BUILD: Kicking off a Season of Radical Community

We don’t know what the next year has in store for us. As individuals. As Burners. As a global community. We do know we’re going to need each other. We’re going to need art, leadership, activism, ingenuity. And we’re all going to need some serious fun.

There’s an entire season ahead of us, and it may be a bit of a weird one. For many, it will not be punctuated by the annual journey to Black Rock City or Regional Burns. Some are missing this annual cycle; others welcome the pause.

This break from our usual programming brings huge opportunities — to create something new, to build connections, to share stories, to explore, and to keep on creating that joyful chaos that participation inevitably brings.

BUILD starts now. 

Today, June 24, we are collectively kicking off BUILD: A Season of Radical Community — an entire season of community events, experiences and activation. This is your call to action to create and participate in something that builds a better world. How you make it happen is up to you.

Write a manifesto. Join the circus. Be the circus. Join a protest. Make art. Get out the vote. Visit your family. Figure out how to share socially distanced love and be with your friends. Create a virtual event and share it on Kindling. The list is endless. Only you know what will have the greatest meaning and positive impact. Run with it.

If you’re not already building something, start now. If you have ideas about what could happen in your community, start now. If you’re imagining something better for your neighborhood or the world, start now. If you want to make art that creates awe and joy, start now.

Feature Your Virtual Events on Kindling!

Throughout, Burning Man Project holds space for your community engagement, storytelling, art and creativity. If you’re building something to share with the Multiverse over the next few months — be it a virtual burn, a workshop, a community gathering, an augmented reality adventure, or something we haven’t imagined yet — Kindling is your space to share the virtual Black Rock City experience you want to create.

So what are you waiting for? Tell your story. Kick-off that community workshop. Organize your virtual yoga class. Plan your virtual cabaret, game show, dance party. Then make your way to Kindling and submit your event to our content team.

Much like building and planning your theme camp, participating in Kindling means creating and hosting your event on whatever platform works for you. We make it accessible and findable for the community, in the same way that Black Rock City provides a street grid and the What Where When guide. All you need to do is tell us about it, and of course be the gracious host or hostess, master of ceremonies, ringmaster — whatever it is you do to make your event happen.

But will there be virtual worlds in the Multiverse? Oh yes. We have a handful of collaborators who are busy building wild and exciting universes, as well as a virtual Temple. Watch the Journal for updates and opportunities to participate in the coming weeks.

Where do WE want to be 14 months from now?

When we gather in 2021, in Black Rock City or at Regional events around the globe, let’s imagine that we’re all in a better place — as individuals, as communities, as a society — because of the things we collectively imagined, built and shared over these next 14 months.

We’ll look back and say: yes, it was difficult and we learned a ton. But imagine if you had never created that beautiful thing, or launched that initiative, or provided support, or built a stronger, more caring community? And we’re here to help. To tell your stories. To inspire you. To connect you to other dreamers, makers and doers. To remind you that creating magic is a lot of work, and that you’re all doing a great job.


Top image: Mounting lights on a structure at Do More Now, 2019 (Photo by EspressoBuzz)

About the author: Burning Man Project

Burning Man Project

The official voice of the Burning Man organization, managed by Burning Man Project's Communications Team.

5 Comments on “BUILD: Kicking off a Season of Radical Community

  • A 10 ft parade puppet is emerging in my backyard. It’s an idea that say on the shelf until covid 19 carved out the time to act. Who knows what event will be the inaugural for this puppet or the next but we will be there

    Report comment

  • TTiTTo says:

    Make sure you wear a mask at all times, whatever you do. You don’t want to kill grandma.

    Report comment

  • Marx XaOs says:

    Ah good we’ve been waiting for this. The Astro Shack JaVa JoINt alien beatnik coffee house will be serving delicious coffee in a cool space with extraordinary hospitality in my front yard every morning for five days during Burn Week in my front yard. The typical shenanigans will ensue: wild tunes on the playlist, outsider art on the walls, outlaw poetry on the tables, performance on stage, and the Radical Coffee Ritual for we Javanauts. PLUS our second annual FULLY AUTOMATED LUXURY QUEER SPACE COMMUNIST PARTY!

    Now to figure out how work it so that people online can participate too…

    Report comment

  • Comments are closed.