ve curated over 700 artists in 20 cities worldwide for exhibitions, grants, and job opportunities. - With thanks to our friends and partners, we’ve awarded over $50,000 in funding directly to artists, including 12 artists who received our in-house Visionary Grant.
  Everything we’ve done at HUG, we do for artists and art lovers like you, because we couldn’t do any of this without you. If you’re here for the art, HUG is here for you.

A lot can happen in a year. We can’t wait to see what happens next. See you in 2024 🤗 🎉

Sixth Living Organism by Signal NPD by Mathout Restore by Hero Granada Atari Armageddon by Kidszab Tiny little human by Taweechob Union by NOEASY W.E.F. - SAVAGE X NATION FILM by Bitsavador what is your foundation? by aana_dzbb poderia ser sushi by Jordi Technoshroom Glade by Vladimir Supaplex Impromptu #3 by Paradigmstories Artists cuddle by Hani Naqi Solidarity Surf. by Nerli.Eth
Congratulations!

@everyone - Placements have arrived!

🔺 Selected Artists Announcement: Virtual Exhibition by Arena Art Space x HUG

HUG & Arena Art Space are excited to showcase an upcoming virtual exhibition exploring the theme of collaboration in the digital realm, and emphasizing the intersection of perspectives and shared creative experiences.

25 artists have been selected by Arena Art Space for a virtual exhibition centering on collaboration and the intersection of perspectives and shared creative experiences via Joyn!

Join me in congratulating the 25 artists whose work will be part of this exhibition on Joyn:
Selected Artists:
CVST by araaasch Of Silver Bloom by _paperspace A Collaborative Descent Amidst the Stormy Peaks by ALT1976 ADHD by 36pm Ｈｅａｌ by Fausto Chinelato Team Working by Cellc “State Of D.I.V.A.” Shelved by Paolo Bianchini (pb67) "SWEETNESS OF THE NEW" by aws Un and An by Zandista Riding with death. 2023 by Jayarts Vortex by Doba Afolabi Echoes of the first baby's laughter by Sound Sketches

@everyone The time has come… the last HUG Visionary of 2023 before we start off a new calendar year:

Visionary Announcement: Petra Voice

Join us in welcoming Petra Voice as our second HUG Visionary this December and our final of the 2023 year!

About Petra Voice:
Petra Voice is a contemporary digital artist known for her unique approach to creating generative artworks with great attention to details, combining abstract and figurative art. From early years Petra had interest in art, studied at an art school and obtained a bachelor's degree from the State University of Culture and Arts. Using artificial intelligence, she infuses her art with a sense of femininity and grace. Through her exploration of the AI world, she is using AI as a limitless source of inspiration. Petra has established herself as a prominent figure in the world of AI-generated art. Her artworks have been exhibited in galleries around the world, featuring in cities across the USA, UK, Canada, Italy, France, Korea, and Japan. She continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in this exciting new medium.
Follow & support Petra Voice's work on:
HUG https://thehug.xyz/artists/petravoice
Chaos Within by Petra Voice
Chaos Within' is an exploration of chaotic emotions and thoughts that often lurk beneath the surface of our calm exteriors. This artwork delves into the concept of internal chaos, using abstract elements to depict the complexity of the human psyche. The silhouette which is partially veiled, serves as a metaphor for the hidden aspects of our identity. The dynamic strokes and smears represent the flux of emotions and ideas, showing a constant state of change and movement within us.
How to enter to win::
If you own a HUG Pass or a Meta Angels NFT, go to https://thehug.xyz/redeem-hug-points to enter to win 1 of 13 available editions. A raffle entry for “Chaos Within" costs 1300 HUG Points, and will only be deducted if you win. The raffle entry period will be open until .Selected raffle winners will have their wallet addresses added to the allowlist to mint the piece on Manifold for free (+gas).
What is the HUG Visionary Initiative?
HUG is granting $500 USD to 2 emergent artists every month to promote them across our platforms to an audience of 2M+ while directly growing each artist's personal collector network.Like the program's predecessor, this new initiative will provide financial compensation and support to artists while also allowing our holders to accessibly expand their art collections through http://thehug.xyz.
How do I apply to be a HUG Visionary?
Have a published or pending HUG Artist ProfileDon’t have one? Apply for free here: https://thehug.xyz/artist-profile-benefits Submit unminted artwork to the HUG Visionary Initiative for consideration: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/hugvisionaries

@everyone We’re back with another Grant opportunity! This time specifically for Queer Creators!

🌈 Open Call: Meta Queens Monthly $500 Grant for Queer Creators

From December 2023 to May 2024, 1 Queer HUG Artist will be selected monthly to receive a $500 grant from Meta Queens!

To be eligible for this grant, applicants must hold a valid Meta Queens NFT.
Get yours via Prohibition Art to join the Meta Queens community for .01eth
This open call is a rolling open call, so by submitting and holding the NFT once, you will automatically be considered in all 6 months worth of Meta Queens grants. As long as you have a valid Meta Queens NFT in the wallet that you provide at time of submission and monthly selection, you are eligible from December to January!

About MetaQueens:
MetaQueens' mission is to empower and uplift the voices of queer & trans creators & artists in the digital space. They strive to inspire, educate, and entertain while building a digital haven where everyone can feel seen, heard, celebrated and protected. Meta Queens will give back to the LGBTQIA+ community, fund queer charities, and uplift queer creators in the Web3 Space.
How to enter for Meta Queens Monthly $500 Grant for Queer Creators:
Open Call: Now until # Apply for the grant here!

@everyone HUG is excited to announce another Open Call opportunity through the holidays and into the 2024 new year! This is a unique opportunity that we're particularly happy to showcase to our community, so we're looking forward to your A-Game artwork!

📖 Open Call: 100 Artists to Watch -- In Print Book Opportunity 📚

Open to artists of all mediums and experiences, HUG is introducing its inaugural edition of 100 Artists to Watch, which will spotlight exceptional artists who are shaping the future of art and creativity.

This prestigious list will be printed and produced in Germany as a hardcover book, and be made available at the Danish Royal Library in Copenhagen, thanks to our publishing partners, Snap Collective!

In order to help us decide on the final list, HUG will be putting together a juried panel, which includes curators from both traditional and non-traditional art institutions.

Jurors include:
Madeleine Pierpont, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Sebastian Sanchez, Christie's Deja Belardo, The Shed Leslie Cober and Arabelle Liepold, Society of Illustrators UnknownCollector, digital art collectorWith more jurors to be announced!

How to submit to be considered for HUG's 100 Artists to Watch In-Print Opportunity:
Open Call: Now until # Submit now!

@everyone In search of artists? HUG's got your back!

🤗 Self-Service Open Calls powered by HUG!

HUG is excited to share that we are opening up Open Call opportunities to our community and prospective partners through a new DIY self-service form. For the first time ever, Open Calls powered by HUG will be accessible to our community of passionate artist, collectors, communities, partners, and organizers alike.

To date, HUG has placed 600+ artists in 20+ cities worldwide and disbursed over $50,000 of artist grants. Notable partners have included not only members of our treasured community, but notable brands and organizations like L'Oréal, United Nations, Mastercard, Magic Eden, and more.

Why host your Open Call powered by HUG?
Amplify your brand, event, and/or organization to our audience of 2M+ with direct access to our global community of 10,000+ artists across 130+ countries Easily find the best artists for your opportunity across a wide range of disciplines and diverse identities Simplify curation, logistics, and management of art assets through HUG's built-in partner tools Leverage the power of community by inviting HUG’s and your audience to curate with you through Community Voting Share HUG's free educational, technical, and financial resources with your own community Feature your Open Call before, during, and after it concludes with a dedicated page on HUG
Interested in an Open Call powered by HUG?

Submit an inquiry here!Our team will respond to your request within 2~3 business days!

@everyone cAIling all AI artists! Another Open Call is coming your way!

OPEN CALL: Musee Dezentral: “IN DAILOGUE” Metaverse Museum ExhibitionHUG and Musee Dezentral are delighted to partner for an Open Call to showcase a curated selection of 20 works to showcase in the decentralized NFT museum’s virtual exhibition space.

The exhibition’s theme “IN DAILOGUE” centers on an overview of traditional artists who are genuinely in dialogue with AI tools as an integral part of their creative practice. Artwork displaying an integration and assimilation of AI into the toolset and how they enhance their artistry while preserving their aesthetic identity throughout the process are welcome to apply to this open call.

The exhibition will take place at Musee Dezentral from January 19, 2024 to February 2, 2024.

How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/museedezentral
Be sure to hop over to HUG's Open Call Page to explore more opportunities for display, exhibition, gigs, jobs, and more!

@everyone HUG arrives in China!

🇨🇳 Selected Artists: The Joy City in Beijing, China

HUG has partnered with Neal Digital Gallery to display red-themed artworks at The Joy City, a tech-forward shopping center located in Beijing, China from December 8, 2023 to January 7, 2024.

Selections curated by Neal Digital Gallery will be made in two phases, and we're excited to unveil the first phase of 25 artists that will display today in this festive and colorful exhibition.

The following 25 @HUG Artist have been selected to display their artwork at at the The Joy City in Beijing, China:

Selected Artists:
Yolantis - “Patchwork Splendor” Maryanne Chisholm - “Quan Yin & the 8 Prosperity Blessings” Claire Firley - “红色” Elnaz Mansouri - “This pleasure needs pain” Hanne Van Briel - “Fortune's Blossom” Mayudrops (Yousef Sayadi & Mahtab Fotografi) - “Firing Baloon” ReativeArt - “La montagne et la mer” Cakes6G - “8” Marta Timmer - Anamnesis” ParraDeSys - “Ruby Reverie” Galih Lugina - “Secret Garden” IrinaStepArt - “Celebration of Life” MOISES PEREIRA - “Inviting prosperity” Dave T - “Crimson Royalty” Faavidel - “The Shelter” Katmikr - “The play of the light and shadows” Hanart - “Rooted in The Red” LeeBohlman - “Fall Fire” Pinkyhoot - “Fortune Favors the Bold” MiraiVoyage - “Red Blossom” mudodo - “Lucky Red” Oreste Mercado - “Daydream” Morecheese - “Floral Contemplation” Manjahi - “Golden Penjing” ArtvisionNFT - “Chasing stars”
A massive congratulations to all those selected for the showcase!

Be sure to stay tuned to see who the next Selected Artists who will showcase at The Joy City will be.

@everyone It's almost 2024, that means it's time to start anew!

2024 HUG Visionary Changes and Updates

Every 2 weeks, HUG elects an emerging artist to award a $500 USD grant and promotes them on HUG’s website and across our audience of 2M+. In exchange for the grant, HUG commissions artists for a limited edition release of artwork to be shared with our community via HUG Point Raffles.

The HUG Visionary Grant was introduced in June 2023, as a way for us to champion emerging artists through financial and marketing support. Since then, we have awarded grants to 12 Visionaries, spotlighted them to our global audience of 2M+, all while making their art accessible to new collectors.

With the new year just around the corner, we’ve decided to revisit how we distribute this grant. We are still distributing $12,000 directly to artists each year, but will move from reviewing rolling submissions on an annual basis to a quarterly basis instead. We hope this will give all artists the opportunity to submit newer work for consideration, while also providing artists with an answer to their application sooner.

What does this change mean for your past submission?
Prior submissions will not be considered for future awards. While you are welcome to resubmit the same artwork for consideration, you must provide a new entry each quarter in order to be considered.
What does this mean for your selection eligibility?
Any artist who submits to our quarterly Open Call and has not been previously selected for the HUG Visionary Artist Grant will be eligible for future awards.
How many times can I apply to the HUG Visionary Grant?
Each artist is welcome to submit up to 3 artworks for consideration every quarter.
Want to apply for the HUG Visionary Artist grant?

Submit artwork to be considered for Q1 of 2024

We look forward to your 2024 Q1 HUG Visionary submissions! Best of luck, and rooting for you always!

@everyone HUG is bringing folklore to Miami!

🌴 Miami Art Week Mobile Art Gallery Finalists Selected!

Folklore is the resulting canvas of creativity, culture, and community. From myths to media, customs to crafts, and traditions that transcend time, HUG has teamed up with artists Elena Fiorenza Gatti and H Cruz to showcase our community of artists during this year’s events in Miami!

We’re excited to share that this folklore-theme art display will be shown by Unfold, a mobile gallery that will travel through the different neighborhoods and events happening around Miami on December 8 from 4 PM to midnight EST.

Originally, our Open Call was set to have 35 artworks selected– but due to the overwhelming number of submissions from artists boasting an extremely high caliber of talent, we have opted to increase this display number from 35 to 96 artists!

See the full array of finalists and their work here:

HUG Miami Mobile Gallery Selected Artists

Congratulations! @Hugger can RSVP for a reminder to get updates from the Mobile Display on the event link here: https://discord.gg/CJAegyZh?event=1181339503214997636
Likewise, @Hugger can check in on the limited-time #🚚│announcements, #🚚│tracking, and #🚚│materials channels to track the Mobile Art Display as it makes it's way through Miami on December 8.

Congratulations to our finalists!

@everyone Are you ready to blend nature and tech?

🌸 Chromaflora: A Hybrid Art Exhibition Artists Have Been Selected

HUG, Artsies Collective, MUTI, and MuseHive Art have come together on an Open Call to place 50 @HUG Artist into Chromaflora: A Hybrid Art Exhibition Blending Nature and Technology.

Set to display in Lisbon, Portugal from December 11 to December 17, 2023 at Estufa Fria’s Botanical Gardens, we hope those local to the area will join us in celebrating the beauty of organic materials while exploring the endless possibilities of technology.

We are thrilled to announce that because HUG and its partners were so moved by the number and quality of submissions, that we have increased the displaying collection of artworks from 50 to 79.

See the full array of finalists and their work here:

Chromaflora Selected Artists

Congratulations to our exhibiting creators!

@everyone ‘Tis the season…

❄️ The Crypt Gallery Selected Artists ❄️

Winter has hit Manhattan! HUG, alongside the King of Midtown, have curated 30 artists for a Winter exhibition at The Crypt Gallery in Dream Downtown Hotel in New York.

As the first NFT Gallery in the hospitality industry, The Crypt Gallery displays digital art through curated events and exclusive projects. The space is open 24/7, so we hope to see @Hugger stop by through the holidays!

Selected Artists:
Aqueous - “Winter Sprite” Showdeer - “WINTER SWING” DreamNerd | Mojtaba Oriuee - “snowflake” Inna Mosina - “Freedom” Wala - “Winter's Whisper” MOISES PEREIRA - “Fire and Ice” Bauchaos - “It's So Cold My Tail Fell Off” Fabio Antenore - “Silence” MikeGrillMadeit - “Trappin' In My Bowler Hat” Vali Haze - “I've got my love to keep me warm” Kavimaz - “La Luz de la Noche” LEILA PINTO - “Winter Wonderland at Hudson Yards, NY” 0x_Anthony - “Winter Dragoness” Igor Yakunin - “The Arctic Encounter” CyberKO - “Nostalgic Winter Haven: A Pixelated Tribute to Shirakawa-go's Tranquility” T-VISION - “Perfect Glitch” Loulanweu - “Empathy” Bit Errror - “In the Harsh Winter” Sadwonderer - “In the meantime..” Demon AI - “the King in Yellow / Dutch Winter landscape” Xcathode - “SNOWFAKE” Anastasia NFTart - “Soapy Dog NYC Anastisia NFTart x Kiku's World by Sabet” mirotta - “Hotdrink and socksmonster” Britta - “In a Blink of an Eye: Winter's Whisper” Terrell Jones - “Dobermans At Dusk (Winter Edition)” Imed Kolli - “The winter and I ” PAINTRE - “Fly me to the moon amongt the stars” Deliel - “Winter spirits” Maria Faith Garcia - “Silent Splendor of Winter” Varvara Alay - “Pure Imagination”

@everyone

Visionary Announcement: Julien Pacaud

Join us in welcoming Julien Pacaud as our first HUG Visionary this December!
Julien Pacaud is a renowned digital collage artist and illustrator, born in 1972, living and working in Paris, France. Self-taught artist, he began experimenting with digital collage in the early 2000s after studying cinema at the École Louis Lumière. In parallel to his personal creations, he has also been working as an illustrator for the press, publishing, advertising and the music industry.Since 2002 he is also working with AI, incorporating it in his collages or creating "full AI" artworks.
Oulipian Questions by Julien Pacaud
"Oulipian Questions" is a perfect example of how I mix AI generated images with my digital collage techniques.Inspired by the "Oulipo" literature movement, it is about the notions of game and constraints.This piece is part of an ongoing series called "Games of Life", a collection of surrealist artworks that delve into the complex and enigmatic realms of human existence. Each artwork is conceived as a visual puzzle and ironically presented as if it was a kind of board game that deals with the depths of the human experience."
Follow & support Julien Pacaud's work on:
HUG https://thehug.xyz/artists/julienpacaud
How to enter to win::
If you own a HUG Pass or a Meta Angels NFT, go to https://thehug.xyz/redeem-hug-points to enter to win 1 of 20 available editions. A raffle entry for “Oulipian Questions” costs 1000 HUG Points, and will only be deducted if you win. The raffle entry period will be open until .*Selected raffle winners will have their wallet addresses added to the allowlist to mint the piece on Manifold for free (+gas). *
What is the HUG Visionary Initiative?
HUG is granting $500 USD to 2 emergent artists every month to promote them across our platforms to an audience of 2M+ while directly growing each artist's personal collector network.Like the program's predecessor, this new initiative will provide financial compensation and support to artists while also allowing our holders to accessibly expand their art collections through http://thehug.xyz.
How do I apply to be a HUG Visionary?
Have a published or pending HUG Artist ProfileDon’t have one? Apply for free here: https://thehug.xyz/artist-profile-benefits Submit unminted artwork to the HUG Visionary Initiative for consideration: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/visionaries

@everyone Who will be our emerging artists to grace the publication, "UNDRGRND DIGS"?

UNDRGRND Selected Artists Announcement!

UNDRGRND and HUG came together to spotlight 5 emerging artists with the help of HUG's community voting.

5 Selected Artists will be featured in a weekly article called "UNDRGRND DIGS" that UNDRGRND purchases work from. Artists will also be offered an opportunity to become UNDRGRND Artists who receive a full-length article paired with an exclusive creation that UNDRGRND distributes to UNDRGRND Membership Card Holders.

UNDRGRND is a web3 brand that identifies, supports, and promotes the best undiscovered creators. UNDRGRND helps accelerate the growth of artists and musicians by growing their audience and we at HUG could not be more excited to bring this opportunity to creators in the space!

The following 5 @HUG Artist have been selected to feature in an upcoming UNDRGRND Publication:

Selected Artists:
Anna Zubarev - “Ode To The book of Shadows” Hero Granada - “Restore” Matteo Giovani - “ROSSO di SERA” Yúla - “Room Behind” Fera - “Childhood Fantasies”
Congratulations to all our finalists and if you weren't selected, don't fret! There's no shortage of opportunities on HUG, so be sure to stop by and peruse HUG’s Open Calls this holiday season!

@everyone Hope everyone is feeling rested after the long weekend! Here's a piping hot open call for @HUG Artist!

☕ Open Call: Lion's Milk Cafe 2024

HUG and Lion's Milk Cafe are joining forces again to display 10 @HUG Artist on the digital screens located inside the cafe's brick-and-mortar shop. Located in the heart of Williamsburg, Lion's Milk is the world's first NFT coffee shop and cafe of choice to Brooklyn's local Web3 community to gather, network, and admire art on their digital displays.

HUG and Lion's Milk are seeking 10 cafe and coffee-themed artwork submissions for consideration in this display opportunity.

Selected winners will get to have their artwork displayed from January 15, 2024 running through February 15, 2024 at Lion's Milk where digital art enthusiasts gather to connect with one another over a cup of joe.

How to submit:
Follow @cafflions on Twitter!Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/lionsmilk2024

@everyone Here's a big set of Open Call opportunities for our community of @HUG Artist as we venture into the holiday season… but first! HUG is excited to introduce a new feature!

🆕 Submit up to 3 works in HUG Open Calls!

This is the first time since HUG’s inception where artists will have the option to submit up to THREE ARTWORKS for consideration.

All HUG Artists are all welcome to submit 1 piece for consideration for free as usual, however those particularly drawn to an Open Call opportunity that want to maximize their chances may now enter up to 3 artworks for consideration for a flat fee of $10 USD on HUG directly to secure 2 additional submission spots for consideration on a given Open Call. This allows artists to maximize their chances at an affordable entry point for Open Calls that may be of particular interest to them!

Without further ado, here are our newest opportunities for @HUG Artist leading into the Holiday Season:

OPEN CALL: The Crypt Gallery at Dream Downtown NYC

Seeking WINTER themed artworks for this Open Call opportunity to showcase at The Crypt Gallery at Dream Downtown NYC!

HUG is excited to share that we are teaming up with art collector and curator King of Midtown and The Crypt Gallery to showcase artwork through the holiday season!

25 selected artists and their artworks will display in the lobby of Dream Downtown located in the storied Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City all through the month of December. Located adjacent to the world famous Chelsea Market, Dream Downtown sees over 45,000 visitors each month, with the exhibition being open to the public and all guests 24/7!

How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/kenya-summit

🏖️ OPEN CALL: Art Basel Miami

Seeking 🧚‍♀️ FOLKLORE 🧚‍♀️ themed artworks for this Open Call opportunity to showcase at Art Basel Miami 2023!

Folklore is the resulting canvas of creativity, culture, and community. From myths to media, customs to crafts, and traditions that transcend time, what story are you telling with your art?

HUG is teaming up with artists Elena Fiorenza Gatti and H Cruz to showcase your art during this year's Art Basel Miami. They will work together to curate folklore-themed artwork which will be displayed on a mobile gallery that will travel through different neighborhoods and events happening around Art Basel Miami on December 8 from 4:00PM to midnight!

How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/artbaselmiami-folklore
Happy creating!

@everyone The results are in! It wasn't an easy selection and with so many incredible AI Artists, it was hard to narrow down and pick!

The 2 finalists for electric.film's AI Artist Open Call have been selected! 🤖

HUG assisted electric.film in sourcing two AI Artists from our community of @HUG Artist that will take part in the creation of special feature NFTs in electric.film's upcoming Genesis Collection.

electric.film is a decentralized film studio, which aims to democratize film production and empower filmmakers and audiences. electric.film is launching a truly generative-AI, film-themed collection, which will make the collectors founding members of the project. The images will be generated on mint by our revolutionary real-time generative system (imagine Art Blocks but with generative AI)!

We’re excited to announce that our two finalists are…

🏆 Aoife O'Dwyer

Aoife (pronounced ee-fah) is an artist, designer, creative director and web3 founder based in Ireland.She has been creating artwork that explores themes of perception, reality and identity for over 18 years and is best known for her vibrant, trippy illustrations of critters and femmes. Her focus in the NFT space is on her digitally hand drawn 1/1 PFP project The Foofees which has been growing with the help of a gorgeous community of passionate art and story lovers since Oct 2021. Her bold style, distinct neon pastel colour palette, obsession with imaginative storytelling and commitment to wholesome community vibes has helped her become a recognizable voice as a crypto native artist.Winning Submission: "A Yearning"

🏆 Jah.

Jah is an imaginative Filmmaker and Visual Artist from Brooklyn, New York, who utilizes his distinct style to explore digital identity and create futuristic worlds across the visual mediums.Winning Submission: "Notion's End"
electric.film's upcoming drop is a fully-generative collection, so please be on the look out for the creations made by our two selected artists! Join me in #🗣│general-chat in wishing these two a congratulations on their selection!

@everyone

Seamless Patterns in the HUG Holiday Shop Results are here!

As an extension to the HUG Print Shop, HUG is adding a limited edition collection of products for the holidays.

Our selected artists will be able to sell their work on festive items like wrapping paper, greeting cards, notebooks, and more so consider your holiday season- hugified!

The 9 artists who will have their work in the HUG Holiday Shop are as follows:
Selected Artists:
Christina Rigoselli - "Christmas mix" Saphera Peters - "Pattern Glimpse" Sour Power - "Woodland Country Holidays" Dyor247x - "8 seamless patterns" Sylvo - "sylvo seamless patterns" Marie Le Moal - "Blockprinted patterns" Laura Santiago - "Christmas Patterns" Shreya Bhan - "Bright Prints" Varvara Alay - The Flower Girls Patterns"

Learn More:
Access HUG Print Shop: https://shop.thehug.xyz/ For more on HUG Open Calls: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls
A Big Congratulations to all Selected Artists!!

@everyone - Open Calls and Announcements coming your way!

🔺 Open Call: Virtual Exhibition by Arena Art Space x HUG

HUG & Arena Art Space invite artists across the world to submit their work for an upcoming virtual exhibition exploring the theme of collaboration in the digital realm, and emphasizing the intersection of perspectives and shared creative experiences.

25 artists will be chosen by HUG and Arena Art Space for a virtual exhibition centering on collaboration and the intersection of perspectives and shared creative experiences via Joyn!

How to submit:

Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/arenaartspace

Voting for UNDRGRND's Publication Spotlight Open Call is now underway!

UNDRGRND and HUG have teamed up to feature 5 emerging artists through UNDRGRND DIGS!

UNDRGRND DIGS is a weekly article featuring five artists that UNDRGRND purchases work from. Artists featured are offered an opportunity to become UNDRGRND ARTISTS. UNDRGRND ARTISTS receive a full-length article paired with an exclusive creation that UNDRGRND distributes to UNDRGRND Membership Card holders helping create awareness and bring in new collectors and fans to their work!

🗳️ VOTE NOW: UNDRGRND Publication

Community voting is open now and will conclude on !
HOW TO VOTE:

• Select Your FavoritesThe text at the top of the page lets you know how many pieces you can select. Don‘t worry about choosing too many because you will get to narrow your choices before submitting! - Review Your SelectionsYou will be asked to remove any selections if you are beyond the limit. You can also go back and add more selections at this time! - Finalize Your VoteYou will see a Submit Selection button once you have between 1 and the maximum items selected. You can click the button to finalize your curation selection!
  Good luck!

@everyone The results are in!

🇰🇪 Kenya NFT + AI Summit Open Call Results are here!

18 artworks centered around "The Future of Africa" by @HUG Artist of African Descent have been selected for display!

The Kenya NFT + AI Summit in collaboration with Mbogi Ya NFT and HUG will host their event at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi, Kenya on November 24, 2023. This event will highlight the latest advances in technology while hosting a panel of speakers from the United Nations, Alliance Francaise, HUG, and more to share their perspectives on the future impact of emerging technologies in East Africa.

The following 18 @HUG Artist have been selected to display their artwork at at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi, Kenya on November 24, 2023:

Selected Artists:
Uche Ibemere - “Sanctity” Caroline Harroe Arts - “The three pillars” Kevin Mwangi - “Mama Africa” MiracleOtugo - “Dreamweavers: Water Prints” Youngkevarts - “Najin and Fatu” Kiggs - “Connections” WanjiGallery - “Blooming Season” Lrdmnd - “Digital ancestor” Muriel Lherm - “Fractal Elegance: The Mandelbrot Muse in Motion” Pierre - “Twaja ” Minas Sanim - “Ornate 10” Sherie Margaret Ngigi - “THE COLLECTIVE SINGULARITY” Metadatamax.Eth.Co - “Zebra Within” Kashushu - “The Bachwezi and their sacred cow, Bihogo” Gavin Kendo - “Find me on the edge” umiamara - “The Fallen Tree Philosophy ” JenMarie - “Finding Our North Star: The Black Migration” Carlos Santos - “Tribal Transitions"

Congratulations to all our finalists and be sure to check out HUG’s Open Calls to find your next opportunity!

@everyone

Visionary Announcement: Oyi Sands

Join us in welcoming Oyi Sands as our second HUG Visionary in November!
Art has always been an integral part of my life, either through dance, theatre art performances or music, but my journey into my current monochromatic abstract-surreal art style began a little over 6 years ago when I started drawing patterns as a way to cope with anxiety and depression.As I continued to create art, I discovered a profound affinity for drawing lines in unique and diverse ways, finding solace in their creation. Over time, this passion evolved, allowing me to construct dynamic environments that represent realms I yearn to exist in and with practice and dedication, my skills improved. I often describe my art as inspired by escapism, and perhaps there is a considerable truth to that. Through my creations, I aim to transport viewers to alternate realities, offering them an opportunity to momentarily transcend the confines of everyday life. It is within these abstract realms that I find solace, and I hope to evoke a similar sense of wonder and liberation in those who engage with my work.

Benevolence of Capitalism by Oyi Sands
"Benevolence of Capitalism” is an artwork that serves as a commentary on capitalism and the relentless pursuit of success. As creatives, we often find ourselves caught up in the demands of capitalism, where the pressure to market our work, network, and compete with other artists can be overwhelming. 'Benevolence of Capitalism' seeks to illuminate this experience from my perspective—the journey of a creative, striving and dedicating immense effort, hoping that one day capitalism will bestow its blessings upon me. It explores the complex relationship between creativity and the capitalist system, raising questions about its impact on artists and the pursuit of artistic fulfillment.
Follow & support Oyi Sand’s work on:
HUG https://thehug.xyz/artists/oyi-sands
How to enter to win::
If you own a HUG Pass or a Meta Angels NFT, go to https://thehug.xyz/redeem-hug-points to enter to win 1 of 12 available editions. A raffle entry for “Benevolence of Capitalism” costs 1230 HUG Points, and will only be deducted if you win. The raffle entry period will be open until .

Selected raffle winners will have their wallet addresses added to the allowlist to mint the piece on Manifold for free (+gas).

What is the HUG Visionary Initiative?
HUG is granting $500 USD to 2 emergent artists every month to promote them across our platforms to an audience of 2M+ while directly growing each artist's personal collector network.Like the program's predecessor, this new initiative will provide financial compensation and support to artists while also allowing our holders to accessibly expand their art collections through http://thehug.xyz.
How do I apply to be a HUG Visionary?
Have a published or pending HUG Artist ProfileDon’t have one? Apply for free here: https://thehug.xyz/artist-profile-benefits Submit unminted artwork to the HUG Visionary Initiative for consideration: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/visionaries

@everyone - Innovation Laboratory is back! This time, it's an AI course for creatives set to begin in January 2024!

🎓 Enroll Now! AI Innovation Laboratory with HUG x Stability AI!

Registration is finally open! We're excited to announce that HUG will partner with Stability AI to bring a 6-week guided course on generative AI in January of the new year!

Starting on January 8, 2024, the Innovation Laboratory is a six-week virtual program for artists, art enthusiasts, and creatives to experiment and innovate with the latest technical tools in art and creativity. Learn through live, recorded demonstrations of Stability AI's suite of tools including:- Stable Diffusion XL- Stable Audio- Stable Language Models
All skill levels are welcome to join! Whether you are early in your AI Journey or are an expert explorer, participants will learn firsthand from live demos of Stability AI's model as well as have the ability to watch back lesson recordings on their own time.

Participation is free, but a deposit is charged upfront to foster accountability. Upon completion of an assignment, 100% of your deposit will be returned.

Be one of the first 100 to sign up with the code EARLYBIRD89 to unlock a discounted rate of $89, a full 50% off from full price!

Register Now:

https://studios.thehug.xyz/lab

🗳️ Curation Reminders

The following Open Calls are available to submit to today:

• Article Spotlight with UNDRGRND -- open call closes on - ChromaFlora Hybrid Art Exhibition -- open call closes on
  Voting is now open for the following Open Calls:


• The Joy City -- voting concludes on - Connecting Worlds -- voting concludes on
  Open Calls coming SOON:
  Keen Huggers keep an eye on our Open Calls Page on HUG, some good opportunities are in the works over the next few months! - ICYMI: Art Basel Miami + Crypt Gallery NYC -- READ MORE -- coming soon!- Lion's Milk Cafe -- coming soon!

@everyone Where in the world will our @HUG Artist traverse to next?

🌿 OPEN CALL: Chromaflora: Hybrid Art Exhibition blending Nature & Technology

HUG and Artsies Collective are partnering on a open call for 50 Artists to participate in Chromaflora: A Hybrid Art Exhibition. This exhibition is organized and curated by MUTI & Artsies Collective.

50 artists and their artwork centering around Nature, Tech, & Sustainability will be selected to display in Lisbon, Portugal from December 11, 2023 to December 17, 2023.

About MUTI:
A cultural association and DAO based in the center of Portugal, focusing on artist support and experiences in nature.
About Artsies Collective:
A sister led digital global Artists hub that aims to empower global new & upcoming Artists in Web3 through the power of education, community & exhibitions.
How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/chromaflora
This is your opportunity to be a part of an exhibition that sparks creativity & inspiration for a better, more sustainable future.

Let your work highlight the sophisticated dance between humanity, art, and nature and advocate for the integration of technology in creating a brighter world by submitting to this Open Call!

GM @everyone!

🗽 Innovation Lab Open Call Selected Artists!

Our incredible Innovation Laboratory recently taught Creators how to take their artwork and make it dynamic in our last course with Transient Labs!

An Open Call was held for attendees of this course to showcase in a Dynamic Art exhibition curated by Transient Labs. We're excited to share that Manhattan is about to get a whole lot more dynamic!

19 HUG Artists have been selected by Transient Labs for display at their exhibition at the Canvas 3.0 at SuperChief NFT Gallery in NYC's Oculus.

Selected Artists:
Botina & Roeleke (collab) - "Prima Materia - The Alchemy of Emotions" Bstract - "Tide | Bstract" Holakanola - "Whispers of Time" mysteriovision - "THE HOME" Lucky Star - "We are I" Wildy Martinez - "The Art of Self Embrace: My 'Dynamic life' with Vitiligo" KEZIAI - "2023" Nora Hase - "Dreamscapes" JuicyJulio - "Dark Radiance" VEL LY - "Witnessing ***: CENSORED" mizzy - "Miss You" Matt Humphrey - "3131" Goppie - "Day/Job" KeyRun - "Phantasmagoria" AMYLILI - "• Aiyana •" FineArtKrypto - "Vanishing Memories" David Oxley Art - "Time Is Colour" Karl Seifert - "Lassen Shadowscape" Fiatfire - "October 1923 "
Jump over to #🗣│general-chat and join us in congratulating these incredible creators! You can check out the individual artworks selected in more detail here: https://x.com/thehugxyz/status/1722316607714635913

Curious about getting curated next? Visit HUG's Open Calls to find your next opportunity 🤗

@everyone Time to vote for your community favorites!

🗳️ Voting for Alliance Francaise's Kenya NFT and AI Summit now OPEN!

As we work with our partners to curate who will display at this event, jump in to tell us who your favorite community submissions are! Please note, your votes will not create a definitive shortlist of any kind. Instead, they will go towards a separate Community Favorites list, which will allow us to spotlight and give extra love to additional artists on our platform and socials! All eligible submissions (abiding to the submission requirements and guidelines) will be considered.

The Kenya NFT + AI Summit in collaboration with Mbogi Ya NFT has invited HUG to curate African artwork for their event at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi, Kenya. This event will highlight the latest advances in technology while hosting a panel of speakers from the United Nations, Alliance Francaise, HUG, and more to share their perspectives on the future impact of emerging technologies in East Africa.

🇰🇪 VOTE NOW: Kenya NFT and AI Summit

18 Artists of African descent and their pieces centering around the theme of "The Future of Africa" will be selected for display at the Kenya NFT and AI Summit event on November 24, 2023.Community voting is open now and will conclude on !
HOW TO VOTE:

• Select Your FavoritesThe text at the top of the page lets you know how many pieces you can select. Don‘t worry about choosing too many because you will get to narrow your choices before submitting! - Review Your SelectionsYou will be asked to remove any selections if you are beyond the limit. You can also go back and add more selections at this time! - Finalize Your VoteYou will see a Submit Selection button once you have between 1 and the maximum items selected. You can click the button to finalize your curation selection!
  Happy voting everyone!

@everyone - Seeking an educational opportunity to take your creative process to the next level?

🤖 Stability AI + HUG: Workshop Announcement

Get creative with AI in HUG's upcoming Free Stable Diffusion Workshop!

This workshop will provide creatives of all kinds with hands-on strategic and technical guidance on how to collaborate with Stability AI's tools to bring their creative vision to life.

This one hour live session will take place on , and will be available as a recording to registrants who are not able to attend live.

In this session, @HUG Artist are invited to review how to use Stable Diffusion XL, Stable Language, and Stable Audio products, while sharing inspiring case studies and actionable strategies designed to help you take steps forward in your creative practice.

Register today to join the live recorded session, expand your technical skillset, & enhance your creative practice through collaborative AI:
https://lu.ma/hugstability
See you there! Let us know in #🗣│general-chat if you're planning to join us!

@everyone

Visionary Announcement: 64Rising

Join us in welcoming 64Rising as our newest HUG Visionary this November!
After a thrilling family holiday to Walt Disney World, I returned home filled to the brim with inspiration and a dream in my heart. I couldn't contain my excitement as I boldly announced to my loved ones, "I want to work for the magical kingdom and spend my days drawing Mickey and Minnie Mouse!" To make my dream known, I even posted my hand-drawn pictures all the way from the Highlands of Scotland to the magical kingdom of Florida. That memory still brings a smile to my face. And guess what? I still have Mickey and Minnie Mouse's signatures tucked away in my autograph book.That version of me was a courageous little girl with wild hair, fueled by an unwavering belief that anything is possible. I embraced an attitude of "Why not?" and fearlessly threw caution to the wind. Who says dreams can't come true, after all? I was determined to chase my passion with the same joy and playfulness that Disney instilled in my heart.But amidst my quest to join the ranks of Disney's magic-makers, I discovered something even more profound. I rediscovered the essence of limitless possibility. It wasn't just about Mickey and Minnie—it was about embracing a childlike wonder where dreams knew no boundaries. I realized that in this world, anything could happen if you believed in the power of imagination.From my work as a community support worker to my love for adventure in nature, my attitude has always remained "Why not?" And now, more than ever, I want to bring this spirit to the Web 3 space. I want to inspire others with my mindset and together, let's play, collaborate, and create. Let's make impactful changes in the world.
Heartfelt Vision by 64Rising
“Heartfelt Vision" is an exploration of the profound power of love and compassion, serving as a visual reminder that even in the most unexpected places, we can uncover moments of heartfelt beauty. Buzzy Bee serves as the wide-eyed lens, offering a unique, balanced perspective and celebrating our ability to view the world through the lenses of love, empathy, and compassion.
Follow & support 64Rising’s work on:
HUG https://thehug.xyz/artists/pauline_burnside
How to enter to win::
If you own a HUG Pass or a Meta Angels NFT, go to https://thehug.xyz/redeem-hug-points to enter to win 1 of 20 available editions. A raffle entry for “Heartfelt Vision” costs 1000 HUG Points, and will only be deducted if you win. The raffle entry period will be open until .

*Selected raffle winners will have their wallet addresses added to the allowlist to mint the piece on Manifold for free (+gas). *

What is the HUG Visionary Initiative?
HUG is granting $500 USD to 2 emergent artists every month to promote them across our platforms to an audience of 2M+ while directly growing each artist's personal collector network.Like the program's predecessor, this new initiative will provide financial compensation and support to artists while also allowing our holders to accessibly expand their art collections through http://thehug.xyz.
How do I apply to be a HUG Visionary?
Have a published or pending HUG Artist ProfileDon’t have one? Apply for free here: https://thehug.xyz/artist-profile-benefits Submit unminted artwork to the HUG Visionary Initiative for consideration: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/visionariesPlease note that our HUG Visionary Open Call will reset come December 2023 in light of the new year to allow Artists to swap out their pieces submitted prior.

@everyone It's almost time! November First Friday is just around the corner!

🎰 JRNY Gallery First Friday Selected Artists Announcement

HUG partnered with JRNY Gallery, located in the heart of the Las Vegas arts district, to offer 4@HUG Artist the chance to display their artwork during JRNY's monthly First Friday event.

First Friday brings thousands of people together every month in the celebration of the local culture and community.

We're excited to share that JRNY Gallery loved the submissions from our joint Open Call so much that they have decided to showcase not just 4 artists, but 6 artists! Selected artists will have the chance to have their artwork displayed alongside renowned artworks from the likes of artists such as Beeple, XCOPY, Dario de Siena, and many more.

The following 6 @HUG Artist will be showcased at JRNY Gallery's upcoming First Friday event in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday, November 3, 2023:

Selected Artists:
LOUIZE - "Black Moose Maori" JonAI - "Severance of mind" Andrew McWhae - "Field Trip #355" Historic_Crypto - "Aeturnum Vale" LUKO - "Colossal Presence" N A Z I M A - "boundaries"
Congratulations to our JRNY Gallery selected artists!

@everyone Ready to dance the night away? We're excited to announce the winners of our THIS GOES! Dance Party Open Call!

THIS GOES! Dance Party in Los Angeles Selected Artists Announcement

HUG partnered with THIS GOES!, a no-frills Queer Dance Party based in Los Angeles, California!

In this opportunity, we will be supplying the organizers with artwork from our HUG Community shown with credit on the venue monitors and projections. Our community of HUG Artists and their artwork will be the point of conversation as guests get groovy on the dance floor.

Originally, THIS GOES! was planning to showcase 10 artworks, but we are excited to share that due to the amazing animations submitted, their team has decided to increase to showing a whopping 23!

The following 23 artists will be showcased at THIS GOES! upcoming dance party in Los Angeles, California on November 5, 2023:

Selected Artists:
David Oxley Art - "(GL)ITCHY BALLS" Cromwell - "Virtual Machina: The Interface" Brat - "Children of Chaos #4" Seray / Glitchy Beauty - "seen and unseen" Monikque Art - "Colorful Love" Fausto Chinelato - "S w a n" EdurneNaia - "Pride Disco Ball" Copy Planet Foundation - "Cypher Haikus" jamex - "WE ARE ALWAYS SOMEWHERE ELSE" DIEGO MAC - "Peppermint, by SWEET DANCE COMPANY" HistoricCrypto - "Bigfoot Dance Party" saleh.c4d - "Dance on the air" Cristina Rigoselli - "Party Fever" EM! - "PSYPOP CARNIVAL" Ultima - "Cosmic dancer" Nuwan Shilpa - "The Trip" PrimitiveIntelligence - "A young NFT Artist is trying to get to the top!" Uwe Heine Debrodt - "Sexy Dance" AKANE - "Abstract#6" Nucara Renzo - "MONKY - Dance School" FidJey - "Run Away (ft. Latch)" Ricardo Dantas - "Freedom 02" AnnAsatryan - "Brave warrior"
Los Angeles -get ready to dance! Congratulations to all our finalists!

@everyone We’re excited to unveil a new Open Call opportunity!

🇨🇳 Display Artwork at The Joy City in Beijing, China

HUG is partnering with Neal Digital Gallery to display artworks at The Joy City, a tech-forward shopping center located in Beijing, China from December 1 to December 31, 2023.

HUG and Neal Digital Gallery are seeking red-themed artworks to celebrate the incoming New Year.
In China, red is an auspicious color that is associated with celebration, luck, and prosperity. All artworks should use this color as the primary color palette for consideration in this Open Call.
40 artists will be selected to display in this one-of-a-kind showcase of digital artwork!

About Neal Digital Gallery
Neal Digital Gallery is an artist-first digital gallery in China representing significant and emerging international digital artists and groups. Neal Digital Gallery is dedicated to supporting the world’s most influential and innovative artists and to share their visionary work with people around the world. Neal Digital Gallery offers holistic programs for digital creators at different stages of their art journeys, and provides opportunities for artists to showcase their work, gain recognition and connect with collectors. At Neal, they also focus on developing tools and resources to facilitate the growth of the digital art market. Our team is dedicated to supporting and uplifting digital artists, and they are proud to be a community where art and artists are celebrated.
How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/thejoycityIf selected for this exhibit, artists will be asked to register a DOID. Instructions to do so will be delivered to your email if you are selected for showcase.

Let’s see that RED @HUG Artist ! Good luck!

@everyone Vote Reminders! – Tell us your favorites!

🗳️ Voting for JRNY Gallery in Las Vegas and THIS GOES! Dance Party in Los Angeles are now OPEN!

As we work with our partners to curate who will display at these two events, jump in to tell us who your favorite community submissions are! Please note, your votes will not create a definitive shortlist of any kind. Instead, they will go towards a separate Community Favorites list, which will allow us to spotlight and give extra love to additional artists on our platform and socials! All eligible submissions (abiding to the submission requirements and guidelines) will be considered.

🎰 VOTE NOW: JRNY Gallery

4 artists will be selected for display at JRNY Gallery’s First Friday event on November 1, 2023.

🕺 VOTE NOW: THIS GOES! Dance Party

10 artists will be selected for display at THIS GOES! Dance Party in Los Angeles on November 5, 2023.
All community voting above will conclude on !

HOW TO VOTE:

• Select Your FavoritesThe text at the top of the page lets you know how many pieces you can select. Don‘t worry about choosing too many because you will get to narrow your choices before submitting! - Review Your SelectionsYou will be asked to remove any selections if you are beyond the limit. You can also go back and add more selections at this time! - Finalize Your VoteYou will see a Submit Selection button once you have between 1 and the maximum items selected. You can click the button to finalize your curation selection!
  Happy voting!

@everyone The time has come… this is the last announcement into the weekend, so gather round!

The Highlight Finalist at Suburbs Gallery has been selected!

HUG partnered with Suburbs Gallery in Montreal, Canada to offer 1 @HUG Artist a solo Highlight showcase to celebrate their journey over time.

Our friends at Suburbs Gallery meticulously curate and showcase artwork within their gallery, crafting captivating video and photo content. A highlight, as defined, encapsulates significant events or details that capture special interest. Suburbs Gallery has previously highlighted Mark Constantine Inducil, Dirty Robot, Lisa Odette, and numerous others.

Having a solo showcase is timely, expensive, and inaccessible for many artists and we're very excited to have gotten this opportunity to partner with Suburbs Gallery to offer this opportunity to one artist from our community. We’re excited to announce that our Suburbs Gallery Highlight finalist is…

Axstone

Axstone or Selin Çınar is an illustrator from Turkey who draws inspiration from early memories, old Atari and PC games, and the strange and extraordinary creatures that inhabit our chaotic universe.Selin has collaborated with prominent brands like Apple, Mercedes Benz, Efes, Nike, Adidas, Carlsberg, Edding, Asus, and more. Additionally, Selin has had the pleasure of working with talented musicians, designing album covers for artists such as The Upbeats, Tom and Collins, Kazi, Chuwee, Pawz One, and C Keys, fulfilling a lifelong passion for music. Her artwork has been featured in renowned international art magazines like Vogue, Nakit Mag, Hifructose, MailChimp, and has been exhibited worldwide.Selin's portfolio includes the illustration of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years Of Solitude" for Can Publishing. Her current aspiration and dream is to live in Japan and continue creating her artwork.
Suburbs Gallery will be sharing photographs of their special Highlight set up in their gallery for Axstone come Monday, October 23, 2023. In the meantime, join us in congratulating Axstone for being selected as our solo highlight artist at Suburbs Gallery!

@everyone Bonjour! Greetings from Paris! (Just kidding, I wish… but some of YOU will be there!)

NFT Paris 2024 Selected Artists Announcement 🇫🇷

HUG has partnered with NFT Paris to contribute to their 10 weeks, 10 curators, 100 artists initiative to bring 10 @HUG Artist to NFT Paris 2024!

NFT Paris is one of the world's leading NFT and Web3 conventions. Taking place at the Grand Palais Éphémère one of the most iconic reception venues in France, NFT Paris draws gigantic crowds of onlookers and attendees each year. Designed by Wilmotte & Associés and located on the Champs de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, it is the cultural and artistic epicenter of the French capital.

With an overwhelming 700+ submissions, there was no shortage of talent in this Open Call!

HUG Team has reviewed artworks for our consideration and the following 10 @HUG Artist artworks will be displayed at the Grand Palais Éphémère on February 23 and 24, 2024 at NFT Paris 2024:
Selected Artists:
Rodicqart - "Crypto Eth 2 E" Gregory Pezeshki - "Inflorescence No. 01" Postmodern Ouroboros - "Tabula Rasa (02)" Laprisamata - "Grotesque Funfair I" Dehiscence - "Somnambulist" Nina Krasnova Jr. - "One" Naka Liang - "Spirit Of A Dreamer" Hanne Van Briel - "Translucent Thoughts" Sworvx - "Alone" Amina Kudryavtseva - "Sicilian Defense"
C’est magnifique! Congratulations to all our NFT Paris 2024 finalists! We're excited to see your work displayed in the coming year's event.

@everyone Here comes TWO Open Call opportunities! One for African Artists and one for the HUG Holiday Shop!

🇰🇪 Seeking African Artists for Kenya NFT and AI Summit

The Kenya NFT + AI Summit in collaboration with Mbogi Ya NFT has invited HUG to curate African artwork for their event at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi, Kenya. This event will highlight the latest advances in technology while hosting a panel of speakers from the United Nations, Alliance Francaise, HUG, and more to share their perspectives on the future impact of emerging technologies in East Africa.

The goal of this exhibit is to share the power and potential of art and technology as a creative medium and tool for Africans.

SUBMISSION THEME: The Future of Africa
Submit artwork designed to capture the essence of contemporary Africa but also inspire the next generation of artists to celebrate the continent's richness in cultural heritage to the entire world.18 artists will be curated and selected by HUG and Alliance Francaise for display on November 24, 2023.
How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Only artists who identify as being of African descent or heritage will be eligible for this Open Call. Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/kenya-summit

HUG HOLIDAY SHOP: Seamless Patterns

As an extension to the HUG Print Shop, HUG is adding a limited edition collection of products for the holidays. Artists will be able to sell their work on festive items like wrapping paper, greeting cards, notebooks, and more. For our launch, we are looking for a variety of seamless patterns that can be applied… you guessed it, seamlessly, across popular gift items like wrapping paper, greeting cards, and notebooks!

8 Selected Artists will receive 20% of sales, and will agree to grant HUG a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, revocable license to reproduce, sell and distribute their artworks.

Artists selected may also opt to sell their seamless pattern as a digital collectible in exchange for an Artist Tip of $5, $7, or $10 from the buyer. 100% of net proceeds from digital collectible sales will go towards the artist.

How to submit:
Open Call: Now until Check to make sure your pattern is seamless here: https://www.pycheung.com/checker/ Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/seamlesspatterns

@everyone Carmel-by-the-sea, here we come! 🏖️ 🍷

MakersPlace and Nematic Gallery Inktober Selected Artists Announcement

Nearly 200 of our @HUG Artist participated in our Inktober Open Call in partnership with MakersPlace and Nematic Gallery in beautiful Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

Originally, 12 artists were to be curated and selected by HUG and MakersPlace through blind selection. With such a gorgeous array of artwork available, we’re excited to announce we’ve extended the spots to 15. The selected artists' artwork will be featured on digital canvases in MakerPlace's gallery and receive promotional amplification on MakersPlace!

The following 15 @HUG Artist have been selected to display their artwork at Nematic Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea in MakersPlace’s upcoming showcase from October 21 to October 31:

Selected Artists:
sonylemon - "Binomial" Jose Fuillerat - "Bravura en movimiento" Zhou Peng - "Inwardness #404704" Daniel Herdianto - "BLOOM" EdE - "Controlling the Gaze, 2/4, intaglio & drypoint, 25 x 18 cm" Chuma Anagbado - "Nlecha" Juan Casini - "Floating Rice Paddies" Riabovitchev - "Picadilly" MissMojo - "Permanence" Guillermo Arismendi - "The Healer" Nitesh D Mohandas - "Society of The Clarity" Elina Pai - "The Universe within us" greg fiut - "untitled" Heath Zimmerman - "Automation Society: Commuters" Biagio Mastroianni - "Raising City"
All artists have also minted their artwork to MakersPlace and will have their artwork available for sale at the Gallery.

Congratulations to all our finalists and be sure to check out HUG’s Open Calls to find your next opportunity!

@everyone Who will be the queen? (The Meta Queen that is!)

Meta Queens Finalists are here!

Meta Queens' mission is to empower and uplift the voices of queer & trans creators & artists in the digital space. They strive to inspire, educate, and entertain while building a digital haven where everyone can feel seen, heard, celebrated and protected. Meta Queens will give back to the LGBTQIA+ community, fund queer charities, and uplift queer creators in the Web3 Space.

With over 40+ submissions from our Queer @HUG Artist community, Meta Queens has made their final picks on the 5 background artworks to be included in their upcoming charity NFT collection!

The following 5 @HUG Artist have been selected to receive $500 and have their background artwork be used in the upcoming MetaQueens drop:

Selected Artists:
ggggrimes - "Whimsy" Captain Jaspiro - "Selense Vibes" Rin Hedges - "Ode to Scissors" Jeenal Bavisa - "Together" La Delmas - "Love Cakes"
Congratulations! Those selected will receive an email with next steps!

@everyone AI Artists and AI lovers! - Here's a very special opportunity coming your way!

$5000 USD Paid Opportunity by electric.film: 2 AI Artists Needed!

HUG is sourcing two (2) AI Artists from our HUG Community that will take part in the creation of special feature NFTs in electric.film's upcoming Genesis Collection.

electric.film will pay two (2) selected artists 5,000 USD each for their involvement in their upcoming NFT Genesis Collection. Artists will also receive an agreed upon percentage of sales from the drop with royalties defined by electric.film's own Artist Agreement. Prospective selected artists will receive a notification of an Artist Agreement offer from electric.film directly to review at the end of the Open Call period. 2,500 USD will be given upon signing the Artist Agreement with the other 2,500 USD to be paid out upon fulfilling contract agreements.

electric.film's upcoming drop is a fully-generative collection, therefore they will give preference to artists who are proficient with Open Source AI Tools like Stable Diffusion (1.5 - SDXL) running on any scriptable app like A1111, ComfyUI or pure Python.

To apply for this paid role and opportunity, you can submit an idea and proof-of-concept for a generative model to be fine-tuned and implemented in collaboration with electric.film.

About electric.film
electric.film is a decentralized film studio, which aims to democratize film production and empower filmmakers and audiences. electric.film is launching a truly generative-AI, film-themed collection, which will make the collectors founding members of the project. The images will be generated on mint by our revolutionary real-time generative system (imagine Art Blocks but with generative AI)!
How to submit to electric.film:
Submit a proof-of-concept artwork that fits the theme: "Imaginary Film Stills" using AI Tools (Open Source tools preferred!) and provide the idea for the generative model.Open Call: Now until Submit here: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/electricfilm
NOTE: Please be aware that the Genesis Collection will consist of up to 4000 NFTs and your generative model will thus create up to 400 of generative artworks.

@everyone The HUG Print Shop is underway!

HUG Print Shop Selected Artist Announcement

HUG received over 1300+ submissions to our 10-category Open Call for our inaugural Print Shop!
With so much incredible art, our Guest Curators lovingly reviewed all eligible submissions to select folks to take part in our first-ever community-wide commerce opportunity.

Are you ready to get real with your love of digital art? 📆📆📆 HUG's Print Shop opens today!

Over 70 artworks from emerging creators worldwide, curated by leading visual artists, just waiting to be collected by you, our print shop will feature artwork in the following categories:
Abstract Art AI Art Photography Collage Art World We Live In Words & Verse Furry Friends Stars & Signs Spooky Season What Do You Memeand a special collection from our Seattle NFT Museum display!
Whether it's a loving addition to your home or a gift for the upcoming holiday season, we're excited to unveil this huge effort and bring digital art into every home! Though this is just our first step of many, HUG will continue refine and reiterate to find more innovative and accessible opportunities in our mission to support artists worldwide.

👉 Shop now: https://shop.thehug.xyz/


*🤫 PS: You'll be happy you're here with us on Discord-- because @everyone here is entitled to use our 10% Discount Code "HUGGER" when checking out to save $$$! *

Happy shopping and show us which prints you're obsessed with! (Be sure to tag the artists too 😉 )

@everyone

Visionary Announcement: treeskulltown

Join us in welcoming treeskulltown as our second HUG Visionary in October!
Treeskulltown has developed an art movement known as Subrealism. This movement is inherently subtractive in nature, as it conceals the identity of a portrait through a subversive child's gaze—an eye and a mouth shape that reduce the representation to its primitive emotions from childhood: joy, fear, and anger. Subrealism also serves as a mark of our creative subconscious. Consequently, it involves the removal of realism from a work, especially in the context of a face. Moreover, it intentionally eliminates complex techniques in favor of the simplicity found in the fluidity of line work, pushing the boundaries of raw art and traditional animation. This relevance, stemming from a subculture, imparts a straightforward and effective creative pleasure, amplified by vibrant colors, while stimulating reflection upon a second reading of the artwork.Subrealism offers a contemporary representation of the concerns of digital artists, infused with a touch of heightened humor, much to the delight of both the artist and discerning collectors. Treeskulltown is a member of the ArtCrush gallery and NFTfactory communities, actively engaged in work on the Tezos blockchain alongside 800 collectors. Collaborations with @VonDoyl and @DehiscenceArt have been a notable part of this journey, including participation in the X-hack event at NFTFactory, where they remixed X-copy works. Exclusive artworks have been produced for @TheLostWallet, and Treeskulltown has been selected as an artist for NFT.NYC 2023 and the MOWNA Biennial. Additionally, they are part of the "Let Be Art #NFC23 Lisbon" exhibition curated by Braw Haus x Tezos France x Lezard House.

A big Mistake by treeskulltown
"the glitch is human and therefore often historic…"1/1 édition (MP4 is for gallery IRL i have GIF version for social network )Aprox 490 Mo4096 x 217859 seconds

Follow & support treekskulltown’s work on:
HUG https://thehug.xyz/artists/treeskulltown
How to enter to win::
If you own a HUG Pass or a Meta Angels NFT, go to https://thehug.xyz/redeem-hug-points to enter to win 1 of 10 available editions. A raffle entry for “A big Mistake” costs 1500 HUG Points, and will only be deducted if you win. The raffle entry period will be open on until .

Selected raffle winners will have their wallet addresses added to the allowlist to mint the piece on Manifold for free (+gas).

What is the HUG Visionary Initiative?
HUG is granting $500 USD to 2 emergent artists every month to promote them across our platforms to an audience of 2M+ while directly growing each artist's personal collector network.Like the program's predecessor, this new initiative will provide financial compensation and support to artists while also allowing our holders to accessibly expand their art collections through http://thehug.xyz.
How do I apply to be a HUG Visionary?
Have a published or pending HUG Artist ProfileDon’t have one? Apply for free here: https://thehug.xyz/artist-profile-benefits Submit unminted artwork to the HUG Visionary Initiative for consideration: https://thehug.xyz/open-calls/visionaries