Raja Rajamannar, the company’s director of marketing and communications, said the Mastercard Artist Accelerator will connect artists from around the world with Web3 and music industry mentors.

“We’re trying to really give them a chance to break through and then shine,” Rajamannar said. Fortune. A Mastercard spokesperson told Fortune that the company is in the process of selecting the five artists and that any interested candidate can apply on Mastercard’s website.

The accelerator, which will be enabled by the Polygon blockchain, will launch this spring, he added. The initial five artists will receive guidance using Web3 technology, such as creating their own NFTs, which Rajamannar says could give his growing fan bases access to special benefits.

Through Mastercard’s limited edition NFT, the Mastercard Music Pass, new fans of emerging artists can also get exclusive Web3 and music educational materials, and participate in collaborative experiences both online and offline.

Sometime before the end of 2023, the five artists will showcase what they’ve learned during a livestreamed artist showcase.

The new program builds on Mastercard’s previous commitments to Web3 technologies, including cryptocurrencies and the metaverse, which Rajammanar says have helped the company reach a broader audience.

Last spring, the company worked with The Recording Academy to bring Grammy Week, a week of events leading up to the Grammy Awards, to the digital world. Roblox.

The company also launched the Belle Block industry group last June with the goal of attracting more women and non-binary people to Web3.

Rajamannar said the show would be considered a success if the company can help the five emerging artists get more fans and attention for their work.

“That’s the whole purpose at the end of the day,” he said.