The Arts Funding Crisis Is Here. We're Not Waiting for Permission.
If you've been paying attention, you already know: arts funding in America is in freefall.
The Trump administration proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts entirely in its FY2026 budget. In May 2025, the NEA began issuing mass termination notices — withdrawing and canceling hundreds of grants to arts organizations across the country. Overnight, nonprofits that had been promised funding were left scrambling.
Congress has fought back. The Senate proposed maintaining the NEA's $207 million budget. The House proposed a 35% cut. For now, the agency is still operating — but the administration has doubled down, proposing elimination again in the FY2027 budget submitted in April 2026.
The message is clear: federal arts funding is no longer reliable. Whether the NEA survives another budget cycle or not, the trend line only goes one direction. Organizations that depend on government grants are living on borrowed time.
This is exactly why Bitcoin For The Arts exists.
We are not waiting for Washington to decide whether artists deserve funding. We are building a parallel system — one that cannot be defunded by any administration, cannot be censored by any platform, and cannot be inflated away by any central bank.
Our Plan. And How You Can Help.
Bitcoin For The Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We are the first organization paying artists exclusively in Bitcoin through micro-grants, workshops, and education. Our model is simple:
- 55% of every donation goes directly to artist grants
- 30% funds programs (workshops, residencies, education)
- 10% covers operations
- 5% goes to the HODL Vault — a Bitcoin reserve designed to grow in purchasing power over time, creating a self-sustaining endowment for the arts
Our first grant cycle launches Q3 2026 with awards of $500–$2,000 in BTC. As we grow, we plan to scale grants up to $10,000 per project by 2028 and $25,000 long-term.
But we can't do this alone. Here's how you can help right now:
1. Donate — Every sat counts. Give in Bitcoin or by card at bitcoinforthearts.org/donate
2. Join the Sovereign Circle — Monthly memberships start at $5/month and provide the stable, recurring funding we need to plan grant cycles with confidence. bitcoinforthearts.org/donate/monthly
3. Spread the word — Forward this newsletter to one person who cares about the arts. Share our posts on Nostr, X, LinkedIn, or anywhere artists gather. The more people who know we exist, the stronger our community becomes.
4. Apply for a grant — If you're an artist, apply. If you know an artist, send them to bitcoinforthearts.org/grants/apply
5. Share your story — We feature artists who are building sovereign creative careers. If that's you, or someone you know, reach out at bitcoinforthearts.org/stories/share-your-story
We are building the NEA of the Bitcoin era. Not from the top down, but from the artists up. Help us get there.
New Episode: A Royal Ballet Dancer Found Bitcoin
Benjamin Ella spent 17 seasons as a Soloist of The Royal Ballet in London. Some of the most celebrated choreographers in the world — Wayne McGregor, Crystal Pite, Hofesh Shechter — created roles specifically for him. He danced Albrecht in Giselle, The Prince in Swan Lake, and Hans-Peter in The Nutcracker on the stage of the Royal Opera House.
He found us on Nostr.
In this conversation, two professional dancers from opposite sides of the world — one from Alvin Ailey and The Lion King, one from The Royal Ballet — sit down to talk about what happens when you reach the apex of your artistic career but not the apex of living.
Benjamin discovered Bitcoin during COVID while serving as a union deputy, negotiating dancer contracts, and watching the government print trillions. He read The Bitcoin Standard. He watched Robert Breedlove and Michael Saylor. The veil was lifted.
Then Bitcoin led him somewhere unexpected: to faith.
"Proverbs 11:1 — The Lord detests dishonest weights and scales. That's what money printing is. Dishonest scales. I see Bitcoin as even weights and scales. Moral money."
He also dropped this:
"Stumble onto something that's true… and you can't unsee it."
Benjamin shared that Arts Council funding for The Royal Ballet has dropped from over 50% to just 19% — and it's still falling. The building needs complete refurbishment. The boilers are falling apart. The old funding model is breaking in real time.
His vision: a choreography studio in London running on a Bitcoin standard. A Bitcoin treasury for his church. Expanding his parents' ballet training program — which operates in 14 countries — with sound money at the foundation.
He also tried to orange-pill The Royal Ballet's administration. Twice. It didn't work. But he's playing the long game.
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/8FadoHhvxwY
The NEA Crisis: What You Need to Know
Here are the facts:
- In May 2025, the Trump administration proposed eliminating the NEA entirely as part of the FY2026 discretionary budget.
- Shortly after, the NEA began mass termination of grants — withdrawing and canceling hundreds of pending and existing awards to arts organizations nationwide, effective May 31, 2025.
- The House Subcommittee on Interior proposed a 35% cut to the NEA. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee proposed maintaining the $207 million budget at 2025 levels.
- Congress ultimately enacted level funding for FY2026, keeping the NEA operational — for now.
- In April 2026, the administration submitted its FY2027 budget proposal, again calling for the NEA's elimination.
- Organizations like Americans for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies continue to advocate, noting that the NEA supports community arts activities in all 435 congressional districts.
Whether or not the NEA survives the next budget fight, the writing is on the wall. Federal arts funding was never designed to be permanent, and any organization that depends on it is building on unstable ground.
Announcing: The Zap-a-Thon — A 7-Day Global Artist Showcase
We are planning something big. And we need your help to make it happen.
Bitcoin For The Arts is building a 7-day virtual artist showcase called the Zap-a-Thon — a week-long celebration of sovereign creativity, broadcast live to the world and powered entirely by Bitcoin.
Here's the vision:
21 artists for a 21 hour live stream. 7 days. 3 artists per day from different disciplines — music, visual art, film, writing, performance, dance. Each day features a 3-hour live stream hosted by a rotating cast of Bitcoin podcasters and influencers. Every artist gets a 45–50 minute segment: a live interview, a showcase of their work (live performance, pre-recorded video, visual art reveal, reading), and real-time zaps and donations flowing directly to them and to BFTA's mission.
That's 21 hours of sovereign art, broadcast across YouTube, X, Nostr (Fountain, Zap.Stream, TuneStr), Instagram, and TikTok. Every segment gets clipped and repurposed — creating weeks of content that spreads the message far beyond the live audience.
The week culminates in a high-profile in-person fundraising night at a venue in New York City. Think cocktail hour, a silent auction of artwork donated by the 21 featured artists, live performances by 3 selected artists from the week, and a room full of people who believe that art and sound money belong together.
Donors will be able to direct their sats to exactly where they want them:
- "Fund an Artist Grant" — fuel the next round of micro-grants
- "Support Bitcoin Education for Artists" — fund workshops and literacy programs
- "Grow the HODL Vault" — build the long-term Bitcoin endowment
- "Sponsor This Specific Artist" — zap directly to a featured creator during their segment
- "Sponsor The Live Bitcoin Arts Night" — put your name on the flagship event
This is not something we can do alone. This requires a global network of artists, creators, podcasters, streamers, and believers in this mission. We are looking for:
Artists who want to perform, showcase, or be featured during the 7-day stream. Musicians, painters, filmmakers, dancers, writers, poets, digital artists — every discipline, every country. If your art speaks to sovereignty, freedom, or the human spirit, we want you.
Podcasters and hosts willing to MC daily segments. If you have a show, an audience, and a microphone, help us bring this to life. We need 7 hosts for 7 days.
Live broadcast and streaming volunteers who can help with production, multi-platform streaming, audio/video, overlays, and technical coordination. If you've run a live stream, a Nostr broadcast, or a multi-camera production, we need your skills.
Venue connections in New York City for the final in-person fundraising night. We're looking for an elegant space that fits the mission — somewhere like PubKey or a gallery that understands what we're building.
Sponsors and donors who want to put their name on something meaningful. Corporate sponsors, Bitcoin companies, individual donors — every level of support helps.
Anyone who believes in this mission and wants to spread the word. Forward this newsletter. Share it on Nostr. Post it on X. Tell an artist. Tell a podcaster. Tell someone who needs to hear that the sovereign renaissance is real and it's happening.
This is how we build a global community. Not through institutions. Through artists supporting artists, powered by sound money, connected by censorship-resistant tools, and united by the belief that creativity deserves to be free.
If you want to be part of the Zap-a-Thon — as an artist, host, volunteer, sponsor, or supporter — reply to this email or reach out at [email protected]. We are building the team now.
More details coming soon. Stay tuned.
Bitcoin For The Arts is building on bedrock. Sound money. Radical transparency. Direct artist support. No gatekeepers. No politicians deciding who deserves to create.
This is the sovereign renaissance. Help us build it.
Links
Join the Sovereign Circle: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org/donate/monthly
Watch Episode 4: https://youtu.be/8FadoHhvxwY
Apply for a grant: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org/grants/apply
Share your story: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org/stories/share-your-story
Read artist stories: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org/stories
Website: https://www.bitcoinforthearts.org
Bitcoin For The Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit.
27 W 60th St. P.O. Box 20069, New York, NY 10023