Summary

This proposal seeks to allocate a portion of protocol fees (5–10%) into a dedicated Creator Pool, governed by the Zora Community DAO. The pool will fund grants, cultural events, and experimental projects, reinforcing Zora’s commitment to creators while increasing governance participation.

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Motivation

Zora exists to empower creators, yet most current fee structures primarily reward individual minting and trading activity. Little of this value cycles back into the ecosystem in ways that support new entrants, experimental art, or broader cultural projects. By reinvesting a fraction of fees into a community-controlled pool, Zora can:

• Strengthen the on-chain creator economy.
• Provide ongoing support for artists and builders.
• Increase DAO legitimacy by giving members meaningful governance over real resources.

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Specification

• Fee Allocation: Dedicate 5–10% of Zora protocol fees into the Creator Pool.
• Governance Control: The pool will be managed by the Zora DAO, with quarterly community votes deciding funding distributions.
• Funding Categories:
  • Creator Grants: Direct support for artists minting on Zora.
  • Cultural Events: IRL or on-chain events promoting Zora culture.
  • Experimental Projects: Innovative uses of Zora protocol or creative blockchain experiments.
• Transparency: All funding decisions and disbursements will be documented publicly via DAO records.

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Rationale

This proposal aligns directly with Zora’s mission of putting creators first. By giving the community agency over resource allocation, we create a feedback loop: creators benefit from the pool, DAO members gain a stronger voice, and the protocol grows as cultural production increases. This positions Zora not only as a minting platform but also as a cultural steward of the on-chain creative economy.

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Implementation

• Phase 1 (Pilot): Redirect 5% of fees for the first 6 months. Track usage and impact.
• Phase 2 (Review): After 6 months, DAO votes on whether to increase allocation to 10% or maintain at 5%.
• Phase 3 (Scaling): Develop structured grant application processes and potentially introduce matching-fund programs with partners.

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Impact

• Tangible support for creators → more high-quality mints on Zora.
• Increased DAO participation → stronger governance legitimacy.
• Cultural reinforcement → establishes Zora as the leading hub for on-chain art and experimentation.