Communications

The Communications department at Burning Man encompasses much of how the Project talks to its participants, its own organization, and the outside world. This “voice” takes on many forms.

The Web Team maintained the ever-growing, rich website presence of the organization with aplomb this year, enjoying the benefits of their previous work setting up systems and procedures, allowing them to focus more on maintenance of the site, while working hard to develop new areas such as the Environmental Section and the year’s event archive with fresh, new content. Adding new and exciting features such as the ARTery’s virtual art tour and supporting the efforts of the Black Rock Arts Foundation and Burners Without Borders with their new website also kept them busy, as did a problematic start to ticket sales which was eventually brought back on track. The team also helped to announce the 2007 Art Theme during the 2006 event, a first time accomplishment.

The Media Team enjoyed another great year at Media Mecca, processing hundreds of members of the media who came to cover the event and left having participated in it. The Media Team was joined on site once again by their friends on the Census Team, who distributed and collected thousands of Census Forms from attendees, as well as a crew from Current TV, who changed their name to “TV Free Burning Man” for the week and set about shooting and producing a week of video podcasts, using Burning Man participants to help film, produce, and edit the content. Art tours, evening film screenings, a press panel, and daily happy hours kept Media Team volunteers happily busy all week long.

As usual, even more volunteers around the world stepped forward to become Regional Contacts in 2006. As mentorship and relationships between new and existing regions were strengthened, the Network itself grew stronger. The dedication of another full-time staff member to the Regionals effort after the event, along with new ways of tracking and managing new inquiries, have increased our ability to respond to and support the vast Regional Network. More than 15 new regionals were added in 2006, and the network continues to evolve its interaction with Burning Man’s outreach efforts like the Black Rock Arts Foundation and the newly-emerging Burners Without Borders.

The Print Production team worked to create beautiful and informative print pieces again in 2006, including a revamped Survival Guide, an elegant Summer Newsletter, the always-challenging What, Where, When events guide, ticket flyers and stickers, all designed by artists and designers from within the Burning Man community.

Submitted by
Andie Grace