Coinfest 2014 Art & Trade Show

Fun All-day Bitcoin Community Event

Bitcoin is off to an amazing start in 2014, and Vancouver remains front and center! We now have about a couple dozen venues accepting Bitcoin in town, with more signing up every week. Bitcoiniacs have launched a new trading platform called CoinTrader, and QuadrigaCX has launched a free platform of their own. With more Bitcoin ATMs (courtesy of QuadrigaCX) on their way to different locations, we have the perfect opportunity to hold a truly decentralized currency convention!

For those who are not yet aware, CoinFest is a fun event where the Bitcoin community gathers to demonstrate how cryptocurrency works. Here you can practice and learn about the revolutionary technology and concept behind new digital money. It’s also the perfect place for Bitcoin afficionados. Each venue will have its own activities and themes; they will all be within close walking distance, or access to Bitcoin-themed transportation will be provided.

Vancouver English Centre is a large building downtown that can be booked using Barter Dollars, another alternative currency that’s been around for a while. We have 8,000 square feet of space, large monitors for digital presentations, a sound system and high speed Internet with livestream capability to the International Hangout and Utherverse. We have dozens of booths showcasing art and creative projects related to and/or available for Bitcoin, facilitating attractions including (to be updated):

• Vancouver’s CoinFest proudly presents a live auction hosted by Paul Becker, Director of Sales for Stewart Stephenson Modern Art Gallery. This exciting event has art for all levels of collectors including works starting at only $75. Featured artists include: Marcus Glenn the official artist for the 2014 Grammy Awards, Shepard Fairey the man behind “Obey Giant” and the iconic Obama “Hope” poster, Romero Britto, the official artist for the 2014 World Cup, Raymond Chow local pillar of the Vancouver art community and Vancouver’s hottest art sensation Stewart Stephenson. Bids are made in $CAD amounts, and winners pay with Visa, Mastercard, cheque or Bitcoin.

• Artistrun Collective is producing a group art show, with art made from DE-circulated Canadian pennies that can be purchased with Bitcoin virtual currency. Artists include Raymond Chow, Lawrence McDonald, Carolyn Kramer, Liza J. Lee, Bill Higginson and Olga Rybalko. The social change theme of the CoinFest Art Show is:“Out with the old fiat currency. In with the new virtual currency”.

• CoinFest is hosting a special art fundraiser launch for The Canadian Sound Therapy Arts Society to use the power of art and nature to create dialogue and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in Canada. As part of the mandate and as access producer, the Society has several weekly time slots on community television channel broadcast on Shaw Cable 4. The launch fundraiser accepts Bitcoin to support ongoing and local art fundraisers for 2014.

• Other participating artists, including Bitcoin-inspired paintings from Chris Brett, Bitcoin figurines (such as Anarkitty) and crafted pieces, assorted products available for Bitcoin and buskers like Clara the Sidewalk Cellist.

• Cryptocurrency-themed computer games by Katrina Caudle, will be present at the Media Center. There will also be speakers from various sponsors including the Bitcoin Cooperative. A wallet set-up workshop will be held.

• A 3D virtual CoinFest event made possible by Utherverse, including an art show to be displayed at the physical venue via monitor. We will have a media station where interviews will be broadcast to the International Hangout, and other activities will be conducted to facilitate communication between the different regions hosting CoinFest.

CoinFest has no rules beyond common courtesy (and decency) and those required by law; however, there are some guidelines that you should be aware of. The vendors at this event are covering the rental cost (keeping the event free), so please purchase at least one item from the venue. This also encourages more venues to accept alternative currency in the future. CoinFest is an ardent supporter of alternative currency and does not work with fiat-only venues.

The organizer of this event does not charge any money to the venue or the event participants. It takes work, though, so if you want to, you may donate BTC to him at 13SH6sEaETA5Ca7Gb5kb1Yv5SjqxauvKdm. If you possess more than a few hundred bitcoins, or you are a business that will profit from this event, it is recommended that you donate and write him a nice message at a.j.wagner.89@gmail.com.

Individuals and businesses that support the CoinFest will be be recognized by the host and the community in many ways, and may be given preferred accommodations. At least 50% of the bitcoins raised will go directly to the Bitcoin Cooperative’s Non-profit Bitcoin Outreach Fund, to be used for spreading Bitcoin awareness and acceptance in a manner chosen democratically by the community.

Many of the guests include Decentral aka DCTRL members.

The History of Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a digital currency created by an anonymous person or group of people in 2008 called Satoshi Nakamoto. The identity of the name remains anonymous today. Bitcoin is a digital currency that operates without a central authority or government, called decentralization. Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain and maintained on a network of computers called nodes. The blockchain ensures that all transactions are secure and transparent.

Satoshi Nakamoto authored and published the Bitcoin whitepaper in 2008. It proposed a new type of digital currency that would be decentralized, secure, and peer-to-peer. The main problem it aimed to solve was the issue of double-spending, which occurs when a digital currency is spent more than once.

The proposed solution for Bitcoin is a proof-of-work system using a chain of blocks to store and verify transactions. Each block contains a hash of the previous block, making it impossible to alter any transaction, which is called a blockchain, without altering all subsequent blocks. Using blockchain technology creates a secure and tamper-proof ledger for all transactions.

The Bitcoin whitepaper also proposed a decentralized network of nodes, each responsible for storing a copy of the blockchain and verifying new transactions. Bitcoin’s network is self-regulating, with nodes incentivized to behave honestly and prevent attacks on the system.

No one can edit the Bitcoin whitepaper rules written in 2008; therefore, Bitcoin is considered the most decentralized digital currency. People can propose changes but not force the software’s nodes to adopt them. Also written into the Bitcoin code is the total number of Bitcoins that can ever exist is 21 million.

The first Bitcoin transaction occurred in January 2009, when Satoshi Nakamoto sent 10 Bitcoins to software developer Hal Finney. After that, Bitcoin’s popularity gained momentum as more people became aware of its potential to revolutionize the financial sector. Bitcoin’s decentralized structure means users have greater control over their money and make transactions quickly, securely, and anonymously.

Traditionally, banks and other financial institutions act as intermediaries, leading to slower transaction times, higher fees, and potential security risks. However, with Bitcoin’s decentralized structure, no person can control it independently, and transactions can be processed quickly and securely between users.

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See photos: Coinfest 2014 Art & Trade Show