Where Culture Meets Sound Money.
Two days of live performances, visual art, a live painting, a podcast station, an artist panel, and a Lightning Lounge — co-curated by Bitcoin for the Arts inside Generations at the Midwest Bitcoin Summit. Working artists, paid in Bitcoin. The audience that already understands sound money — meeting the artists who deserve it.
Counting down to Generations
September 23–24, 2026 · Columbus, Ohio
The Midwest Bitcoin Summit runs both days at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Generations is the gallery and live-programming room inside it.
Visit the Midwest Bitcoin Summit →Bringing the culture in.
Bitcoin conferences have grown into serious institutions. What has been quietly missing alongside them is a curatorial counterpart — a serious cultural room, with serious working artists, treated as central to the programming rather than peripheral to it. Generations is that room, and Columbus is where Bitcoin for the Arts is going to help build it.
Generations is co-curated by Kyle Knight — a producer with deep roots in the Bitcoin culture world — and Bitcoin for the Arts. Together we program the gallery: live performances, visual art, live painting, the podcast station, the artist panel, and the Lightning Lounge inside a 100×60 footprint.
The audience is the reason. The room at the Midwest Summit is a crowd of Bitcoiners who already understand sound money — and who are, by every definition, the future patron base for the next generation of working artists. Bringing real artists into that room, paid in Bitcoin, supported by infrastructure that lets the audience zap them in real time, is exactly the kind of moment our 501(c)(3) was built to create.
Two days at Generations.
Nine programming threads run across the two days of the summit. Most happen in parallel inside the gallery footprint. All of it is built to put working artists in front of a Bitcoin audience that can support them directly.
Live Performances
6–10 working artists performing live across two days. Professional broadcast sound. Ticketed audience and Bitcoiners alike.
Visual Artist Showcase
10–15 visual artists featured on the gallery walls of Generations. Lightning QR codes on every piece, so the audience can zap the artist directly.
Live Painting
A featured artist creating a piece in real time across the run of the event. The work itself becomes the room’s anchor moment.
Share Your Bitcoin Journey — Live
A dedicated podcast station where artists, builders, and patrons record episodes of BFTA’s podcast on-site. Multiple episodes captured over two days.
Artist Discussion Panel
A moderated conversation with featured artists about how Bitcoin and value-for-value are reshaping the working creative life. Open to all attendees.
Lightning Lounge
Staffed on-site Lightning wallet onboarding for first-time users. The lounge that turns Lightning curiosity into a working wallet and a real first transaction.
Live Broadcast to Nostr
All live music performances streamed to Nostr in real time. The room reaches a global Bitcoin audience that can boost the artists live during their sets.
Artist Funding Raffle
Underwritten by a sponsor. A randomly selected applying artist wins a $2,500 Bitcoin micro-grant in the sponsor’s name, drawn live on stage.
Artwork Raffle
Open to any attendee. The winner takes home an original work donated by a featured artist. One ticket, one chance at a piece of working art.
Sponsorship tiers.
Eight tiers. Pick the one that fits your organization. Sponsorships are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law — Bitcoin for the Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit, EIN 41-2642260. Tailored sponsorships above the Presenting tier are also welcome.
Presenting Sponsor
- Co-branded as "Bitcoin for the Arts at Generations, presented by [Sponsor]"
- Dedicated branded booth space inside the gallery floor (the only tier that includes a booth)
- Prominent logo placement on the BFTA wall installation, panel stage backdrop, and podcast set
- 2-minute speaking slot at the BFTA mission panel
- One named-artist sponsorship included ($2,500 value)
- First mention in every BFTA newsletter from announcement through year-end
- Sponsor branding throughout the post-event recap video
- Permanent listing on BFTA Sponsors page and in the 2026 transparency report
- Tax-deductible to the full extent of the law
Curatorial Sponsor
- Standing banner placement inside the gallery (no booth)
- Logo on the gallery wall as the named "Visual Artists Sponsor"
- Named recognition with the visual artist program — "Visual Artists Program presented by [Sponsor]"
- Sponsor logo on the livestream lower-third during gallery walkthroughs
- Two named-artist sponsorships included
- Featured in BFTA newsletter and post-event recap
- Permanent listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Lightning Lounge Sponsor
- The Lightning Lounge takes the sponsor’s name — "The [Sponsor] Lightning Lounge"
- On-site staffed onboarding station inside the gallery, branded throughout
- Lightning QR codes on all artworks routed through the sponsor’s wallet (every zap demos their product)
- Sponsor logo on every Lightning QR placard, the program, and the livestream
- 2-minute demo or speaking slot during the panel programming
- Featured in BFTA newsletter and post-event recap
- Permanent listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Programming Sponsor
- Logo on the panel stage backdrop
- Named credit in the live podcast taping intro/outro — "This live taping of Share Your Bitcoin Journey is presented by [Sponsor]"
- Logo on livestream lower-third during the panel
- One named-artist sponsorship included
- Featured in BFTA newsletter and post-event recap
- Permanent listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Sponsor an Artist
- Named program credit — "[Artist] presented by [Sponsor]"
- Personal thank-you from the artist during their set introduction
- Logo on artist’s program card and livestream lower-third during their performance
- Sponsor name in post-event social posts about that artist
- Listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Raffle Underwriter
- The Artist Funding Raffle is named — "The [Sponsor] Artist Funding Raffle"
- Live raffle moment on stage with sponsor named
- Sponsor logo on all raffle materials and livestream lower-third during the draw
- Winning artist receives the $2,500 Bitcoin micro-grant in the sponsor’s name
- Listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Visual Artist Stipend
- Named credit on the visual artist’s wall card — "[Artist], stipend supported by [Sponsor]"
- Listing in event program and on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Friend of BFTA at Midwest
- Logo on a shared "Made possible by" wall card
- Mention in BFTA newsletter and post-event recap
- Listing on BFTA Sponsors page
- Tax-deductible
Our Midwest fundraising target is $80,000+ — the level that lets us bring working artists into Columbus and pay them like the working professionals they are.
In-kind contributions.
Cash isn’t the only way to support the event. Goods and services contributed in-kind are tax-deductible at fair market value, and each donor is publicly named. Below are the categories where in-kind support matters most.
A/V production support
Beyond the equipment Phantom Power Music has donated — additional gear, monitor mixing, or stage backline (~$2,000–$5,000 value).
Photography & videography
On-site coverage of the performances, gallery, and panel + edited recap reel for downstream use (~$3,000–$5,000 value).
Hardware wallets for artists
A great fit for any hardware vendor who wants to put their device in the hands of working artists who will talk about it on the broadcast (~$1,500–$3,000 value).
Backline gear for live music
Instruments, amps, drum kit, keyboard. A real contribution to the live performance program (~$1,500–$3,000 value).
Live painting materials
Canvases, paints, brushes, easels for the featured live painter (~$300–$800 value).
Catering & beverage
Meals or coffee for artists and crew during install and show days (~$2,000–$5,000 value).
Travel & lodging for performing artists
Hotel rooms or flights for one or more featured artists (~$1,500–$5,000 value).
Print & signage
Sponsor banners, wall labels, programs, step-and-repeat (~$500–$1,500 value).
Donated artwork (auction, raffle, or sale)
Artists donating original work to BFTA — for use in a silent auction, the artwork raffle, or direct sale. Proceeds (in whole or in part, by the artist’s preference) support BFTA’s artist grants program. A featured artist has already donated one piece. Each additional donor publicly named.
Be in the room. Make it happen.
Two days, nine programming threads, working artists from across the country in one room — and a small core team holding it all together. If you can give time during install (Sept 22), the show days (Sept 23–24), strike (Sept 25), or pre-event remote help, sign up here. We’ll be in touch as the event gets closer with specific roles and the run-of-show.
Generations.
Generations is a curated cultural installation inside the Midwest Bitcoin Summit, organized as four named zones across roughly a 100×60 footprint. It is co-curated by Kyle Knight and Bitcoin for the Arts.
A few quick answers.
What is BFTA’s role at the Midwest Bitcoin Summit?
Bitcoin for the Arts is co-curating Generations with Kyle Knight inside the Midwest Bitcoin Summit. Together we program the gallery: live performances, visual art, live painting, podcast station, artist panel, and Lightning Lounge.
Can a single sponsor combine tiers?
Yes. A sponsor can name a specific artist and take a curatorial tier on the same agreement. Tiers stack, and the recognition for each is delivered as described.
Are sponsorships tax-deductible?
Yes. Bitcoin for the Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit, EIN 41-2642260. Sponsorships are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
How does the Artist Funding Raffle work?
The raffle is underwritten by a sponsor (the Raffle Underwriter tier). Participating artists submit an entry; one is drawn live on stage during the event. The winning artist receives a $2,500 Bitcoin micro-grant paid in the sponsor’s name.
How does the Artwork Raffle work?
Open to any attendee. Tickets are sold during the event; the winner takes home an original artwork donated by a featured artist. Proceeds support BFTA’s artist grants program.
When are artist and sponsor announcements going public?
Artists and sponsors are named publicly only after each is confirmed in writing. Subscribers to the BFTA newsletter are first to hear as pieces lock in.
How do I get in touch?
Email us at info@bitcoinforthearts.org. Warm introductions are prioritized over cold outreach.
Be in the room when the lineup locks.
Subscribers to the BFTA newsletter are the first to hear as artists and sponsors confirm. Get on the list to follow what we’re building in Columbus.