Oliver Tree’s Estate Launches Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Art Grant for Baby Geniuses

Two weeks after the 32-year-old musician’s death in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, his family announced the creation of a charitable foundation called Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Art Grant for Baby Geniuses. The foundation’s website states that it will award grants to artists working in music, film, installation, and performance art, with the explicit goal of supporting “creative art projects while remaining active for at least 50 to 100 years.”

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Oliver Tree Nickell had publicly expressed a desire to redirect his earnings to artists. In a podcast earlier in the year he said, “All the money is going to go back to artists.” He reiterated the plan in a video interview, describing a grant system that would prohibit purchases of equipment or tuition but allow rental of gear and hiring of collaborators. On June 14, 2026, Tree and five others were killed when their helicopter collided with a structure in Rio; Brazilian aviation authorities are still investigating the cause.

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The foundation will be overseen by a board composed of collaborators who worked with Tree on music, film, or visual projects during his lifetime. According to the foundation’s statement, Tree directed that “specified non-art-related and non-sentimental assets” be sold to seed the grant fund, and the organization will also accept public donations. The board will review submissions annually and may fund either one large project or three to five smaller projects, depending on available resources.

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Grants must be used exclusively for the production and creation of art. Funds may cover rental of equipment, gear, or tools, but cannot be used to purchase them or to pay for formal education. The foundation’s charter targets a lifespan of 50–100 years, aiming to provide sustained support for emerging creators.

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The foundation’s mission statement emphasizes hands-on creation over academic study, echoing Tree’s own philosophy. Family representatives described Tree as “more than a musician” and highlighted his belief that “you are beautiful no matter how strange you think you look.” The organization confirmed that application details, including eligibility criteria and submission dates, will be released in the coming weeks.

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No dissenting viewpoints or organized criticism have been reported in the available sources.

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The helicopter crash that claimed Tree’s life remains under investigation; authorities have not released a definitive cause, leaving a gap in the factual record surrounding the incident.

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• “I’ll get my kids through college,” he said on a podcast earlier this year, “that’s the agreement, but there’s not gonna be a silver spoon. All the money is going to go back to artists.” — Oliver Tree, Podcast

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• “When I die, all the money is going to go back to artists. So I set up a foundation, it’s called ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Art Grants for Baby Geniuses.’ Hopefully it’ll last for 100 years,” — Oliver Tree, Video Interview

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• “You’re not allowed to buy equipment with the money, you’re not allowed to get education or go to school with the money, but you’re allowed to physically hire people to help produce stuff, you’re allowed to rent gear and equipment.” — Oliver Tree, Video Interview

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• “Oliver believed the most valuable way for artists to master their craft was not through studying, but by physically getting their hands dirty and creating things,” — Foundation Mission Statement

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• “No matter how strange you think you look, no matter how ugly you feel, you are beautiful,” — Oliver Tree (quoted by family)

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A celebration of life and memorial service will be streamed live on July 25 at the University of California-Santa Cruz Quarry Amphitheater, with attendance limited to friends and family. The foundation will publish application guidelines, submission windows, and donation information in the near future, marking the first round of grant allocations.

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