<div>Hi, I’m Theo Eastwind, founder and creative director of NYC BuskerBall Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We’re dedicated to one simple idea: public space matters—and art belongs there.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>All donations to NYC BuskerBall Inc. are tax-deductible, and as a nonprofit organization we are legally required to account for every dollar raised and spent. Transparency and responsible stewardship are core to our mission.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On April 11, 2026, we’re producing BuskerBall 2026 at Tompkins Square Park, NYC — a free, all-day celebration of street performance and human connection. BuskerBall brings together musicians, poets, dancers, and street artists to create a day where people don’t just scroll past art—they stumble into it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This year, we’re also debuting a first-of-its-kind public experiment: AI “busking” alongside a human poet—not as a gimmick, not as a replacement, but as a mirror that invites curiosity. The question we’re putting in the park is simple:
</div>
<div>“If it feels alive, what does that mean?”
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>What Your Donation Supports:</strong>
</div>
<div>BuskerBall is free for the public, but it’s not free to produce.
</div>
<div>$5,400 is already committed just for the stage and educational exhibit displays, including:
</div>
<div>Stage rental and setup
</div>
<div>Basic sound production
</div>
<div>Printed and mounted historical displays (Buskers &amp; Revolution, Soapbox Tradition, Famous Buskers)
</div>
<div>Installation materials and event infrastructure
</div>
<div><strong><em>Beyond that, your support helps cover:</em></strong>
</div>
<div>Artist support / stipends (so performers can show up and be paid fairly)
</div>
<div>Permits &amp; event insurance (required to legally operate in public space)
</div>
<div>Exhibits &amp; printing (educational materials on busking, history, and free expression)
</div>
<div>Accessibility &amp; day-of operations (volunteers, signage, supplies, safety needs)
</div>
<div>Every dollar directly supports keeping this event free, accessible, and responsibly produced.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Why This Matters:</strong>
</div>
<div>Busking is one of the oldest art forms on earth. It’s spontaneous, democratic, and rooted in freedom of expression. In a world increasingly shaped by invisible algorithms, BuskerBall is a reminder that the most powerful art still happens face to face, in public, in real time.
</div>
<div>Public space only remains public if we actively use and protect it.
</div>
<div>Transparency
</div>
<div>We will post public updates as we hit milestones—artist confirmations, exhibit previews, and a post-event breakdown of how funds were used. We believe in accountability and community trust.
</div>
<div>If you believe New York needs more live street culture—not less—please consider donating and sharing this campaign. Every amount helps.
</div>
<div>Thank you for helping us keep the city’s most human tradition alive.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>— Theo Eastwind
</div>
<div>Founder, NYC BuskerBall Inc.
</div>
<div>[BuskerBall.com]
</div>

When Public Space Thrives, Democracy Breathes

Still $4,340 to go. Help us build momentum.