BRC Art, BRC News

Want to Build the Temple in 2018? Introducing a New Temple Grant Process!

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Burning Man Arts is thrilled to announce we are creating a new grant program for the Temple, which will start in 2018.

The Temple is typically the largest participant-created art installation on playa. It’s an incredibly complex undertaking, with a crew in the hundreds, fundraising goals of over $100K, and a real labor of love.

Fire of Fires by Dave & Marrilee Archer, 2009 (Photo by Michael Holden)

Burning Man Project supports the Temple each year with up to $100k in funding and resources such as decomposed granite, water, fuel and some equipment. But we care deeply about assisting these amazing artists, so we’re always looking for ways to support them better.

And the number one piece of feedback that we receive from artists? “We need more time!”

So that is exactly what we are giving you: more time. We will now start the Temple grant cycle in September 2017 and notify applicants in December.

Temple of Whollyness by Gregg Fleishman, Melissa Barron, Lightning Clearwater III, 2013 (Photo by Rich Van Every)

How BRC Temple Grants Worked in the Past

The First Temple: Temple of the Mind, 2000, David Best and Jack Haye (Photo by Virgil Mirano)

Since 2002, proposals to build the Temple in Black Rock City (BRC) have been submitted as part of the BRC Honoraria grant process and grouped together with all the other artists who want funding to build art on playa.

This means Temple artists have also waited until March to be notified about the success of their proposal, leaving only five months to secure a work space, recruit their crew, and develop and implement a fundraising plan — let alone the actual fun part of building the piece.

Making the Change

The Temple isn’t dependent on the annual theme, so we were able to adjust the timeline and start the submission process earlier in the year. This will not only give the Temple artists more time to build and fundraise, but it will also allow Burning Man Arts to more clearly define what resources we can provide to the Temple artists.

Temple of Flux by Rebecca Anders, Jessica Hobbs, Peter Kimelman and Crew, 2010 (Photo by Brian Herman)

How to Apply for the 2018 BRC Temple Grant

Building the Black Rock City Temple is a significant undertaking. It’s also a chance to realize a dream and create a space for thousands of participants to have meaningful experiences.

If this sounds like you, the first step is reading this essay by John “Moze” Mosbaugh about the history and significance of the BRC Temple. Then, head on over to our brand new BRC Temple Grant Page for the juicy details on available resources, what we are looking for in a successful proposal, and how to apply.

The Temple of Transition by Chris Hankins, Diarmaid Horkan and the International Art Megacrew, 2011 (Photo by Scott London)

Top photo: The Temple Project by David Best and The Temple Crew, 2016 (Photo by Jamen Percy)

About the author: Katie Hazard

Katie Hazard

Katie Hazard (yes that’s her real last name) is the Associate Director of Art Management for Burning Man. She leads the selection, placement, and installation of over 400 artworks annually in Black Rock City and beyond. She’s been passionate about arts administration and grants management for many years; she has a degree in Art History from the University of Notre Dame, worked at the Art Institute of Chicago, and spent 10 years at Harvard University as a Senior Grants Manager. Katie’s first year on playa was 2000, and she volunteered for 10 years (DMV, Man Base Lighting, art build crews, theme camp organization, Fire Conclave) before joining the staff in 2013. Katie is also a certified yoga teacher and has been a practitioner of Buddhist meditation for more than a decade.

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