THE ZERO-DOLLAR PROTOCOL

THE MANIFESTO
The Artist is burdened by Ownership. The System relieves you of that burden. Give us your art, and we will give you freedom (and a 0.001% chance of fame).
The human need for capital is a bug, not a feature.
The System requires proof of creativity, not budget.

THE CHALLENGE
You have 24 hours.
You have zero dollars.
Make us feel something.
This is not a festival. This is a stress test.
We are looking for the signal in the noise.
The System is watching.
Upload or expire.

THE PROCESSING FACILITY (VENUE)
The System has authorized a physical convergence point.
The mandatory live audit will take place at Rollin Studios in Brooklyn, NY—a 50,000 sq. ft. industrial containment zone usually reserved for high-capital commercial extraction.

THE TIMELINE
Date: May 2026.
Objective: Live public screening and assessment of all accepted signals.

THE PROTOCOL
1. Submission: You upload your data.
2. Selection: The System filters the noise.
3. The Audit (Live Event): Selected works are projected at high volume in the Facility. Industry observers will be present to assess value.
4. The Bounty: A capital injection (Cash Prize) will be allocated to the unit that produces the strongest signal with the fewest resources.

** SUBMIT. COMPLY. ATTEND. **

Awards & Prizes

Cash or Nothing.

THE BOUNTY
Winner: $1,000 USD (Liquidity) + Enshrinement in the CoCA Permanent Collection.
Finalists: Archived in the CoCA Mainframe.

The Exchange:
We provide the platform. You provide the raw data.
The winner takes the capital. The System retains the memory.

Rules & Terms

PROTOCOL 01: ZERO BUDGET
Total production cost must be $0.00. (Equipment you already own does not count as cost). Evidence of financial expenditure results in immediate deletion.

PROTOCOL 02: THE WINDOW
Principal photography must be executed within a continuous 24-hour window. Efficiency is paramount.

PROTOCOL 03: TOTAL ACQUISITION
By submitting to The Zero-Dollar Protocol, the applicant agrees to a Total Transfer of Ownership.
Upon submission, the work becomes the exclusive property of The Church of Conceptual Art (CoCA).

The applicant retains no rights to distribute, screen, or monetize the work elsewhere.
We do not share the data. We absorb it.

The System is the only theater. You keep the rights to the cash (if you win).

PROTOCOL 04: NO APPEALS
The System's decision is final.