The organization that produces Burning Man has now fully transitioned to non-profit status, with the corporation Black Rock City LLC becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the non-profit Burning Man Project, established in 2012. This sounds like it's leading to the creation of other Burning Man events elsewhere in the world.
On the Burning Man blog, Black Rock makes the announcement this week that the 24-year-old organization will finally be fully not-for-profit, with a view toward, "scaling to meet the growing demand for tools and resources to reproduce the Burning Man experience outside of Black Rock City." As one of Burning Man's founders Marian Goodell says, "What’s transformational in Northern Nevada for one week a year can, with the right tools, be manifested everywhere."
Founder Larry Harvey is quoted as saying, "After 24 years of tending our garden in the desert, we now have the means to cultivate its culture worldwide."
So where will the first non-Nevada Burning Man be? They promise some more exciting news in the coming weeks, and they're talking about growing year-round programs that support civic engagement, education, and the arts.
But will there be a Burning Man Austin? Are there that many places besides the Nevada desert where you can safely burn enormous wood structures without potentially lighting trees or brush or entire neighborhoods on fire? Or are they maybe talking about creating 'Burning Man Lite' events (Coachella, anyone?) where the spirit may be similar but where the structure is not exactly the same?
In any event, the BM-style press release language goes like this:
We are deeply focused on keeping the Black Rock City event a thriving entity and beautiful experience that feeds into the possibilities beyond Nevada out here on the Grand Playa of human society. In the coming months we hope to share our progress in technology, communications, fundraising, community relations, network development and, of course, the building of the philosophical center. We are getting our own central house in order so that Burning Man can more effectively decentralize and are counting on the community and those not in the community to participate in this wonderfully potential-laden moment together.
Here on my Grand Playa it's currently about 60 degrees and cloudy and there's laundry to be done. But if somebody could find me some ecstasy and muppet-fur shorts I'd be good to go.
