Digital Innovation in Art
Award by .ART

Dean Phelus is the senior director of special projects at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). With nearly three decades of experience at AAM, he oversees the AAM Annual Meeting and Museum Expo, the largest professional gathering for museums worldwide. Dean also leads professional development and training programs, enhancing the competencies of museum professionals and advancing their institutions' service and relevance.

As president of Howes Studio, Deborah Howes & her multi-talented team creates virtual educational experiences, digital exhibitions, and online courses for cultural institutions. Previously, she directed innovative educational initiatives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a frequent guest speaker and author on innovations in museums/technology/education arenas. 

Amir Soleymani is the founder and president of Mondoir Ventures and Mondoir Galleries. Recognized as one of the most influential collectors in the digital art and NFT space, Amir founded Mondoir Galleries which is now established in Liverpool, UK and Dubai, UAE, with expansion plans including the Middle East and Asia regions through 2024. In 2023, Amir founded Mondoir Ventures. Operating at the intersection of blockchain technology and art, Mondoir Ventures employs the mandate to advance Amir’s long standing support of artists through the development of tools, deployment of systems and delivery of experiences.

Paul Nicks started at GoDaddy in 2007 as a development lead and has served in increasingly important roles, most notably as Vice President of Aftermarket for six years. He now oversees all areas of domains and registrars, with a relentless focus on improving customer experiences and helping them find the right domain.

Nik Honeysett, current CEO of the Balboa Park Online Collaborative, previously served as Head of Administration for the J. Paul Getty Museum and led its Web Group. Earlier, he was Head of Production at UK's CogApp. His board experience includes positions with the American Alliance of Museums, Museum Computer Network, and he's presently the Board President of the Institute for Learning Innovation.

Ross is the founding Director of the Institute for Digital Culture. Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Board member for the Attenborough Arts Centre, founding trustee of the Jodi Mattes Trust, and in the Education Foundation’s EdTech50. With Art UK and Collections Trust, he co-founded the Museum Data Service. Ross co-edits the ‘Critical Perspectives on Museums and Digital Technology’ book series.

Anna is an art manager, project producer, curator, and business strategist. With 20 years of experience, she has organized global cultural events, curated exhibitions, and collaborated with institutions. She writes for art and business publications, lectures worldwide, and researches contemporary art and digital technologies. Anna also coaches art tech startups and is an expert in acceleration programs.

Robert is a painter and entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Well of Art, and creator of the painting software glaze.art. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and furthered his education in Venice and Cambridge. He has held solo exhibitions in Venice, Singapore, and Warsaw. Since 2017, Robert has focused on how art processes influence thinking beyond visual language and how technology can enhance creative skills.

Codin Popescu is the Co-founder and CEO of Artivive GmbH, an augmented reality art platform in Austria. He leads the company in finance, operations, and internationalization. Codin has extensive experience in business development, grants, and investments, having held executive roles at Fertgas and ERV AG. Under his leadership, Artivive won a Lovie Award in Arts & Culture and launched the "FANTASIA" open call for AR artists.