This Emerging Layer 2 is Bullish on Art Drops to Boost its NFT Ecosystem

As Layer 2 networks grow in popularity for NFT communities, Celo has been pushing towards making its own NFT ecosystem as strong and relevant as it should be within the web3 art scene—and word is spreading like wildfire.

The emerging Ethereum L2 network has quickly gained momentum: in just one month, it launched Celosphere (its own RaribleX-powered marketplace), partnered with prominent web3 artists, and introduced the Celo Creators Fund, committing 150,000 USDC to support innovative art projects.

Let’s uncover Celo’s growth, meet the 10 Curatorial Board-selected grant winners, and check out the ‘Mayan Souls’ drop by Ananá - minting now on Celosphere.

Celosphere and its minted-out drops

NFT marketplaces’ growth can be hindered by exclusively having a secondary marketplace, which is in part why the Celosphere was designed with a launchpad for new collections as well.  Its inaugural collection, ‘Welcome to the Celosphere,’ and their following drop ‘CEL2’ both sold out quickly—the first with 50,000 and the second with 20,000 NFTs.

Not long after those drops, Celosphere welcomed popular artists Amber Vittoria and Empress Trash to launch collections in unique styles to debut on Celo. ‘Insignificantly Significant’ and ‘Art for Aliens’ were also smash hits.

But that was just the beginning. Activity on the Celosphere is still ramping up, with excitement building around new drops.

All eyes on the Celo Creators Fund

Along with launching Celosphere, the Celo Foundation made significant strides in empowering emerging artists to create collections for the marketplace.

The Celo Creators Fund allocates 150,000 Celo-native USDC for grants and creative programs helping artists and creators launch meaningful NFT collections. 

The initiative kicked off with an Open Call for creators and from 250+ applicants in 54 countries, community partners (Boys Club, HUG, Refraction DAO, and Rug Radio) each selected 5 community members to fast-track and the Curatorial Board named 10 outstanding finalists—whose artwork will mint on Celosphere this summer.

🏆 We’re keeping our eyes on the horizon to see what the grant winners will create: Andrés Hernández, Constantinos Daldakis, Lana Denina, Mad in Pixel, Natalie Lama, Pascal, Rakim Jah, Sherie Margaret Ngigi, Taylor Watson and Yohan Brizolier.

Mayan Souls drop live now

After all this, you’re probably curious and won't want to miss the next drop. Well, you’re in luck. Mayan Souls by artist Ananá is now live!

Mayan Souls is a collection of 7,500 NFTs (2,500 of each, randomized and revealed upon mint) featuring three iconic figures from Maya mythology: Ixchel (Moon), Yum Kaax (Nature), and Kinich Ahau (Sun). Each NFT is a vibrant tribute to the ancient Maya civilization.

Commissioned by the Celo Creators Fund, this drop will support the Mayan community in Calakmul, Mexico: all primary proceeds go to Maya Spirits, promoting gender equality and environmental protection 💚