To take Steem to the next level, we need to make a visible, physical impact on the world’s best cities.
We saw this with Steem Park, where 
Yesterday, I made a post to brainstorm ideas of how we could do a big-impact project in Raleigh. It hit #1 on the hot posts chart site wide - the first time I’ve ever reached that point on Steemit - very exciting!
Clearly there is interest for big projects built on the steem blockchain. We’ve seen how digital groups can collaborate across borders through initiatives like 
Going global is one way to pursue collaboration. Another is to go radically local, creating social structures and organizations that can facilitate amazing projects in the physical space. Non-profits for the new era, powered by the blockchain.
Why Focus on the Steem-Powered Music Venue Idea?
After I made yesterday’s brainstorming post, the most notable thing for me was that the biggest, craziest idea - a full-on house venue powered largely by steems - seemed like the most realistic.
The concerts might be a bit smaller than this, lol
The other two ideas just don’t feel big enough. Idea #1, to sponsor weekly or monthly music events, would be cool… but that’s doable with a single corporate sponsor. Not a big enough idea, and without enough impact to blow people’s minds.
Idea #2: A Steem-powered record label, isn’t tangible enough. There would be no permanent physical impact on the city - and even if we can fund a few great records, is that really going to benefit a large number of people? It’s a cool idea, but again - very doable without Steem. It’s not showing off the power of the blockchain.
Idea #3… sponsoring an entire venue…. now that’s remarkable. What if a non-profit venue, funded by Steem upvotes, could host shows 3-5 days a week and act as a local rehearsal space / recording studio / Steem recruitment and educational center during off-hours?
What if this venue was able to allocate all proceeds from ticket sales to the performers, the people working the door/sound/etc, and to local charities that make an impact right here and now in Raleigh?
To me, this is a big idea. It’s something that demonstrates the power of the Steem blockchain to create real change in the world. We don’t need to beg for scraps from the powers that be, we can make amazing things happen with the resources we now have available.
Today’s Phone Call
Forgive me for being vague on a few details in the remainder of this post - these talks are in the early stages, so I can’t reveal names yet.
Yesterday night I reached out to somebody I’ve met a few times - a cool dude with a history of running house venues in the area. I had heard that he wanted to start something new, and I wanted to see if additional funding would help to unlock some of the ideas he’s tossing around.
Today, in the late afternoon, we spoke on the phone. Within 10 minutes, my jaw was on the floor. Here’s what he told me:
(1) He used to run a house venue that was completely charitable. He and some friends put up the rent out of pocket, and all proceeds from every show went to bands and charitable causes. They never took profit, nor did they even compensate themselves for the cost of rent.
(2) They lost the lease on that house, and have been searching for a new space. However, so far, the opportunities haven't felt right - the only opportunities were more traditional, to try and run a venue for profit, not charity.
(3) Most importantly - they have the booking and logistical infrastructure in place. The same team that successfully ran the old house venue for years is ready to go - if they can just find the location and work out the funding model.
Are you seeing what I’m seeing? I’m seeing an opportunity to start a non-profit, community-focused venue within Raleigh - which posts daily updates to Steemit, garners powerful upvotes from key curators on the site, and uses those funds to pay to rent out a suitable location in the heavily trafficked downtown area of the city.
The space would double as a steem recruitment center, with every band that comes through being given the option to arrive early, or stick around until the next morning, and receive free coaching on how set up their own steemit accounts.
It won’t be a hard sell - “this whole venue is being funded by Steem, y’all should probably start earning money for your content too!”
We could even discount ticket prices by the amount of a user’s 100% upvote - they would just upvote the previous day’s post on their phone, then show whoever is collecting money at the door. “That was a $2 upvote, so instead of $7 for my ticket, here is $5.”
More Info Soon
I am meeting with the entire booking team over the weekend to pitch this idea. The one guy who I spoke with on the phone sounded very interested - and the main barrier right now, I believe, is just helping them understand blockchain technology.
Once they can grasp the ecosystem of steem and understand how it works - I hope they’ll be excited to move forward. More updates soon :-)