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Volume 20, Issue #6 | December 17, 2015 
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ROUND-UP OF BURNING MAN WRITINGS:
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GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY RIDE!
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As we approach the holidays, we hope you'll dig down underneath the commercial coating of the season to find and appreciate what they're really about. If you think about it, it's a time when the whole world pays a little more attention to those Principles we share as a community: Gifting, Communal Effort, Civic Responsibility — you get the idea. And if you're really doing it right, Decommodification and Radical Inclusion too. Right? Right.
OK enough about our high horse ... how YOU doin'?
So the other day, our intrepid Communications Director said (and we quote): "This is going to be the best JRS ever." Whyzat? Well, for one, it's an example of the best writing ever in the history of writing (she said this to us with a straight face, shut up).
But really it's because, as the nonprofit Burning Man Project, we're taking our biggest strides yet towards radical transparency. We're proud to present our 2014 Annual Report (seriously, you have to see this thing) and Form 990 featuring an unprecedented level of detail regarding Burning Man's finances. Check it out.
And with that, we wish you all the best this holiday season, and we'll see you in 2016!
The Man burns in 261 days.
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Burning Man’s Expenses, Salaries, Fundraising and More: the 2014 Annual Report and Form 990
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Burning Man Project is proud to present its 2014 Annual Report and Form 990.
In addition to programming highlights from each of Burning Man's active program areas, the Annual Report includes an overview of revenues and expenses from our 2014 audited financial documents.
Each year, the Burning Man Project is required to make publicly available its Form 990 (our tax return) from the previous year as a condition of its nonprofit status. In an effort to promote financial transparency, we make an effort to not only release the form, but supply additional information to demonstrate the evolution of the organization and provide clarity about its finances.
The 2014 990 includes an unprecedented level of detail about the Burning Man Project and its programs, including the event in Black Rock City. For the first time ever, the general public will have access to the accounting of the organization’s revenue and major expenses.
Learn more in the Burning Man Journal.
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Sustainability at Burning Man: the Next Chapter
Right before the gates opened in Black Rock City for the 2015 event, a petition was published on Change.org asking our organization to redouble its efforts to make Burning Man environmentally sustainable. The petition aptly says Burning Man could do more to lead our community toward better environmental stewardship.
We appreciate the petition’s author and the folks who signed it. This blog post is the first in a series that will share the organization’s work on this issue so far and collaboratively explore where to go from here.
Read more in the Burning Man Journal
(Photo by Ari Fararooy)
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Nevada’s Live Entertainment Tax and What it Means for Burning Man Ticket Sales
Usually around this time of year, we’ve got Black Rock City ticket information for you, but this year is a bit different.
You may have heard that earlier this year the Nevada Legislature passed a law amending the state’s Live Entertainment Tax. These amendments (SB266) levy a 9% tax on the admission charge to an event held in a facility where “live entertainment” is provided. More specifically, NRS 368A.200.3 requires that the tax “must be added to and collected from the purchaser at the time of purchase.”
They say this tax should apply to Burning Man. We say, no way. Black Rock City is a city, not "entertainment". We don't know quite how this will go yet, so we're holding off from announcing anything about 2016 tickets until this all shakes out. Here's all the information we have so far.
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Artumnal Gathering 2015: Celebrating Generosity and Creativity
Josie writes:
"For the last nine years, the revenue from the Artumnal Gathering’s ticket sales and auction have been the primary funding for these programs. Little known fact: ticket sales from Black Rock City do not fund these programs, so the amount of off-playa projects Burning Man Arts supports depends on the success of the Artumnal Gathering, donations, and other fundraising initiatives.
This year’s event raised a net total of $363,114 — that’s 36% more than 2014’s Artumnal Gathering! This will allow us to increase our grants to artists through our Global Art Grants program and our Civic Arts program to bring even more art to communities in 2016."
Read more in the Burning Man Journal
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Burning Man Fights Live Entertainment Tax, Stalls Ticket Prices
Here's a good news story about the Nevada Live Entertainment Tax situation. Jenny Kane writes:
"In June, the Nevada Legislature approved a revised version of the live entertainment tax, which originally came into law in 2004 as a way for the state to gain revenue particularly from Las Vegas’s robust live entertainment industry. The revised version went into effect Oct. 1. …
As is, the tax brings in about $137 million, most of which goes toward the state’s general fund. About $150,000 will go toward the Nevada Arts Council in the future.
'It’s just a sign of the times. Entertainment has changed,' [bill co-sponsor Marilyn] Kirkpatrick said. 'There’s no way we could have predicted in 2003 that there would be an event like Burning Man. It’s disappointing that they take it so personal.'"
Read more in the Reno Gazette Journal
(Photo by Andy Barron/RGJ)
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So I can finally talk about Burning Man 2015…
Julie Anne Longano wrote this thorough, photo-filled and delightful recap of her first Burn this year:
"After a week of unbelievable life experiences, I was used to being shocked and surprised – I was getting used to the constant elevation of things into ‘next level’ and the Saturday night where ‘the man burns’ was no different.
This was the first time that the community of 75,000 all congregated in the centre of this spectacular temporary city to celebrate what we were all here for. And what’s the reason for burning the man? What’s it symbolic of? Well by looking around it seemed to mean completely different things to different people."
Read more on her blog
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Photo Gallery: the Carnival of Mirrors Midway
LadyBee writes:
"The 2015 Carnival of Mirrors Midway — the interactive booths around the Man — was a smashing success, and has been captured by several member of our Documentation Team.
Big thanks to Dan Adams, Mark Hammon and Barry Staley for their images. And, of course, boundless thanks and appreciation to the Regional groups and artists who created such an enjoyable experience for the rubes!"
See the gallery in the Burning Man Journal
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Unofficial BRC Street Plan Design Competition Now Accepting Submissions
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Remember that cool-but-completely-unofficial design competition for a new Black Rock City plan we wrote about a while back? Well, they're open for business! Let's see those crazy ideas! The Black Rock City Ministry of Urban Planning (again, that's not us) writes:
"The output of the competition will be the Big Book of Ideas, a collection of the entries, along with public voting data and comments. This will be published online and shared with BRC city planners, as well as regional event organizers (this is an independent non-commercial effort, entrants retain copyright to their work). The submissions will also be included in an on playa exhibition with each competition cycle.
Ultimately, BRC city planners will decide what gets built, as there are significant logistics and safety issues to contend with in accommodating 70,000 people in a temporary city, but the goal is to create an ongoing process for public feedback that allows the city plan to incorporate ideas, at the micro and macro level, from urban designers worldwide."
Learn more and submit your ideas on the BRCMUP website
Deadline is February 29, 2016!
(Photo by Ron Lussier)
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ForestHouse Green Tech Mutant Vehicle
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We're usually hesitant to promote crowd-funders for Mutant Vehicles, especially this far in advance of the event, but this one is aiming to generate some of its power from renewable sources and cites our new sustainability initiative as inspiration, so we'd love to see that come to fruition:
"We brought the ForestHouse art car to Burning Man for the first time in 2015. It's a magical experience to see this thing that you've created bring joy to so many.
In addition to fostering joy, we've always wanted ForestHouse to be a platform to talk about and experiment with technologies that are important for our planet. In particular green technologies such as solar and wind power can be used by ForestHouse at Burning Man. Burning Man is an excellent place to test green technologies because it is a sunny, windy, barren desert where each vehicle has to create their own power.
We want to put solar and wind power on ForestHouse to power as much of its activities as possible during 2016 and beyond."
Learn more on Kickstarter
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Dedicate Your Own Light on the Side of the Bay Bridge
This sure is a neat opportunity. Gregory writes:
"ILLUMINATE is pleased to offer you this special opportunity to dedicate one of the Bay Lights.
For as little as $100, you can dedicate your very own light on the side of the Bay Bridge, with your tax-deductible donation going toward helping the non-profit ILLUMINATE make more awe-inspiring public art possible.
Only 25,000 LEDs are available as part of our SHINE IT FORWARD campaign. Once all the lights are claimed, no new dedications will be possible. So click here now to celebrate life, love, friendship and family, forever."
Learn more on the Shine It Forward website
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2nd Annual Telluride Fire Festival Ignites January 14
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Where: Telluride Mountain Village, CO
When: January 14-16
Sizzle writes:
"Multi-storied, fire emitting 'art cars', burn barrels, fire dancers and larger-than-life, animated, fiery art installations all make up this free Fire Arts Festival. The Festival is a unique, interactive fire art experience that will take place on the pedestrian plazas of Telluride Mountain Village January 15 to 17. Daytime, and early evening events are completely free. Ticketed entertainment events are available later in the evenings.
Several Burning Man artists are showcasing their fire art: James Reinhart with The Pyred Eye, Jamie Vaida with The Burning Pink Organ, Charlie Holthausen (aka Captain Carburetor) with his Phoenix Dragon of Fire, and Ryan Gesink with Oscillation II & Sylph and The Numinous Eye.
The Telluride Fire Festival was born out of yearly sojourns to Burning Man, where spectacular moving and stationary art is on display everywhere."
Learn more on the Telluride Fire Festival website
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Seattle Summit: A Monthly Discussion Group for Theme Camp Organizers
Where: Espresso Vivace (Alley 24) in South Lake Union, Seattle, WA
When: Second Sunday of each month, 4:00-7:00 pm
Taralynn Carter writes:
"Do you live in Seattle or the Pacific Northwest? Do you organize or lead a Theme Camp? So do we, and we want to meet you!
The Seattle Summit is a new, monthly event meant to introduce theme camp leaders, facilitate communication and collaboration, and provide a forum for discussion. What will we discuss? Whatever you want! This is a casual, free-form summit.
Join us on the second Sunday of each month, from 4-7 PM @ Espresso Vivace (Alley 24) in South Lake Union.
For more information check out our website or join the Facebook event."
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We were listening to ...
Maalem Mahmoud Guinia & James Holden — Marhaba (2015)
Wilco — Star Wars (2015) [P.S. OMG STAR WARS!!!1!!]
The Police — maybe you've heard of them?
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