Each One, Teach One
Learning and teaching are essential to the Burning Man experience, so much so that the organizers of South Africa’s official Regional Event, AfrikaBurn, made it a core principle: Each One, Teach One. Around the world, Burning Man Project supports environments for co-learning, cultural preservation, and transmission through storytelling.
Education
Through immersive convenings, community-run events, hands-on learning, and online courses, Burning Man Project’s educational programs invite and empower people to acquire skills and knowledge that equip them to become creators, organizers and leaders.
Thousands of learners have connected through Burning Man Hive, the nonprofit’s free online learning platform offering peer-to-peer courses and group forums.
Burning Man Project supports knowledge sharing and fosters future leaders by bringing together community members, Regional Contacts, event producers, artists and organizers at convenings such as the Camp Symposium, Renewable Energy Burner Symposium, and the European Leadership Summit.
Peer-to-peer learning takes place in a myriad of ways at every Burning Man gathering. The Black Rock Rangers, for example, were initially created to support participants at the Burning Man event in Black Rock City. Today, volunteer Rangers guide, support and acculturate participants at official Regional Events around the world.
The Philosophical Center
Burning Man is more than a place or event — it’s a way of being in the world. The Philosophical Center exists to explore, document and discuss this dynamic ethos, serving to deepen a shared understanding of Burning Man’s roots, values, and impact on the future.
At the heart of this work is storytelling. Through a wide range of media projects including books and films, essays and podcasts, oral history and archival work, Burning Man Project’s Philosophical Center serves as the collective memory of the community, preserving and sharing the stories that animate the culture.
Beyond producing media, the Philosophical Center catalyzes collective inquiry. At gatherings such as Black Rock City and the biennial European Leadership Summit, community leaders discuss the philosophy and practice of culture-building in real time.
Each year’s Black Rock City theme originates in the Philosophical Center. The theme serves as a cultural provocation, anchoring the community in a shared exploration and influencing art, ritual, and participants’ Radical Self-expression.
Curious to learn more? Sign up for a free course on Burning Man Hive, and check out the Burning Man LIVE podcast.