Born out of a desire for an alternative to unfulfilling college night-life, Mettā Creative has existed on the fringes of DMV culture since November 2016.
Mettā, which means “loving-kindness” in Sanskrit, is a bonding agent, a glue between people, their community, and the public good. In the early days, Creative produced “Party with Purpose,” a series of parties that consisted of your standard music and dancing interwoven with collaborative arts activities, local artisans, plant-based food options, and diverse, live instrumental performances held in the safe container of mocktail-and-seltzer focused environments.
Local production company Nü Androids agreed to collaborate with the original Makers, Dylan Nunn & Gavin Pomerantz, on Creative’s first off-campus opportunity in 2016, when “ Mettā Club” emerged at a Nora En Pure show with art supplies and programming that created a space for person to-person creative connection in the midst of a dance party atmosphere. Dylan remembers seeing participants gleefully fingerpainting on a giant hanging canvas, completely ensconced in their shared creational and transformational experience.
Mettā Creative has matured along as its founders have, evolving into a full-scale creative events company run by community members. DC is known for its transience, and CNBC named it the “loneliest city in America” in 2023. In the midst of that seemingly desolate landscape, works to create spaces of connection that prominently feature local creators and artists.
When the pandemic hit, several members of Mettā core leadership moved to The Reed Center, a permaculture ecosystem rehabilitation center farm one hour from D.C. in Frederick, MD. Living in economadic vans and buses while earning certifications in permaculture, the Mettā team experienced the euphoria and belonging on a daily basis through everyday life in an intentional community that participants shared that they felt at Mettā Creative events.
This experience profoundly impacted the Mettā Creative ethos & vision of the members to ensure that sustainability, land stewardship, and community are at the forefront of all events. This shared goal led to a partnership with Roots To Sky Sanctuary, a BIPOC led land justice sanctuary in Oakland, MD, where Mettā Creative has hosted volunteer land-activation weekends, and will host an intimate re-launch of its flagship festival, Beauty in the Backyard, in June 2023 on the full moon in Sagittarius. Beauty in the Backyard is a creative arts retreat that brings together DMV area artists and musicians with acclaimed headliners for a transformational long weekend of music, art, food, workshops, creation, and community.
Mettā Creative strives to use web3 technology as appropriate to avoid any intermediaries or third-party management systems, combining all the necessary aspects of event management into one platform. Mettā Creative’s digital wallet allows users to easily send MTTA token to friends or vendors. MTTA token distribution is based on participation in events and activities promoting and involving environmental sustainability.
Mettā Creative is also revolutionizing the way attendees participate in live events. Using the company’s cryptocurrency, the MTTA token, to incentivize participation at events, resulting in higher engagement in the community and faster adoption of cryptocurrency. The Ethereum (ETH) network is the most established cryptocurrency platform, and Creative is looking forward to collaborating with other ETH developers to build a stronger community around blockchain and push the boundaries on how events operate in the modern age.
A core part of Mettā Creative’s mission is making sustainability fun, easy and interesting. One of the major ways this is accomplished is by integrating MTTA token into games, workshops and activities that promote environmental sustainability and cryptocurrency adoption. We educate our attendees on the basics of cryptocurrency, wallet creation, fiscal responsibility, as well as social responsibility.
Live Bettā, Live Mettā
