ZOLAK Micro Art Residence

ZOLAK is a community-run creative space in the heart of industrial Vilnius, built on two principles: non-violence and radical self-expression. It lives inside a former ELFA factory and has become one of the few spaces in the Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania where art, politics, independent music, and Bitcoin coexist without contradiction.

Co-founded as a home for liberty-minded artists, activists, and civic initiatives from across the world — particularly those displaced from Belarus — ZOLAK is not a venue for hire. It is a living infrastructure for communities that don't fit elsewhere.

What Happens Here

The programming reflects the people who built it. A typical month at ZOLAK might include: Slow Sunday — a weekly public open day with sauna, fireplace, film screenings, and open coworking; monthly Bitcoin meetups; BelKino — curated Belarusian cinema with lecture and Q&A by cultural critic Maksim Zhbankou; political philosophy seminars by Belarusian thinkers including Vladimir Matskevich and former political prisoner Mikola Dziadok; concerts by independent Belarusian musicians; electronic music evenings; harm reduction education by Legalize Belarus; film masterclasses; and community celebrations with donation-based entry.

Bitcoin at ZOLAK

ZOLAK accepts Bitcoin — including via Lightning Network, making it the first venue in Lithuania to offer Lightning payments. The crypto bar serves non-alcoholic drinks payable in sats. All space bookings can be paid in Bitcoin, with a 10% discount for Lightning payments. This is not a gimmick — it reflects a genuine commitment to financial sovereignty and peer-to-peer exchange as political practice.

The Space