Cosmolocal Playground Amsterdam
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Spring 2025
In the heart of Amsterdam, we're gathering to bridge global innovation with local wisdom to co-create the next wave of social innovation. The Cosmolocal Playground transforms a historic institute in Amsterdam into a vibrant collaboration space where pioneers of the decentralized web meet local innovators to build practical solutions rooted in immediate need.
Our residency series brings together researchers, artists, builders, and organizers from both local and global spheres for intensive two-week collaborations. Each residency culminates in an Open Market weekend where outputs meet the public in a market-like environment, creating immediate feedback loops and real-world testing.
Opening Weekend starts on the 25th of April, 2025
What is heavy should be local, and what is light should be global and shared.
– Michel Bauwens, The Cosmo-local Plan for our Next Civilization
The Residencies
Innovating the Commons
The residencies focus on Innovating the Commons, that is locating gaps in services provided by traditional institutions and developing novel products and solutions for organizing and funding the commons, utilizing decentralized and p2p technology.
- Two weeks of intensive collaboration with the support of domain experts and mentors
- Knowledge sharing with local institutional leaders and social innovators
- Market-like public showcase of developments during Open Market weekends
The Space
The current space, known as the NFT Playground, has served the central Amsterdam community as a public good, providing an immersive environment for creators to gather, learn, and build together as community.
Timeline
With two residency periods currently planned for Spring 2025, we're laying the groundwork for a permanent cosmolocal hub in Amsterdam while gathering insights to share with similar initiatives worldwide.
Apr 25 - 27
Opening Weekend
- Open House: Arrivals Introductions, networking, and setting expectations
- King's Day Celebration on Apr 27: est. 800,000 foot traffic
- DAO-supplied Music, Drinks, other forms of entertainment?
Apr 28 - May 8
Residency #1
Intensive collaboration Residency focused on innovations in funding and organizing the commons, including capital formation, allocation, and novel forms of organization.
May 9 - May 12
Open Market #1
- Weekend showcase to public and peers during EthDam
- Popup shops with consumer products & culture projects
- Interactive Art and Music experiences
- Interactive Demos, Workshops and Salons
- Closing Event for Residents
May 12 - May 19
Open Period
- Break to reflect and prepare for next residency.
May 19 - Jun 2
Residency #2
Intensive collaboration Residency focused on innovations in funding and organizing the commons, including capital formation, allocation, and novel forms of organization.
Jun 3 - Jun 5
Open Market #2
- Weekend showcase to public and peers
- Art show to raise awareness of public goods
- Interactive Demos, Workshops and Salons
- Closing Event for Residents
Jun 5 - Jun 11
Open Period
- Break to reflect and prepare for next segment.
Jun 12
EthBerlin Popup Market
- Popup market travels to EthBerlin to showcase developed products and solutions
Get Involved
By bringing together global innovators and the local Amsterdam community, we aim to create pathways for sustainable cultural production that resonate both locally and globally.
Email us at cosmolocalspace@pm.me
As a Resident
Email us at cosmolocalspace@pm.me and let us know what you'd like to work on and when you'd like to come.
- Access to the Playground during the day to gather and collaborate.
- Space in the market to showcase and market works or engage public on open market days
- Access to engaged local residents, business owners, and communities
- Collaboration and knowledge sharing sessions with other residents, mentors, and the local community
- Portion of shared production budget with which to outsource some production locally
- (Limited scholarship opportunities available for selected participants)
Partner with Us
Web3 protocols and ecosystems thrive on real-world validation—understanding how decentralized systems function outside crypto-native circles is key to meaningful adoption.
Email us at cosmolocalspace@pm.me about partnership opportunities.
- Field-testing – See how your tools perform in real-world use cases.
- Public engagement – Six weeks of presence in a central Amsterdam hub.
- Product-market fit – Direct interaction with local institutions, community leaders, and grassroots networks.
- Active participation – Send builders, researchers, or contributors to work alongside residents.
- Cultural alignment – Ethereum values sovereignty, collaboration, and experimentation—this is where it happens.
Resident Profiles
Bringing together builders and practitioners, this residency connects Globals for Global Innovation, who design and experiment with decentralized models, with Locals for Real-World Insight & Collaboration, who apply, test, and refine them in cultural, civic, and economic contexts—bridging Web3 with real-world impact.
Global Participants for Global Innovation
Those seeking practical usecases for their tools and frameworks.
Builders of Decentralized Tools & Frameworks
Testing new models for funding, governance, and coordination.
Public Goods Stewards & DAO Gov Researchers
Strengthening decentralized systems, infrastructure, and funding mechanisms.
Grant Architects & Ecosystem Funders
Designing sustainable funding pathways for Web3 projects and public goods.
DeFi/ReFi Developers & Incentive Experts
Innovating financial models, incentive structures, and regenerative economies.
Web3 Media Creators & Cultural Pioneers
Advancing decentralized publishing, journalism, and cultural funding.
Local Participants for Local Insight
Those seeking novel means of organizing, funding, and coordinating using decentralized tech
Organizers of Community Coordination & Funding
Applying decentralized tools to grassroots governance and mutual aid.
Adopters of Web3 in Cultural & Creative Sectors
Integrating blockchain into museums, art spaces, and creative industries.
Innovators in Civic & Urban Governance
Experimenting with decentralized governance for public infrastructure and decision-making.
Experimenters in Cooperative Networks & Mutual Aid
Developing new models for community-driven funding and resource-sharing.
Researchers of Blockchain & Institutional Integration
Studying decentralized governance and bridging Web3 with policy and institutions.
Problem Spaces and Outputs
Bringing together builders and practitioners, this residency connects Globals for Global Innovation, who design and experiment with decentralized models, with Locals for Real-World Insight & Collaboration, who apply, test, and refine them in cultural, civic, and economic contexts—bridging Web3 with real-world impact.
Cosmolocal Economic Systems
investigate alternative approaches to creating and exchanging value between global and local allocation layers, developing frameworks that support local prosperity while connecting to broader economic networks in ways that preserve community and individual autonomy.
Knowledge Commons
create new ways to share, create, and sustain information resources, ensuring both accessibility and fair compensation while bridging local knowledge systems with global networks of learning and exchange. (decentralized library protocol)
Public Media & Journalism
develop sustainable models for independent media and community voice, addressing fundamental challenges in how we fund and distribute public information while maintaining editorial independence and local relevance.
Commons-Based Cultural Production
establish sustainable funding and value capture mechanisms for local creators while connecting them to global audiences through decentralized marketplaces.