DUAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE .ART DIGITAL INNOVATION IN ARTS & CULTURE AWARD 2025
Artcrush and Whatclass receive top honors during exclusive London Gala
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, October 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- .ART Registry, in collaboration with GP Bullhound Allstars, is delighted to announce dual winners of the Digital Innovation in Arts & Culture Award 2025 (DIAC): Artcrush (Belgium) and WHATCLASS (United Kingdom). These two visionary companies were selected from 75 international applicants for their outstanding contributions to how technology is reshaping culture, education, and public engagement with art.
“This year’s winners capture the essence of what the DIAC stands for: using technology not as a replacement for culture, but as a bridge that connects creativity, community, and innovation. Both WHATCLASS and Artcrush demonstrate how digital tools can create new ecosystems for learning and artistic experience.” – Ulvi Kasimov, Founder of .ART Registry
Artcrush (artcrush.art) transforms unused digital billboards into the world’s largest public art gallery, creating a new cultural economy that connects artists, brands, and millions of viewers through everyday urban spaces. By merging technological infrastructure with curatorial excellence, it reclaims commercial media for cultural storytelling, offering artists visibility, brands cultural relevance, and the public free access to art.
Artcrush continues to expand its global footprint, now live on more than 15,000 digital billboards across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Highlights include a children’s art competition with BIC in Belgium that generated 100 million impressions and culminated in a mural in Brussels, as well as a full-city takeover during Berlin Art Week 2025, which transformed 567 screens into an open-air gallery and delivered more than €100,000 in media value.
“This award means a lot because Artcrush was created with one mission — to make art visible everywhere, and to remind people that beauty and emotion belong in everyday life. We share the belief that art heals, and we’re honored to be recognized among innovators who use technology to bring more meaning, color, and humanity into the world.” Mathieu France, CEO
WHATCLASS (whatclass.art) is revolutionizing music education by turning artists into educators and fans into co-creators. As Spotify’s global education partner and backed by ABRSM, examination board and registered charity based in the United Kingdom, WHATCLASS blends streaming culture with accredited, artist-led learning. From AI-personalized classes to a fan-powered IP model, the platform creates a participatory education ecosystem that is scalable, culturally relevant, and revenue-generating for creators.
With over 100 artists, 400+ classes, and support from leaders at Netflix, OpenAI, and Coursera, WHATCLASS is building the cultural learning infrastructure of the digital age—where anyone can teach, learn, and own a piece of the future.
“On behalf of our whole team, we are very proud to have received this award. We also want to thank all of the artists who have been a part of WHATCLASS so far and our incredible creative directors lukecharles.” Austen and Scott Smart, Founders
This year’s DIAC jury brought together an exceptional group of leaders across the worlds of art, culture, and technology. The panel was once again chaired by Dean Phelus, Editor in Chief of Museum Magazine and Senior Director of Special Projects at the American Alliance of Museums.
Joining him on the 2025 panel were Paul Nicks, President of Domains at GoDaddy; Marco Cappellini, CEO and Co-founder of ArtCentrica – and notably, last year’s DIAC winner; Dyl Blaquiere, CEO of Sedition; Ronald Gijsel, Partnerships Manager at Automattic and specialist in Art, Domains & Digital Strategy and Stefanie de Regel, Director at TAEX and board member of the One Art Foundation. Together, they represent a rare intersection of institutional insight, artistic vision, and technological leadership.
"My first time judging these awards has been eye-opening. Every submission represents real courage - turning creative vision into reality. Our winners shine, but I see so many promising ideas worth pursuing. Congratulations to ArtCrush and WHATCLASS." - Ronald Gijsel, Partnerships Manager at Automattic
The 2025 Allstars Gala, often described as the “Oscars of the tech world,” took place at London’s stunning HERE at Outernet venue, bringing together Europe’s leading entrepreneurs, investors, and cultural figures. The evening was a grand celebration of creativity and progress, featuring a keynote address by Baroness Manningham-Buller, former Head of Britain’s Security Service (MI5).
As part of its mission to support innovation in the cultural sector, .ART is awarding digital credits to all honorees after the award ceremony — offering up to $10,000 in Get.art domain value.
About GP Bullhound
GP Bullhound is a leading technology advisory and investment firm, providing transaction advice and capital to the world’s best entrepreneurs and founders. Founded in 1999 in London and Menlo Park, the firm today has 13 offices spanning Europe, US. For more information, please visit www.gpbullhound.com.
About .ART Registry
Launched in 2016 through an exclusive agreement with UK Creative Ideas Ltd and ICANN, .ART began as a pioneering domain registry and is evolving its mission to become the definitive digital archive for all art and cultural objects. With over 654,123 domains registered in 170+ countries, .ART serves a diverse community of creatives, artists, museums, businesses, and brands passionate about the arts.
Setting the standard for digital identity in the art world, .ART offers cutting-edge registry infrastructure built on the reliability and stability of current internet technologies while also leveraging Web3 and Blockchain innovations. Utilizing its patented "Digital Twin" process, the new ID.art platform offers credentialing and a suite of services that empower creatives to digitize, promote, and monetize any object—be it physical or digital. ID.art and the acquisition of HUG in late 2024 establishes .ART Registry as a leading online gallery for artistic talent.
Operating from international offices in London, Beijing, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C., and supported by a robust network of global Ambassadors, .ART is steadfast in its commitment to merge technology and art on a global scale. A portion of .ART’s revenue actively supports philanthropic initiatives, including the Healing Power of Art Initiative, to promote the therapeutic benefits of art. Learn more at www.art.art.
Register .ART domains at www.get.art or any domain name registrar such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, and others.
Jeff Sass, CMO
.ART Registry
+1 970-367-7277
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