The number of art projects on playa in 2011 was well above the last couple of years, with over 309 art projects registered and placed on the open playa, including 45 honorarium projects and 22 CORE installations.
The ARTery continues to grow and evolve, with a new Operations Manager to oversee its activities. In 2011 the focus was on training and identifying new processes that would help alleviate wait times for artists registering and checking in. While many improvements were implemented, additional ideas started to percolate as a result of our 2011 ARTery experience. We expect that 2012 will be an even better year for the ARTery check-in process.
Art Tours
Working with Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR)Thursday’s “Meet the Artists” tour was broadcast live from the open playa, giving a chance for those unable to join the tour to get a sense of what the art means, hearing it directly from the artists themselves. The Art Tours team is very thankful for BMIR’s hard work in making it come together.The Art Tours team took the art tours to a whole new level of professionalism. Working closely with District Everywhere, the Art Tours team finessed the tickets and vehicle loading process – arguably the most challenging part of executing the tours. With their positive energy and enthusiasm, the Art Tours team enjoyed executing tours Tuesday through Friday, and several special tours for folks who normally couldn’t participate. These special tours included the children’s tour on Wednesday (a collaboration with Kidsville), and the ever popular “Meet the Artists” tour on Thursday. The Art Tours team is looking for ways to leverage the information about artists and their projects to empower others to do their own art tours, enabling more participants the amazing experience of interacting with and learning more about Burning Man art.
For the second year in a row the Art tour team developed audio files and a 120+ page PDF providing in-depth information about several of the art installations. Rich with images and behind-the-scenes information, the Art Tour PDF gave participants a chance to get a sense of what installations would be on hand in Black Rock City before packing for their drive to the playa. It takes many hours of work to create this document, but it’s worth creating this treasure trove of information about the year’s most ambitious artwork.
Art Safety
Eyes on Art really found their stride in 2011. Building off of the strong team and systems developed in 2010, Eyes on Art recruited participants to help be the “eyes” of the city, identifying potential hazards before anyone could be hurt, and making sure to support the artist’s vision of how the installation should be experienced. With a strong manager at the helm and an arsenal of temporary lighting available for a short loan, Eyes on Art helps make sure the citizens of Black Rock City can thoroughly enjoy the art of the playa.
Submitted by,
Beth Scarborough