San Francisco, Calif. — Burning Man is excited to announce the hire of Kim Cook, the organization’s new Director of Art & Civic Engagement, who will join us at our San Francisco headquarters beginning December 7.

The Director of Art & Civic Engagement is a new role, created to align and increase the impact of the organization’s year-round arts and civics initiatives like Burners Without Borders and Burning Man Arts, including on-playa and off-playa arts programming. Kim and her team will work with artists and community leaders to increase opportunities for funding, collaboration and learning.

Kim Cook has extensive nonprofit experience in executing innovative projects that celebrate the intersection between arts, culture, and civic life. Most recently she served as President and CEO of the Arts Council of New Orleans, where she blended art, design, and technology to address civic challenges. A cross-sector, multi-disciplinary activist by nature, Kim has been the the Artistic Director of Theater Artaud in San Francisco, Executive Director of the Oakland Youth Chorus, and Associate Director for the Nonprofit Finance Fund, where she managed arts and culture initiatives across the country. Kim has a BA in the Performing Arts and MA in Arts and Consciousness.

Raised in Berkeley, Kim has long recognized and appreciated the role Burning Man has played in creating new social and cultural models, and in supporting and celebrating personal creativity. She made her first trek to Black Rock City in 2015. In her words, “Burning Man creates an environment that heightens awareness through action, that fosters moving beyond mental constructs and into lived experiences in ways that change people. Changing people and their practice can change the world.”

We look forward to working with Kim as she applies her valuable skills and experience to support our widening community of Burning Man artists and civic leaders. Please join us in welcoming Kim Cook.