Metamorphoses: Call for Performers
Each year we contemplate the structure and site for the Man as a place of interaction, invitation, and, for some, a symbolic annual trek to the middle of Black Rock CIty. With our entire urban plan built around this iconic figure at the heart of the playa, the Man Pavilion is, after a fashion, our central ‘monument’. Of course, we lovingly burn our monument each year, which is such a wonderful ritual of not taking ourselves too seriously, holding on too tightly, or over deifying our public symbol. It is both a rich and richly ironic statement of our constancy and our impermanence. To create the interactive experience at this year’s Man Pavilion, we are looking for works that animate the Pavilion’s beautiful elevated structure by invoking height, awe and grace through aerial performance. We imagine a series of performance works that speak to a transcendent change, natural or imagined, which incorporate the six sweeping vertical columns to support the Chrysalis and involve aerial dance or aerial-circus art forms. Burning Man has a long history of performance and performance art; in fact, the development of Burner costumes and characters derives its legacy from early performance artists that participated in Burning Man. Those furry boots and steam punk glasses are echoes of our creative past! This call is open to individual artists as well as companies of artists. For aerial dance artists that rappel off the side of buildings, we invite daytime performance work that will focus on the legs supporting the Chrysalis, which is the base of the Man. For aerial artists who use trapeze, tissu/silks, corde lisse/aerial rope, or sangles/straps, we will have rig points between the arches formed by the legs for suspended work. The call is also open for those who do hair hanging. We invite you to celebrate and explore aerial art in concert with this year’s theme of Metamorphoses. Come lift, soar, and inspire! All accepted projects will receive a stipend of $500 – $1,200 (based on length of performance and number in the company) for materials and transportation, access to gift Burning Man 2019 tickets for your team, and Work Access Passes for early site entry and installation. All artists need to be in Black Rock City and ready to check in at the Artery no later than 9:00 am on Saturday, August 25. For inspiration regarding the theme, see the 2019 theme announcement. The Man Pavilion structure platform sits approximately 22 feet from the ground. We expect the interior clear height to be at least 18 feet. The structure is made up of a series of arched faces. We anticipate a rig point for performances inside each of the arches, so the arch will frame the performer from the outside. We haven’t worked out access to or location of rigging points quite yet, but we’ll provide a way to connect your performance devices to our rigging points. For aerial dance, the legs of the structure will be danceable surfaces. Each face of the leg is approximately 41 inches wide at the widest point and approximately 24 inches wide at its most narrow point. The two faces of the legs come together at a seam and give an overall dimension of 81 inches wide near the top tapering to no less than 48 inches wide at the ground. The legs extend from the level of the platform at approximately 22 feet off the ground, down to the height of seating elements at the foot of each leg. Seating elements (not shown in grey model) are approximately 24 inches tall as measured from the ground. There will be an approximately 24-inch-tall parapet wall on the platform between 12 and 24 inches inboard from the edge of the platform. The rigging point for this feature is TBD, based on consults with performance riggers. The call out for 15 feet 6 inches is where the leg achieves its maximum width along its taper. It is possible that these dimensions will increase, but they will not be smaller than described here. The Man Pavilion Lighting and Sound team will provide a wash of light to the performance spaces. This does not include movable or trackable spotlights. The areas we anticipate washing with light are: For the lighting scheme within the Pavilion space, we anticipate utilizing primarily cool tones of purple and blue in neon, and warm, clean light from the cocoon. We anticipate the performance wash lighting to be in tones of amber and rose. A sound system will be available for your public domain music selections or music that you can show you own the rights to. The performance manager may request your music in advance. Burning Man Project will contract and coordinate the selected performers or performer groups. The selected performers will need to participate in show planning meetings as required, with the majority of these occurring in late July and August. Q1: Will multiple points be accessible during the performance, or just one? If more than one, how many would be available? A1: Multiple points will be available. Please tell us in your application how many you need and their proximity to each other, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request. Q2: Is there the possibility for dynamic {lifting} points? A2: Yes, this is a possibility. Please specify your desire for one or more in your application. Q3: Will I need to provide proof of insurance or list Burning Man Project on the insurance? If so, how much? A3: No, not required Q4: Will all aerial apparatus be welcome (as long as we bring it)? We have non-traditional equipment. A4: Absolutely, yes, we’d love to hear about it. Tell us details in your application. Q5: Are you looking for individual / duo acts, or are you aiming for a partial or feature-length show with multiple parts? A5: Absolutely open to individuals, duos and groups — all welcome. We are looking for ‘acts’, which can mean a ‘show’. But remember the setting and the duration maximum preferred is 40 minutes. Absolute maximum is 60 minutes. Q6: What is the working height for aerial acts (for instance, aerial hoop)? A6: We expect the rigging point will be approximately 18’ off the playa. There may be an opportunity to rig closer to 22’ off the playa. Please describe what you need in your application. Q7: Will individual performers be grouped to create a comprehensive performance? A7: Yes, there will be thought given to the composition of performance pieces from multiple groups. Q8: Is the artist responsible for the whole idea of the performance (music, costume, idea, and etc.)? Or will aerial artists be matched with someone who will help fit the performance to the overall idea? A8: Yes, your personal expression — whether it’s individual, duet or group — is what we are seeking. We cannot respond to lighting requests other than an ambient wash that is bright enough to light you, and we will provide a music playback system. Q9: Performances are 20-40 minutes in length, which means the same aerialists couldn’t do the whole time. So if you are applying as a solo performer, would you need a performance that is 20 minutes and includes time on the ground? And if applying as a group, could our performers take turns switching between ground and air throughout that time? A9: It’s okay to submit shorter solo pieces and pieces with multiple performers. It’s also okay to use the ground if it’s an integral part of performing the piece. Q10: What is the overall image? A10: The vision for the show is a series of acts to perform around the structure. Acts can be individuals, pairs, trios or whole troupes. We can accommodate performers in each of the six arches, and they could be simultaneous or staggered in time, depending on who applies and what they want to do. Someone on our team will curate and schedule the acts into an overall show. Q11: In a single show, do you want one entertainer per arch? A11: We’re going to select from what we get, so in a perfect world, sure. But in reality, we’re fine with the idea that an hour-long show might be six different 10-minute performances, one on each arch and staggered. Q12: Do you anticipate multiple shows running in different arches at the same time? A12: No, if multiple arches are in use at the same time, we’d expect those performers to be part of the same troupe and that they’d be doing something complementary to each other in terms of music. Q13: Do you intend for each performer to have their own music isolated? A13: No way to isolate music in the space, see above. Q14: Do you really expect 20 ACTIVE minute works from single artists or a more hang-about style? A14: We’re open to you defining what you can do. We’ll schedule accordingly. Q15: Will people be walking in and out through the arches during the performance? A15: No. Q16: How many arches are available per company? A16: Up to six. Specify what you would like to use in your proposal. In addition, there may be performers on the outside of the legs. Q17: What is the horizontal distance between the legs (i.e. what is the width of each arch); and how many points can each of these arches accommodate? A17: The distances between the legs varies depending on height. At three feet below the highest point of the arch, the arch is 12’4” wide. We are open to installing as many points as are reasonable and needed. Please tell us what you’d like to have access to and why. Q18: Is there an expectation that one troupe would utilize the space under all arches, or could they use multiple points below one arch, and leave the other arches free (empty or for other troupes to use)? A18: We will craft the show with performers utilizing the space in different ways. If one troupe proposes to use the entire space, they may be given all of the space at a particular point during one show. Or alternatively, we would have multiple troupes in different arches at the same time (depending on music and flow). It really depends on what people propose, so tell us what you envision. We will attempt to support you doing it your way as much as possible. Q19: For dynamic/lifting points, would we be responsible for bringing pulleys and ropes for this, as well as supplying crew to raise and lower the apparatuses/performers, or would a motorized winch be provided? If the former, is there a tying off point for the rope, or would the crew need to hold the performer aloft for the duration of their performance? A19: We expect to provide all materials above the apparatus connection point. We will have a rigger available for the shows. Proposals are due on April 15 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time, and we anticipate making a decision in early May. Once we have selected the proposals, we will issue a contract and begin work on nailing down installation plans. Rehearsals will occur no earlier than Saturday, August 24 and no later than the afternoon of Sunday, August 25. The Man Pavilion opens on Sunday, August 25. Performances will occur between Sunday, August 25 and Friday, August 30. The team that will review your submission will include Kim Cook, Director of Arts & Civic Engagement, Crimson Rose, co-founder and performer, Justin Katz, Associate Producer, Community Events along with members of the Man Pavilion project team. The creative team will evaluate submissions based on visual appeal, troupe or performer experience and fit within the Pavilion. We are particularly excited to identify and showcase the work of a wide range of expressions related to aerial and performance work. The proposal form includes a range of questions about your basic contact information and details of your experience and performance. You may submit more than one performance suggestion via multiple submissions. Please submit your proposal here.
Metamorphoses: Call for Urban Design Proposals
Each year we contemplate the structure and site for the Man as a place of interaction, invitation and, for some, a symbolic annual trek to the middle of Black Rock City. With our entire urban plan built around this iconic figure at the heart of the playa, the Man Pavilion is, after a fashion, our central ‘monument’. Of course, we lovingly burn our monument each year, which is such a wonderful ritual of not taking ourselves too seriously, holding on too tightly, or over deifying our public symbol. It is both a rich and richly ironic statement of our constancy and our impermanence. To create the interactive experience at this year’s Man Pavilion, we are seeking design teams, urbanists, artists and architects to generate places for participants to gather and to activate the surrounding environment of the Man base. The first is a civic design challenge inspired by the theme Metamorphoses and the need to change our approach to the built environment. We are seeking innovative ways to encourage a community to be in one place together, as well as ideas that can be potentially translated from Black Rock City into global urban settings. We are asking artists and designers to join us in considering what it means to be a city, Black Rock City, with an emphasis on the way urban spaces and buildings can either create disconnection or foster social connectivity. This challenge speaks to how we shape experience, encourage frivolity and fun, celebrate artistic approaches to public places, and stimulate interaction among people through design choices. We are looking to select projects that evoke a plaza or park, which are thoughtful in terms of both the location and this year’s theme. Thought should be given to seating, artwork, design, and other elements that are conducive to a central place of assembly. Each of the three selected projects will receive a stipend of $10,000 for materials and transportation, access to gift Burning Man 2019 tickets for your team, and Work Access Passes for early site entry and installation. All installation should be complete by 9 am Sunday, August 25. For inspiration regarding the theme, see the 2019 theme announcement. Creative Urban Design spaces will include three separate ‘parklets’ close to the Man. We may allocate these spaces to three separate designers, or we may potentially grant them to one design team with a vision that utilizes all three spaces. The spaces will be approximately 4,700 square feet with their inboard boundary at a radius of approximately 95 feet from the center of the Man Pavilion and an outboard boundary of 145 feet radius. The space will have an inboard frontage of approximately 73 linear feet and an outboard border of approximately 111 feet. The spaces will be defined at the 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions around the Man and are shown here, shaded. The corner of each space will be indicated by bike racks and thematic, free-standing lighting elements (we call them Opa Lights) that will tie the entire Pavilion together visually. While not required in the proposal stage, if your proposed area includes structures larger than benches, we may ask for details listed under Building Safe Structures on our website. Shade structures will need to be evaluated in a similar manner, but fear not, we’re here to help. Out here in the wide open spaces around the Man, the winds are even more vicious than in residential Black Rock City. Additionally, shade structures cannot impede the sightlines from the city to the Man Pavilion. We think a good guideline for height is to consider ‘people scale’ and that shade much higher than 10’ creates both a wonderful sail (not great), and ends up throwing shade outside of its footprint about as much as it does inside. The Man Build team can provide you with electricity to power lighting circuits. Due to distance and distribution, we can’t support large draws like motors, but we can support your low draw (preferably LED) lighting. Please include a plan to light each element you install to ensure it is safe for pedestrians and the occasional errant bicyclist within the Pavilion area. While Mutant Vehicles viewing your installation aren’t a concern within the Man Pavilion, there is good information about things to consider for lighting on our website. Solar is a possible solution should you desire to provide and install an array. Regardless of source, please direct lighting downwards or outwards from the Pavilion so it doesn’t interfere with the lighting set near the Man. The Man team will work with selected artists to determine exact placement of electricals within the defined space. We intend to have it installed prior to your arrival. We invision this being a single quad-recepticle box installed at ground level from which you can run power distribution to your elements, but we are open to supporting your other needs. Please ask in your proposal. Please plan to bury electrical extension cords. It’s best if you have something in your design that sits over top of the quad box and hides it so we don’t find people unplugging your lighting to charge their cell phones (just a little experience on the matter). In terms of an overall complimentary lighting scheme within the Pavilion space, we anticipate utilizing primarily cool tones of purple and blue in neon, and warm, clean light from the cocoon. Please describe your ideas for lighting color and temperature. Pre-event, on-site set-up: During the event: Burning Man Project will contract and coordinate the selected proposals. The selected designers will need to participate in pre-installation logistics meetings and provide drawings, sketches and specifications to our team as needed. We understand that the proposed project may slightly evolve during the finalization of the design and build plan. If your plans change significantly from what you propose, we’ll need to work with you to review and approve the changes. If you have questions while creating your submittal, you may email them to kimba@burningman.org. We’ll update this blog post with relevant Q&A’s. Proposals are due on April 15 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time, and we anticipate making a decision in early May. Once we have selected the proposals, we will issue a contract and begin work on nailing down installation plans. The Man Pavilion opens on Sunday, August 25. Your piece must be fully installed and your installation debris removed from the site no later than noon on Sunday, August 25. The team reviewing your submissions will include creative types in the Art Department along with members of the Man Pavilion crew. The creative team will evaluate proposals based on adherence to the request, innovative thinking, testing and prototyping new ideas for gathering places, visual appeal, and feasibility. The proposal form includes a range of questions about your basic contact information and details of your experience and project. Please submit your proposal here. 