Subvert

What is Subvert?
Subvert is a collectively-owned music marketplace platform that puts control in the hands of independent artists and fans. It provides a space for artists to sell digital and physical music, as well as merchandise, directly to their audience. Uniquely, Subvert offers artists the opportunity to become co-owners of the platform, giving them a stake in its success and a voice in its future.
Is this legit?
Yes.
Is this a crypto thing?
No. Subvert does not touch crypto in any way. It is structured as a cooperative which fully owns the platform.
What will I be co-owning?
As a prospective member of the Subvert cooperative, you're co-owning a stake in the cooperative entity that develops and operates the Subvert platform. Specifically:
The Subvert Platform: The cooperative controls 100% of the founding shares of an entity that holds the IP and revenue rights to the platform.
Platform Operations: You'll have partial ownership of the entity responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the Subvert platform.
Decision-Making Power: Your ownership includes voting rights on major decisions and in board elections, giving you a say in the platform's future.
Profit Sharing and Dividends: If the platform becomes profitable, you may be eligible for patronage dividends based on your ownership stake and platform activity.
What happens when I fill out the form to become a co-owner?
When you fill out the form to become a co-owner, the process unfolds as follows:
Application Review: Our team reviews your application to ensure it aligns with Subvert's mission and community guidelines.
Provisional Approval: If your application is approved, you'll receive an email confirming your provisional membership in the Subvert co-op.
Securing Your Place: This provisional approval secures your place in the co-op, before finalizing our incorporation as a cooperative.
Waiting Period: During this time, you'll be in a queue to become an official member once we incorporate.
Early Involvement: You'll have opportunities to influence Subvert's development and provide input, ideas, and feedback.
When will the platform be ready?
We're aiming to launch Subvert in 2025. While development is underway, we're actively incorporating valuable feedback and ideas from our founding members to shape the platform's features and functionality.
What's the timeline?
Current - October 2024: Forming partnerships and recruiting founding artist co-owners; Completing legal incorporation
October 2024: Public release of comprehensive plan; Opening membership to supporters
October - December 2024: Securing funding and beginning platform development
2025: Official launch of Subvert platform
How does ownership work for artists?
By joining the Subvert co-op, artists can earn ownership shares in the platform through being an engaged community citizen and engaging with the platform. These shares represent real ownership and give artists a voice in platform governance.
How can I participate in Subvert's decision-making as an Artist-Owner?
As an Artist-Owner, you'll have various opportunities to participate in decision-making:
Voting in elections for board representatives
Participating in quarterly town halls
Voting on major platform decisions
Submitting proposals for consideration
Joining or forming working groups on specific issues
Are there any fees or costs associated with joining the co-op?
For founding artist-owners, joining the Subvert co-op is completely free. We want to emphasize this key point:
There is absolutely no cost to become a founding artist-owner of Subvert.
We've designed this approach to make it as accessible as possible for artists to join our cooperative community from the very beginning.
Is there any financial liability associated with being a co-op member?
No, there is no personal financial liability associated with being a co-op member of Subvert. Here's what you need to know:
Your liability is limited to your membership contribution (which for artists is effectively $0 if you're earning through the platform).
You are not personally responsible for any debts or obligations of the cooperative.
The cooperative structure, combined with our corporate entity, provides a legal framework that protects members from personal liability.
Your personal assets are not at risk due to your membership in the co-op.
This structure is designed to provide you with the benefits of ownership without exposing you to undue financial risk. It's one of the key advantages of our hybrid cooperative/corporate model.
What personal information do I need to provide to become a member?
To become a co-op member, we require minimal personal information:
Your name
A valid email address
Your mailing address
This information is necessary for maintaining accurate membership records and communicating important co-op information. We do not require sensitive information like social security numbers at the time of joining.
In the future, if the co-op ever distributes monetary dividends, we may need to collect additional information for tax purposes. However, this would only occur if and when there are actual distributions, which is not expected in the near term.
What are the benefits of joining Subvert co-op as an artist? 
As an Artist-Owner, you'll:
Continue to earn a shares of the platform's profits based on your ownership stake
Have a voice in platform decisions through democratic governance
How do I join as an artist? 
To join as a founding Artist-Owner, please complete this form. We'll carefully review each submission to ensure a good fit. Our goal is to include 1,000 artists in our initial incorporation documents. Once the platform launches, you'll be able to create an artist account, upload your music or merch, and start earning additional ownership.
What does it mean to join Subvert Co-op as an artist? 
As an Artist-Owner, you're not just a user of the platform, but a co-owner. This means you can sell your music, earn revenue, accumulate ownership shares, participate in governance, and help shape the future of the platform.
Do I have to become a co-owner to sell my music on Subvert? 
No, you can choose to use Subvert simply as a marketplace without participating in ownership. However, becoming a co-owner offers additional benefits and opportunities to influence the platform's direction.
Can I still work with other platforms if I join Subvert? 
Joining Subvert doesn't restrict you from using other platforms.
How does it work with labels? 
Our initial focus is on developing individual artist accounts. However, we plan to expand our platform to accommodate label-specific needs and functionality in the coming phases of development.