This vision has been created as a part of the Black Rock City Cultural Direction Setting project, and is a guidepost for where we want our culture in Black Rock City to be in the next five to 10 years. It addresses our current challenges, sets a course for the future, and suggests changes to placement and other approaches over time.

You can download a PDF version of the vision here. If you’re short on time and would like to read a quicker version of the vision, here’s the snapshot. We highly recommend reading the vision in its entirety.

Table of Contents

Preface

The Cultural Direction Setting project began with these questions and concerns:

As the event in the desert has evolved and our culture gains more traction and attention in mainstream society, questions and concerns have been raised around the size of camps, relative inclusivity or exclusivity, requirements for interactivity, and the placement process. How might camps continue to grow and change? Where do we stand on turnkey, “plug and play,” or convenience camping? What course are we charting for the next five to 10 years?

To answer these questions and guide the Black Rock City community at large into the future, we needed a vision. We needed a clear, actionable vision that would give us guideposts without being too prescriptive. We needed a vision that would inspire us as individuals, leaders, citizens, and members of groups. We needed a vision that was not the brainchild of a select few but would come from the wisdom of our community.

After months of hard work and community feedback, we’re thrilled to share that vision with you. This vision sets the cultural direction of residential Black Rock City for the next five to 10 years.

In the past nine months, you, the global Burning Man community, have shared your concerns, experiences, hopes, and ideas with the Cultural Direction Setting group. This group of 19 Black Rock City citizens who are also camp leaders, staff, community members, Regional Contacts, and Board Members digested a massive amount of community feedback and co-wrote this vision. In the surveys, interviews, community conversations, online response, and live input sessions, we heard a lot. If you want to learn more about the community engagement feedback and process, check out the appendix at the end.

This vision addresses many of the cultural challenges we’ve been facing in residential Black Rock City. The scope of the vision is the city itself — where we live, the culture of camps, and how we, as individuals and camps, impact the city. We’re talking about all camps and forms of camping — theme camps, villages, open campers, walk-in campers, mutant vehicle camps, art support camps, department camps, staff camps and work support camps.

We wrote the vision from the “we” perspective, and “we” doesn’t just mean the opinion of those who wrote it. What’s envisioned comes from our community’s input. It is everyone’s responsibility to make this vision a reality. “We” means all of us.

We also wrote the vision in the present tense. Some of what’s written is not happening… yet. It’s what we want to be true. It’s where we’re headed. Read it with your future goggles on.

For example, one of the top cultural concerns we heard was about plug and play or convenience camps. The vision shares where we want to be in the future around this issue. In the next phase of this project, an implementation group will focus on that topic to nail down the right approach going forward and confirm the standards we’ll use when evaluating camps in light of this vision. You can read all the details about this next phase in a Burning Man Journal post we’ll link at the end.

Implementation within the Burning Man organization alone won’t make the vision real. It will take all of us as individuals and as camps to make it real. We hope you will actively guide the culture of this city we all love so dearly so that it evolves positively and continues well into the future.

Introduction

Burning Man is a community. A temporary city. A global cultural movement based on 10 practical Principles. At its heart, it’s an opportunity to experiment with connection, engagement, self-expression, and authenticity. It’s an invitation to re-imagine how we want to live in the world and for people to be who they want to be while being curious about and respectful of others.

Burning Man strives to stand in technicolor contrast to the typical consumerist, status-driven, brand-saturated, optimized-for-your-convenience world. We create Black Rock City every year because we believe there is value in having an entirely different kind of experience — one grounded in what you have to contribute, say, make, do, and share.

Some of what’s written is not happening… yet. It’s what we want to be true. It’s where we’re headed. Read it with your future goggles on.

When Larry Harvey wrote the 10 Principles in 2004, they were a description of the community’s ethos and culture as it had organically developed since the event’s inception. The feedback we received for this vision statement continued to point back to the 10 Principles as the core of who we are as individuals and within the groups we call our communities. Today, the 10 Principles remain a guiding light of the Burning Man ethos, and this vision complements them.

Culture is our collective lived experience. It’s not something you are, but rather something you do. When we create, contribute, and participate in Black Rock City, it inspires others to do the same. When one approaches Black Rock City as a consumer or a spectator, it discourages others from contributing and devalues the experience. The success of Burning Man culture and Black Rock City will always rest on our community’s embrace of our shared cultural values.

People Living the 10 Principles in Black Rock City

As participants of Burning Man, our actions express the 10 Principles and the values of the culture. We have a rich cultural history that we strengthen and evolve as individual residents of Black Rock City. Each person’s actions collectively create the culture through which we experience our city.

“Uniquely expressive acts get transformed and elaborated into social rites, and through participation they accrue a breadth and depth of meaning which can only be produced in a communal setting. It is the primal process by which culture is created.”

– Larry Harvey

We value differences and respect each other even when we don’t understand one another. We start from a place of curiosity. We practice learning and teaching over reprimanding and judgment. We don’t have to love or understand everyone, but we do respect everyone’s right to self-expression.

As citizens of Black Rock City, we embody personal responsibility — we don’t expect things to be done for us (convenience culture) or dictated for us (we take responsibility for our culture). Real Radical Self-reliance and Participation cannot be outsourced, particularly not through financial means.

Participation is our state of being, and it comes in all shapes and sizes. It is each individual’s responsibility to make sure they are contributing to the culture and the city.

Black Rock City is an inclusive community. Our city is a welcoming place for all forms of diversity, including race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, ability, socio-economic, political, and cultural backgrounds, and other forms of identity. Our actions serve radical inclusivity. “There is enough exclusivity out in the default world, it shouldn’t happen in BRC.” – Survey Respondent #136

Black Rock City is a place where we all feel free to be who we want to be, to express ourselves fully and be in full respect of other people’s expressions. We practice consent, look out for each other, and respect personal boundaries. Everyone decides for themselves who they want to be in any moment and what they want to say yes or no to. We contribute to creating a safe space for one another to express ourselves fully, where harassment and sexual violence are not tolerated

We understand the necessity of Immediacy. Black Rock City is a unique opportunity to step away from the devices and tools that shape our daily lives. We examine how our default world habits take us away from being present in Black Rock City and actively work to practice ways of being together. We understand that our actions, even the smallest ones, can either erode or reinforce our culture.

We know who we are, what we are doing, and take ownership of our story. We protect our culture from exploitation and prevent commodification of ourselves, our expression, and our community. We act as cultural ambassadors and mentors to those seeking our community.

We recognize that our community is cooperative and is not based on transactional exchanges between consumers. We contribute through gifts of all sizes, shapes, and types. The entire city itself is a gift created by the collective whole and is only possible through the participation of all citizens.

Camps Living the 10 Principles in Black Rock City

As Black Rock City camps, our collective actions express and teach the 10 Principles and the values of the culture. The 10 Principles are embedded within and amplified by all camps.

Many residents of Black Rock City are acculturated through participation in and in connection with camps. Camps take responsibility for educating, acculturating, and mentoring camp members as well as other participants about the 10 Principles and culture of Burning Man. Camps understand and take responsibility for their cultural leadership role. Camps teach and exemplify the 10 Principles. “Camps should be the embodiment of the Principles.” – Survey Respondent #69

Theme camps allocate their collective focus, time, and resources primarily toward their public contributions rather than personal comfort and convenience. Conveniences are used in service of the camp’s contribution, which adds to the vibrancy of the city.

Theme camps are groups of participants who, together, contribute a service, engagement, art, or other creative interactive experience available for citizens of Black Rock City.

As participants, we evaluate a camp’s alignment with our culture based on their behaviors and our interaction with them, rather than relying on generalizations, labels, and assumptions. We have clear language defining how and why camps are not acting in alignment with the 10 Principles. We utilize a clear set of standards for what behaviors are in alignment with our culture. We educate each other on these standards and support each other to live up to them.

“At most festivals, there is social engineering that takes place — and it’s designed to increase consumption. The producers make their money by featuring headliners, targeting demographics, vending at scale, and through commercial sponsorships. We don’t do those things. What we’ve always done is form the context of society. And all of this is not in service of the bottom line, but is aimed at generating greater social interaction.”

– Larry Harvey

In Black Rock City, we interact beyond the simple exchange of money for an experience. “…We are not businesses. We are communities based on gifting.” – Survey Respondent #878.

We understand that commodifying resources (packaging, advertising, or marketing camp space, tickets, an experience, etc.) and allowing financial contributions to substitute for participation is not only in opposition to Burning Man’s values, but significantly damages the culture.

“Once you hit playa, you should decommodify. I understand this is a fuzzy boundary because we all buy [stuff] before we arrive, but it’s an important fuzzy boundary.”

– Survey Respondent #3430

All camp members engage through meaningful and immediate contributions to camp interactivity and operations. Camps do not have camp members who don’t help provide and support the camp’s on playa interactivity and operations.

Everyone understands that camps and Black Rock City are not vacation or travel packages to be purchased. Camp production motivated by personal financial profit is unethical and unwelcome.

“All of us…gift our time, energy, skill, money to BRC projects with the purpose of creating an amazing community but with the understanding that it’s a decommodified space. Profiteers aren’t just selling a camping spot, they’re selling the experience that the rest of us built for free and profiting off of our gifts without our consent.”

– Survey Respondent #2540

When unclear edges are encountered, we ask for help rather than assume we know the “right” answer.

Vibrant Neighborhoods

Black Rock City’s neighborhoods are vibrant. Theme camps contribute to the culture of our city and engage their fellow participants. We create experiences for the Burning Man community, not just for our campmates or those who fit an exclusive criteria. Everyone works together to hold each other accountable in service of a healthy Black Rock City.

“[Burning Man is] self-expression elevated to a civic duty. […Our] work cannot be understood as a commodity that’s separate from our community.”

– Larry Harvey

Theme camps engage participants and are open and welcoming to citizens from across Black Rock City. Theme camp contributions of all sizes and shapes are valued — from a small, intimate interaction to a large-scale, complex, resource intensive experience.

The intention to bring a theme camp does not solely come from the desire to receive resources. It comes from the desire to participate communally, be creative, add to the culture, and give to others.

“The most impactful way a theme camp contributes is the participation and mindset of their members. I value openness, creativity, and the enthusiasm theme camps can have for their projects. The magic of Burning Man is everyone showing their passion for their own and each other’s projects, even if they fail or are not popular.”

– Survey Respondent #72

When we have the drive to make it bigger, brighter, and louder, we thoughtfully decipher whether or not our ambitions serve the camp, the city, and the overall culture. “Are you really a camp if most of the people don’t know each other?” – Survey Respondent #1357.

We focus on potential challenges with camp size by acculturating and engaging all camp members, addressing camp leadership challenges, and ensuring group culture is not diluted.

Vibrant neighborhoods are supported by the collective efforts of the teams in Burning Man Project Burning through clear communications and strategic city planning.

The Placement Team and camps co-create a living and flexible urban design mission statement, and Placement provides transparency on their methodology of developing neighborhoods. The Placement Team is responsible for curating the city in support of overall vibrancy and is transparent about how and why camps are placed and not placed. Placement encourages variety in neighborhood composition and camp locations while balancing culturally cohesive areas of the city. Curation is an ongoing experiment. One example is imagined by this survey respondent:

“If my camp gives out hamburgers every day, same amount as another camp, then evaluation must come down to [something]…either…aesthetics, cleanliness, off-playa good deeds, who’s hair smells nicer, something. It doesn’t have to be about who’s got more money, but about who is offering a…more inclusive…experience.”

– Survey Respondent #2952

As a community, we believe in giving people the opportunity to learn and grow from feedback. When necessary, the Burning Man organization applies clear and transparent consequences to camps who repeatedly do not meet expectations. There is a healthy balance between allowing camps to grow to meet expectations and not allowing camps to slow walk their improvement. “Everyone deserves second chances, but not nine of them.” – Interviewee #28.

There is clarity around what is not tolerated. The organization intervenes only as necessary and empowers the community to hold each other accountable to these expectations, too.

Strengthening Our Neighborhoods

We are a community that values Communal Effort — without other city residents, one sits alone in the desert. In Black Rock City, all individuals, collectives, and camps are welcoming and cooperative, and they communicate respectfully with each other. Camps share resources, collaborate, reduce their environmental impact, and generate opportunities for intentional interaction. We aspire toward a city where camps know who their neighbors are in advance of the event.

We strive for community, not just between individuals, but among neighboring camps. The Placement Team facilitates the initial connection between neighboring camps within the appropriate context of the greater placement process. Camps have formal and informal ways of facilitating connection, resolving conflicts, sharing resources, and holding each other accountable. We do this not only in Black Rock City, but year-round as an interconnected network of camps, leaders, and citizens. Burning Man Project, with endeavors such as the Camp Development & Support Team, helps facilitate the greater camp community year-round.

We understand that commodifying resources (packaging, advertising, or marketing camp space, tickets, an experience, etc.) and allowing financial contributions to substitute for participation is not only in opposition to Burning Man’s values, but significantly damages the culture.

Camps prioritize the bigger “We” over “I,” and appropriately prioritize the greater good of our city and culture over individual camp desires.

Camps are aware of how they are impacting their neighbors. Building relationships with neighbors, approaching them from a place of Radical Inclusion and curiosity, and mediating differences in an empathetic and respectful manner are the status quo. Camps engage in thoughtful conversations and prioritize learning and teaching over reprimanding and judgment.

Transparent Communication from Burning Man Project to Residents

The Burning Man organization’s criteria for a placed camp in Black Rock City are clearly articulated and embraced by camps. The organization solicits camp input regarding policy changes that affect them. Camps have trust in the process and decisions, and continue to be cultural stewards of Black Rock City.

As Black Rock City evolves, the organization continues to work to understand all residential groups — theme camps, villages, open campers, walk-in campers, mutant vehicle camps, art support camps, department camps, and work support camps. The organization maintains appropriate resource channels to meet the needs of these residential groups so they can continue contributing to the city.

The criteria to be a placed camp is clearly defined and communicated, as well as the process for what happens when that criterion is not met. Burning Man Project’s teams keep criteria and policies relevant by updating them when needed. The community publicly celebrates those who are doing it right. We have outlets to share how many camps aren’t meeting expectations each year.

The relationship between camps and the Placement Team is mutually supportive, and communication flows effectively. Transparency on both ends helps educate camps and build trust in the criteria, process, vision, and culture within the community. Whenever possible, the Placement Team is transparent with their process and consults the camp community about potential changes in the process.

The organization manages helpful, organized, and easily accessible information about residential Black Rock City and relays necessary updates to the various groups of residential Black Rock City in a timely manner. This creates clarity and supports acculturation. The citizens in turn seek to digest and absorb the information shared.

Space Use in Residential Black Rock City

Residential Black Rock City is a diverse and integrated environment — demographically, culturally, interactively. There is clarity around the allocation of and access to space. We respect and make space for differences in the way people prefer to live in Black Rock City.

Placement has clear policies around land use and residents understand their options for space. Under the current configuration for city planning, placed camping may not be possible for everyone who wants it, open camping and walk-in camping (unplaced areas) will continue to be viable options for groups wishing to participate in Black Rock City.

Open camping and walk-in camping provide unique value to the culture of Black Rock City. Open campers contribute to Black Rock City in groups and as individual participants. “I value spontaneous experiences. I find…unplaced zones are becoming the best place for this.” – Survey Respondent #252 Burning Man’s City Planning Team and the Placement Team establish and maintain a minimum threshold of space for open camping.

We have neighborly solutions for occupying space in open camping. We implement solutions that are practical. Residents understand the purpose of open camping. We all promote a “take what you need, use what you take” mentality.

Since Black Rock City is different each year, we are flexible with our land use policies. If major changes are being considered, there will be an opportunity for community input. This allows us to respond to a given year’s residential composition to determine the space allocated for each camping type.

Citizenship Beyond the Trash Fence

Black Rock City citizenship goes beyond the trash fence. As members of the global Burning Man community, we are creators, connectors, and cultural ambassadors that bring Burning Man values into the world. We share without evangelism. We share by doing; by example. These culturally aligned efforts are separate from any resources provided in Black Rock City.

“We think Burning Man has great application to the world, but a larger iteration can only occur as people incorporate the essential ethos of it. The Ten Principles are meant to describe that ethos, that way of life; and then, by their own inspiration and by collaboration with others in the everyday world, people will find applications that are as various as the many gifts they bring to it. It has to be culturally transmitted that way.”

– Larry Harvey

We foster and encourage the sharing of Burning Man culture beyond the borders of Black Rock City. “Furthering [Burning Man] culture the rest of the year can have a much bigger impact on our world, and is very worthy.” – Survey Respondent #70. Burning Man Project strives to understand and share what and how Burners are doing beyond the fence.

Burners choose to be good citizens out beyond the fence as a matter of integrity. However, these efforts should not be assumed to have an overt influence on receiving placement in Black Rock City. However, problematic group behavior beyond the fence that is not aligned with our culture may be taken into consideration for Black Rock City camp placement decisions. Citizenship beyond the fence is continually inspired by and celebrated within Black Rock City and by Burning Man Project.

Conclusion

Our city and our culture are complex, and there’s no single solution for the problems we face. Burning Man culture is the sum of those who embody it and our relationship to larger society at that time, which means its natural and healthy for it to evolve. Culture is what we all imagine and create together.

Setting a cultural direction for residential Black Rock City requires collective action.

This vision for the next five to 10 years will only be possible with engagement and support from every Black Rock City citizen. It is up to each person and camp, and to Burning Man Project to hold each other responsible for living the culture of Burning Man and modeling the behavior we want to see in Black Rock City.

Since Burning Man’s inception, we (and we do mean the big “we”) have managed to create a thriving global culture of makers, doers, dreamers, and believers. Year after year, we build a thriving temporary metropolis that’s now over 70,000 people and there is a widespread, global Burning Man community that is having an impact on people all around the world. You can find Burning Man culture on all seven continents! We believe that if nurtured properly, Burning Man has the potential to create lasting positive social change far beyond the fence and have already seen evidence of that.

We built this thing. And together, we can steer it towards a long-lasting and vibrant future that continues to inspire each of us and many others for decades to come.

We invite you to bring this vision to your camp, team, collective, fellow Black Rock City citizens, and interested future participants who you know to discuss how you can contribute to bringing this vision to life. Whether it’s your first time in Black Rock City, or you haven’t gotten the playa dust out of your fur coat from the past 20 years, it’s up to all of us.

What’s Next & How you can Participate

Read the Burning Man Journal blog post about the release of the vision and how you can participate. Hungry for more? We recommend reading on below for quotes and wide-ranging perspectives from the surveys, interviews, community conversations, and online forums.

Appendix