Art4Giving

A Charitable Initiative Funded by the Sale of Ross Ulbricht’s Art

“I see a chance to make a difference…My own future may look bleak, but I can still do a little something to heal the damage I see all around me.”

– Ross Ulbricht (2021)

About

Art4Giving is a donor-advised fund (DAF) funded by the sale of Ross Ulbricht’s art while he was in prison. It was created by the Ulbricht family following the auction of Ross’s art in December 2021.

On behalf of Ross, Art4Giving supports causes and projects that make a real difference in people’s lives and benefit our society.

Who is Ross?

As a first-time offender, Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to double life plus 40 years without parole for non-violent convictions. In his twenties, driven by his ideals, Ross created a website that allowed users to buy and sell anonymously, as long as no third party was harmed. The site was mostly used to sell illegal drugs, and Ross was held responsible—condemned to die in prison. He had no prior record.

After spending more than 11 years in maximum-security prison, Ross received a full and unconditional pardon from President Donald Trump on January 21, 2025.

Ross began drawing at a very young age. Drawing and paining while in prison helped him cope with the harsh reality of incarceration. Art4Giving helped him find a purpose and make amends by helping others.

See Ross's Art

$800,000
Donated to Charity

Our Main Focus

Prisoner Support

Providing prisoners with meaningful prison visits, education, & more

Successful Re-Entry

Supporting the formerly incarcerated with employment, housing, & more

Harm Reduction

Providing drug addiction awareness, prevention, and treatment

See Our Donations

Highlight

Art4Giving donated to Girl Embracing Mothers (GEM), a non-profit dedicated to strengthening bonds between daughters and their incarcerated mothers by providing transportation to Texas prisons for daughters to visit their mothers. GEM’s mission is to empower K-12 girls with mothers in prison to break the cycle of incarceration and lead successful lives despite their family circumstances.

“As a prisoner myself, I know that outside help changes everything. I am honored my art can support charities that help prisoners and their families, as well as with re-entry and harm reduction. These causes are important to me now.”

– Ross Ulbricht (2023)