NFT trends to watch, Erin Dragotto Director of Museum of Art & Light

By Selva Ozelli Esq, CPA, Author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally
The MOU issued by the SEC and CFTC during March significantly impacts the NFT collectible market by creating a "token taxonomy" that generally treats digital collectibles as non-securities. Digital collectibles that are fractionalized (providing fractional ownership in one asset) or structured with an expectation of profit from others' managerial efforts may still be deemed securities.
The SEC's 2026 interpretation clarifies that standard creator royalties do not, by themselves, transform a digital collectible into a security. However, if an NFT is marketed with promises of passive income or profits derived from the seller's ongoing management, it could still be considered part of an investment contract (a security).
The era of speculative profile picture NFT hype has subsided with this guidance offering a path to a more stable NFT market for digital artists. As part of her NFT series exclusively for Irish Tech News, Selva Ozelli asks Erin Dragotto Executive Director of The Museum of Art & Light about her journey to founding this innovative museum and how traditional, digital or AI artists can apply for exhibitions at MoA+L.
Erin Dragotto Director of Museum of Art & Light interviewed
Erin Dragotto is the Executive Director of the Museum of Art + Light (MoA+L) in Manhattan, Kansas. A native of Manhattan, she returned to her hometown to lead the development and operation of The Museum of Art & Light museum, which officially opened its doors on November 8, 2024.
The MoAL is a nonprofit contemporary art museum, dedicated to exploring the convergence of visual art, digital technology, and immersive experience. Through innovative exhibitions and interdisciplinary programming, the Museum expands how audiences engage with art in the 21st century, fostering curiosity, creativity, and meaningful connections across diverse communities.
As the Executive Director, Erin oversees fundraising, strategic growth, and the integration of immersive digital technology with traditional fine art. She advocates for the role of arts and culture in economic development, emphasizing that while jobs bring people to a city, "arts and culture make them stay". She recently curated the exhibition Heritage & the Human Condition and spearheaded the U.S. debut of the immersive exhibition Picasso: Art in Motion. For more information about the MoA+ L, upcoming exhibitions, and ticketing, visit artlightmuseum.org. Follow the Museum on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Interview with Erin Dragotto Executive Director of The Museum of Art & Light
Tell us your journey to becoming the executive director of the Museum of Art & Light.
My journey to becoming Executive Director of the Museum of Art + Light really began in Manhattan, Kansas, where I was born and raised. I left to attend Pepperdine University in Malibu, where I worked as a student at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum. Initially planning to become an elementary school art teacher, I graduated with a BA in liberal arts with a minor in art. After graduating, I found myself drawn to artistic storytelling in different ways—through public relations and book publishing, moving into agency work in Los Angeles and San Francisco promoting a wide range of products and brands, but always arts leaning.
While there, I felt a pull toward museums and arts education, where I shifted careers to work with a children's museum in Sausalito. It was there that I realized I wanted to build a career that combined education, creativity, and public engagement.
I went on to earn a master's degree in art education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which opened the door to my first major role in the museum field in education at the Adler Planetarium. Not long after, I was selected to lead the Chicago Council on Science & Technology, where I spent eight years growing the organization and deepening my experience in nonprofit leadership w...