TED Business Forget hustle culture. Behold the Artist Corporation | Yancey Strickler
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Sep 8, 2025 
Yancey Strickler, cofounder of Kickstarter, shares his innovative vision for the Artist Corporation (A-Corp), a new economic model for creatives. He discusses how artists can collectively own their work and share profits, moving away from hustle culture and financial instability. Strickler challenges traditional corporate structures and explores how artist-owned collectives could reshape the entertainment landscape. He also addresses the impact of AI on creative work, advocating for a future where artists are empowered entrepreneurs rather than mere cogs in a corporate machine.
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Kickstarter’s Gatekeeper-Breaking Impact
- Yancey Strickler shows how Kickstarter bypassed gatekeepers to let creators fund projects directly from the public.
- Opening access enabled millions to exchange billions and allowed niche ideas to exist outside traditional business models.
Streaming And Algorithmic Value Shift
- Streaming platforms have shifted value away from musicians toward algorithms and platforms.
- This dynamic enables ghost songs and threatens a future of art without human creators when combined with AI.
MetaLabel’s Collective Book Experiment
- Yancey formed MetaLabel and published a collaborative book with 11 writers, splitting profits and creating a shared treasury.
- The group sold 2,000 copies and flowed over $70,000 through their arrangement, enabling a second book and growth.