LUME. Creatives in Web3 Age

The creative industries are going through a period of transition. Old revenue models are crumbling, the platform economy has changed distribution, and artificial intelligence is challenging the traditions of authorship and creative work. As cultural services increasingly move into the digital world, is it worth considering on whose terms this future will be built? The Crypto Society report by the Parliamentary Committee on the Future, published in November 2025, examines the effects of blockchains, digital money and decentralized systems on the economy, infrastructure and the functioning of society. Although the report does not focus on the creative industries, the changes it describes also directly affect the cultural field: ownership, revenue and on whose terms the digital future will be built. When the report is reflected in the perspective of our LUME project (Creatives in Web3), an overall picture emerges of how these major developments are visible on a practical level for creators and producers in the cultural sector. Here are five takeaways from what these publications tell us about the future of the creative industry. 1. Disruption is part of natural renewal The Crypto Society reminds us that disruptive innovations arise from market inefficiencies and can simultaneously create new value and destroy old. In the creative industry, this cycle is already commonplace: streaming collapsed the record trade but created global digital distribution, while social media took power away from the gatekeepers of traditional media but gave it to algorithms controlled by tech giants. The message of the report is clear: the destruction of the old is often a prerequisite for the new. What matters is what the creative industry wants to build in its place. 2. Digital infrastructure is vulnerable and the cultural sector depends on it The report describes situations where a single tech company’s mistake brought banks, airlines and hospitals to a standstill. This illustrates how dependent we are on digital infrastructure. When Spotify changes the pricing logic of audiobooks or TikTok’s algorithm changes, the impact on an artist’s distribution and livelihood is immediate. When Bandcamp was sold to a new owner, the indie music industry became nervous. The parliamentary report highlights how dependent we are on a few major tech companies. The cultural sector lives on systems that it does not own or control. Web3 and decentralized technologies aim to respond to this vulnerability by reducing the power of centralized actors. 3. The transformation of revenue models: from the platform economy to the creator economy The report talks about “the transformation of value creation” and sees blockchain as “the code behind a new networked economy.” This hits right at the heart of the creative industry’s pain points, as the current internet is focused on a monopoly of a few giants, creatives are left in the shadow of middlemen, and money flows to platforms, not content creators. The ethos of Web3 offers a counterforce: The ideal of decentralization: power is decentralized closer to creators and communities. This can be seen, for example, in clearer ownership: the creator is not just a content creator on the platform, but also the owner of their own data and works Smart contracts: code automatically ensures that rules are implemented and automates trust, also speeding up financial transactions DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations): digital age cooperatives that enable communal decision-making and asset management Tokenization: Enables micro-ownership and new revenue streams where fans can be investors or share in the success. Any asset, whether it's a painting, a song, or an event, can be broken down into micro-ownerships, opening up new revenue streams. For the creative industry, this can mean, in concrete terms, automation of aftermarket royalties, fan engagement and community funding, and greater direct revenue for the creator. For the creative industry, this can mean, in concrete terms, automation of aftermarket royalties, fan engagement and community funding, and greater direct revenue for the creator. 4. Technology is not value-free and a critical voice is important The report reminds us that technological development is driven by the value choices we make as a society. This also applies to the cultural sector. The crypto society highlights in particular the energy consumption of Bitcoin. In the LUME project, we have noticed how students and artists in the creative sector are concerned about the ecological footprint of the blockchain and how this affects their willingness to use new technology. In addition, uncertain revenue streams and fluctuations in the crypto market are risks that cannot be ignored. New technology creates new risks, and managing them requires regulation, infrastructure stability and shared values. Web3 is not a magic wand, and it will not solve old problems on its own, but it offers alternatives. And above all, a good reason to consider what kind of models we want to build for culture and art in the coming decades. 5. Can we benefit from the cycle of “destruction and renewal”? The publication The Crypto Society helps us understand why the cycle of destruction and renewal is accelerating: technologies, geopolitical climate and cultural change are all happening at the same time. In the creative sector, this can also be an opportunity to map out new models, break away from the monopoly of technology companies, build fairer revenue models and strengthen the sovereignty of Finnish culture in the digital world. This requires national regulation, tax clarity, brave experimenters and new web3 literacy for the cultural sector. Producers, managers and artists need expertise so that we can implement the tools that really benefit creators. Finally The Crypto Society report shows that the digital age and change is not just about technology, but about power, ownership and values. That is why the cultural sector has a special role: the ability to imagine, test and question existing models. Web3 and decentralized technologies are not a ready-made solution. They alone will not fix old structures, and they do not fit all needs. But they open up space for alternatives such as fairer distribution methods, new revenue models and community ownership, which traditional platforms never made possible. Change is inevitable, but its direction can be influenced. If we know how to combine the possibilities of technology with the cultural sector's own values ​​and expertise, the Finnish creative sector can move from an adaptor to an active trendsetter in the next phase of a digitalizing society. Marja Konttinen works as an expert at Metropolia in the LUME project, co-funded by the European Union, which focuses on researching new technologies and revenue models in the creative sector. References Eriksson, Taina et al.: Krypton yhteiskunta. Eduskunnan tulevaisuusvaliokunnan julkaisu 3/2025. https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/valiokunnat/tulevaisuusvaliokunta/julkaisut/Sivut/krypton-yhteiskunta.aspx Halonen, Katri & Hero, Laura-Maija (toim.): Luovat web3-ajassa – Unelmia, haasteita ja ansaintamahdollisuuksia (2023). https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/804590/2023%20Taito%20116%20Luovat%20web3-ajassa.pdf