We're so used to treating digital content like physical goods that we've forgotten how different they are and how unsustainable that business model can be. In this conversation, we’ll explore new directions for content consumption and compensation that respect the true nature of content today.

Specifically, we’ll investigate crowdsourced patronage, the idea of paying the artist directly for her work on an ongoing basis, as opposed to for each individual piece of content. Including examples, we’ll look at how this fits in with consumption trends like an emphasis on services over goods and access over ownership. 

We’ll also look at the implications for the future of content, especially at how distributing financial risk across multiple patrons instead of centralizing it in a corporation transforms our relationship to artists and content.
It’s still not easy, but there’s never been a better time to be an artist who wants to produce good work, nurture an audience, and still pay the bills.