We display them proudly, like badges of playa honor — slapping them on dusty kanteens & sunworn bumpers … emblems of a Burn well prepped & memories earned, of a community gloriously grounded in Gifting.
Each year, we invite YOU, the citizens of Black Rock City, to design stickers for what will become our Gate (welcome) sticker — handed out by Greeters at the entrance of the city and accompanied by the WhatWhereWhen booklet — along with a handful of other selected sticker designs which we print like bunnies for rabid Gifting throughout the week.
If you’ve ever stepped foot on the hallowed dusty ground of Black Rock City, you’ve undoubtedly departed with (at least) a favorite sticker … or 20. You love to collect them, we love to print them — it’s a match made in playa heaven. From the absurdly abstract to the maniacally mundane and curiously crusty — there’s a Burning Man sticker for everyone, and we want to see YOURS!
![](https://journal.burningman.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/jamen-sticker.png)
Two examples of participant sticker designs held by Jamen Percy in BRC, 2023 (Photo by Jamen Percy)
Now it’s time to read all the ins & outs (listed below) about how to submit your 2024 Black Rock City sticker design(s) for consideration. Most importantly, let your imagination run wild — or, in this case, run “Curiouser & Curiouser” — we can’t wait to see what you come up with! Oh, and please (PLEASE) read the submission requirements carefully, it’ll save us both a lot of unnecessary time and headaches.
YOUR 2024 STICKER SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- SIZE — Your sticker design(s) must fit within one of the following die sizes:
• 3” diameter circle
• 3″x3″ square with a 0.062” corner radius
• 2.5″x6” with a 0.125” corner radius - WORDS — Please try to include either “Burning Man” or “Black Rock City” along with the year “2024” into your design.
- COLORS — If using 1–3 colors, set up the file to print as PMS; If using 4 or more colors, set up the file to print as CMYK.
- FONTS — you must OUTLINE all fonts (meaning all text must be vector shapes).
- GATE STICKER — Remember that ROUND stickers are given priority for scoring the coveted “Gate sticker” spot, gifted to all BRC citizens.
- THEME — Since preference is often given to designs incorporating the theme, feel free to get more intimately acquainted with this year’s theme “Curiouser & Curiouser” for additional design inspo.
- SUBMISSIONS — Please email the original Adobe Illustrator (ai.) file of your sticker design(s) to Stickers@BurningMan.org with your FIRST and LAST NAME along with the phrase “2024 Sticker Submission” in the subject header. (Note: just because you can send a high-resolution PDF, doesn’t mean you should. The original ai. file is always preferred.)
- DEADLINE — You must submit your design(s) by Friday, May 24, 2024 (no exceptions).
Pro Tip #1: Check yo’ specs. Then, go back and carefully re-check ‘em (above) again!
Pro Tip #2: You snooze, you lose — don’t miss the May 24th deadline for consideration of your badass design(s).
We may be a decommodified city where cash is out, but stickers are always in. Because you can take the Burning Man out of stickers, but you can’t take the stickers out of Burning Man!
So get busy designing, and may the dust bunnies be ever in your favor. Selected sticker designs will be contacted via email. Good luck — may your designs take you to Curiouser & Curiouser places.
Cover image: Sticker designers unite in Black Rock City, 2023 (Photo by Jamen Percy)
I don’t use computers to create my art.
Do you accept real art, or just digital?
XP
Report comment
I see no reason why not! but you’d still need to submit the photo/digital version of your creation. If you need help with optimizing or resizing of your image for submission, let me know.
Report comment
Hi Inani,
All kinds of handdrawn/created designs are accepted; however, they must be digitally submitted via email (ex: scanned / formatted into a digital file that fits within the guideline specs above). Good luck!
Report comment
Inani , I invite you to reflect on your choice of words in the spirit of radical inclusion. I personally make art with a wide range of mediums, some of which are digital.
It is all real art.
Real art is anything created by a real person, with all their feelings, experiences, and creativity. The choice of materials and tools one uses is all a product of our expanding brains, opposable thumbs, and ingenious determination to interact with the world around us.
*And yes, I agree this argument slips into the AI debate, which I personally put into a different category because the actual choices were not, in fact, made by a person.
Report comment
Any rules regarding A.I generated entries?
Report comment
We value our community’s diverse culture of creativity and Radical Self-expression. That being said, please add a note in your email submission clearly flagging any design(s) that are AI-generated. Good luck!
Report comment
How many submissions may we submit?
Report comment
Multiple design submissions are allowed and will be equally reviewed for consideration. Good luck!
Report comment
Comments are closed.