The art world is immersed in a paradigm shift due to the emergence of blockchain technology and, in particular, the boom of the so-called NFT (non-fungible tokens), which allow the certification of unique assets associated with talent and their monetisation by artists. This is the thesis agreed upon by the participants at the closing session of the series of lectures titled “Discovering the blockchain”, organised jointly by the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and the Department of Alumni&Careers at UIC Barcelona. Titled “Disruptive uses of the blockchain: the case of NFTs”, the event attended by Martí Ras, NFT and Credentials product manager at Vottun; Cai Felip, CEO of UNION Avatars: Linking Realities; Llorenç Bové, CEO at myoo.io and co-founder of Myhealp; Sergi Moral, director of communications at Rungie and Albert Anta, chief operations officer of the Blockchain Centre of Catalonia. The event was moderated by UIC Barcelona's head of the Rector's Office and director of External Relations, Laura Rubio, and lecturer Pablo Agnese.

The aim of the lecture was to analyse the exponential growth of NFTs in recent years, their impact on the art world and their progressive implementation in other sectors. All the speakers agreed on the added value that NFTs are bringing to the art sector insofar as they allow artists to manage their own work without the need for intermediaries, and guarantee royalties practically indefinitely. Albert Anta stated that NFTs “are making the art world more accessible”. Then Sergi Moral emphasised the opportunities this offers artists, “who no longer need dealers to sell their work and, furthermore, are guaranteed to make a profit if the work passes from one hand to another”. He believes that NFTs offer new ways of capitalising on artwork, even those works that have already been made profitable through traditional means. Cai Felip then reflected on the need to promote NFTs from an inclusive perspective, “to allow for a true democratisation of the art world”. Llorenç Bové highlighted other factors that bring added value to the sector, stating that “NFTs eliminate the risks associated with the transport or theft of artwork which represents a clear paradigm shift”, he said. Finally, Martí Ras focused on the assurances offered by blockchain technology in terms of NFTs, adding that “the blockchain ensures a commonly accepted regulatory framework that gives artists the power to decide on valuable transactions”. 

Other issues associated with the different blockchain technologies used in the field of NFTs and their impact on the environment were also discussed during the talk. The speakers stressed the disruptive power of the blockchain given its decentralised nature, which allows users to regain ownership of content and monetise their activity online, in contrast to what is happening with the ‘Web 2.0’ model. “In 2021, NFTs associated with the arts became a media trend. In 2022, we will see the implementation of NFTs in other sectors, such as music, video games and finance”, said Sergi Moral. “The art world has always acted as a haven of value in terms of investment, and it is therefore natural that NFTs have experienced a boom, which will now expand into other sectors”, concluded lecturer Pablo Agnese.