Once More Into the Dust!

Around the world, thousands of amazing humans are getting their gear together, planning their outfits, finalizing camp meal plans, tinkering with their mutant vehicles, and building that “one thing” that will make their Burn all the more special.

As you all get ready for the dust, or to keep carrying on the Burning Man way wherever you are, I wanted to share a few thoughts and updates from where I’m sitting over at Burning Man Project.

The global culture is thriving!

Here at Burning Man Project we are positively fired up for another Burn season. The Golden Spike that marks the start of building Black Rock City has been set, the trash fence is up, and the dusty storage bins are getting piled up and packed up for the journey to Black Rock City… But at the same time this has all grown so far beyond the Nevada desert. Did you know that 102,000 people attended official Burning Man Regional Events held in 20 countries around the world in 2024 (this is up from 97,000 in 2023!) and that there are active Burning Man communities in 44 countries? Did you know that the same global community raised and distributed $1.7 million of funding for Burning Man art around the world beyond funds raised by Burning Man Project for art in Black Rock City? These are amazing numbers, and they truly show the depth of what Burning Man has become — a thriving, year-round global culture.

We’re in a powerful moment for this global community. Last month I penned an op-ed that was published in the Reno Gazette-Journal. It’s all about what art and culture have to offer the contemporary world, and Burning Man’s role in spreading creativity and connection at a time when it’s needed most. Give it a read and share it with friends and family.

“Money, Money, Money, Money… MONEY!”

You’ll recall we had a big fundraising push at the end of 2024, after an unexpected dip in higher-priced ticket sales to the 2024 BRC event. We’re pleased that, despite operating at a financial loss in 2024, as a result of hard work and participation from the community, our financial outlook is much stronger than where we were a year ago. 

Through a combination of charitable contributions, mission-aligned cost reductions, a reduction in headcount by 10%, and collaboration with partners to reduce costs, we began this year with our financial recovery well underway. Sustained gifts of all sizes year-to-date and outside of the typical end-of-year giving cycle, as well as strong Black Rock City 2025 ticket sales and adoption of the “gifting,” “pay your way,” and “receive the gift” ticket options, have established further momentum for financial stability. Additionally, we continue to tightly manage operating expenses and capital expenses across operations.

The work is not done though! As a nonprofit, we are always in need of financial support to help bring our mission to life. Recent coverage in Bloomberg Businessweek is a great example of our building broad awareness of the role Burning Man plays in bringing people together to ignite new possibilities for the world. Looking ahead, we are dedicated to achieving financial stability and resiliency, so that Burning Man can continue to thrive for years to come. Thank you, truly, for your trust and confidence in us along the way. 

Gettin’ excited for the playa!

Amidst this encouraging progress, 2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year for Black Rock City. Over 1,100 camps will bring their creativity and visions to life throughout the city. Burning Man Project has awarded $1.6 million to 77 Honoraria projects coming from 12 countries (and includes $300,000 in grants to the 2025 Temple), and more than 250 additional placed art pieces are en route. Black Rock City will come to life with ticket buyers from 102 countries, the most we’ve ever seen. This year’s Temple is led by a Burning Man Regional contact, an artist and architect from Spain. The Man Pavilion has been designed by an artist from Puerto Rico, and will feature future-looking installations from another dozen artists and technologists. And in case you missed it, check out Desert Arts Preview for an incredible tease of what’s to come:

We’re now in year six of our 10-year 2030 Environmental Sustainability Roadmap, and there’s been so much progress. In 2024, we facilitated the largest temporary deployment of energy storage in the world, significantly reducing generator run-time and a drop of more than 21% in diesel fuel consumption within our operations, saving more than 34,000 gallons of fuel. 

In Black Rock City, the Green Corridor, now expanded to both sides of the city (on 4:00 through F and 7:00 through B), showcases theme camp sustainability projects and prototypes. As a result of our collective Net Zero BRC efforts to move infrastructure and camps off fossil fuels (OFF), the Man, the Temple, Gate Road, and the Department of Mutant Vehicles (along with many art pieces) will all be powered by renewables. Learn more and join in on our sustainability efforts!

By the way, if you’re still looking for a ticket to BRC 2025, the OMG Sale is still open — you can grab tickets at $950 or higher, and you can buy a vehicle pass if you need one (without having to buy a ticket too). Head to the Secure Ticket Exchange Program (STEP) page too if you’re looking for tickets at a lower price, there may still be some available. If the playa isn’t in your plans this year, tune into the Webcast to get a taste of what’s going on out there. We hope you’ll be able to attend an amazing Regional Event, or that we hear from you on how Burning Man inspires you all year long! Share your stories and videos with us using the hashtag #burningmanseen (on every channel, now also including TikTok)! And help spread the word about Rising Sparks, a grassroots crew born from the community, bridging generations to empower emerging voices, creators, and leaders.

Have an amazing Tomorrow Today!

Marian Goodell

Cover image of “The Other” Man base by Jen Lewin, 2024 (Photo by Jamen Percy)