Dear Reader,

Welcome to Plato’s Metropolis.

Our website consists of two main pages.

One webpage is a magazine / e-journal, which will be renewed at regular intervals. In general, we will proceed with updates when we consider that there is material worth publishing. There will be permanent columns and other occasional articles on music and other arts, culture, society, psychology, education, wellness and other topics of a general nature.

The journal as well as the whole effort is based on the passion of the people who will participate. The goal is to create a think-tank through which people, relevant to each topic, will express themselves freely, with only motivation, the intention to add to the public debate with their opinion not being restricted by other factors. The only limitation has to do with the logic and aesthetics of the articles. Views of extreme type, which emit disrespect (instead of comedy) without serious arguments and resemble simple – blind sloganeering will not be published regardless of the point of view they express.

The main website will function as a platform/company which will promote and/or produce songs and other arts, in digital form. When considered appropriate, we will also produce a relevant CD. In addition to what a music producing company traditionally does, some songs will also be offered in the form of digital property (non-fungible token – NFT).

These tokens are shares of the digital property and related rights of a particular song. More specifically, we are talking about digital property and related rights of the specific performance, while the copyright of the composition remains with the creators as is traditionally the case. In this way, instead of one buying a CD, (almost nobody buys anymore) he will be able to buy shares of ownership of a song he likes and believes in, with an approximately equivalent initial amount, directly supporting the artists but also investing in the potential success of the song.

The worst that can happen is that the interest in a song fade and the value of the token practically goes to zero. If nothing else, however, in this way the artists are directly and practically supported while the owner of the tokens also invests in the song from which both sides can win. There are and will be collaborations with other production labels who are interested in publishing their artists’ songs in the form of digital property through our platform and in this case the percentage of our platform will be minimal.

A key limitation will be that what is uploaded – proposed on our platform will be done by us in contrast to other corresponding and established international platforms where, the vast majority is open to anyone uploading practically anything they want, if, it is not stolen. For example, a song should have the aesthetic that suits us, not forgetting that in essence we are a platform that aims to have character, opinion and responsibility for the songs and other works of art that it will propose to its audience.

The goal is to promote and establish a concept that will provide most revenue to the artists. Our platform aims to cover its relatively low costs (this is the effort) and what is left over it intends to invest mainly in the production of new songs by artists who cannot afford to produce it themselves.

The platform aims to promote digital property and related rights beyond music, for performances, photography, astro-photography, painting, video, and general theme films, etc.

At this point I would like to communicate the rationale behind this effort to those who may have some reservations on the future of this platform. Mainly, to those with whom we do not share everyday life and who do not know enough about us.

From very early in my life I had a goal to create, at some point, the conditions that would allow me to devote as much time as possible to what I really like, which is writing and music, because as you know, art needs a sponsor. Also, from a very early age, I had been advised, by people important to me, that it would be wiser not to wait to make a living (necessarily) from what I love because that could become an obstacle on creation.

I have worked for several years on the areas of my studies, and I am satisfied with what I achieved in this field.

In short, I’m now happily planning, implementing, and envisioning things (creative things as well) that I hope will make a living for me and my family, providing me with the time to pursue the things I really like. I am already channeling this time into this effort, which of course I really want to be a success.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, the initial investment to build this platform is not significant in relation to what we wish to offer. I’m capitalizing on some savings I created by choosing to buy a cheaper car but also the money I would give expensive gift for my sixteen-year-old son, who makes me proud every day. The main partners are my son, who loves computers beyond music and art, myself with my own professional experience mainly in management and John Patounas who is an accomplished IT officer/manager. John is responsible for the “Metropolis” and me for the “Plato’s”.

In addition to the above, external partners are Absolute Web Developers, mainly Tor Larsen and Jack Evangelides, the Law office of Kyriakos Antoniou and associates and Globalserve Consultants Ltd in financial and accounting support and Timesred Video Production. There are also other partners that I will have the opportunity to mention soon.

In this effort, we also have the undivided support of my very close friend Doros Demosthenous and several other friends. The trigger for this effort was given to me by Mr. Michalakis, father of Doros, when he simply urged me to get involved, in some way, more practically with what I love.

Using our own experience, as well as the people we have by our side in this effort, we set up this platform with the aim of being able to be self-sustaining.

So, the reasonable question is: why do we do it? We do it to create a journal and a platform for the production and promotion of music and art in general, of our aesthetics as well as of our friends and collaborators aesthetics. The aim is to give the artists the opportunity to have a direct and easy way to be financially supported by their fans and supporters and the majority of the possible revenue  to go to the artists and not to the middlemen. At the same time, we give the fans/supporters the opportunity to invest in the artists for their own benefit since they will be able to resell the tokens they buy (instead of a simple CD) in a digital market that seems to be the future.

Of course, the financial success of the whole effort is essential to our vision. But if at Plato’s we have financial success, then we will be happy twice because this will mean that the artists will have much more. Also, in this case, where the operating costs of Plato’s are covered by revenues and there is a surplus, most of this surplus we aim to channel/invest in the producing of songs and art, by artists who cannot afford to make their own production.

Finally, all of Plato’s team want this effort to succeed and to last. However, if for any reason an end comes at some point, we will be satisfied with the effort, sice we will feel that we have added somehow to the public debate, through the articles in the journal, as well as production of artistic creation. From there and on, it doesn’t matter…

As for any expenses…we will probably not consider them wasted because of the work we aim to produce, but also because this is the “lifetime gift” to me and my son, with what we had available. My son has already gained valuable experience and will gain much more along the way. Jokingly, I will say, others spend them on souvlaki, beer or both, etc. This site is among our passions! 😉