The Placement Team are volunteers who facilitate the placement process, work directly with every camp, and make the map of Black Rock City. Since 1995 we plan the city, correspond with Camp Leads year-round, and meet you in person to place your camp on the playa. Placement is how camps receive a reserved camping spot at Burning Man.
If your camp would like a reserved Black Rock City address, your camp will need to participate in the Placement process. If your camp would like to arrive before the Gate opens to build or set up your camp in a reserved camping spot, you will need to participate in the placement process. You can reach us by emailing placement@burningman.org. Please include your camp name and requested sector in the subject line of your email. You can sign up for the Placement Newsletter here.
Click to learn more about Camp Support Team or PEERS (Placement's Exploration & Engagement Research Squad):
Placement Team Bios:
Bobo (née Coach) alit upon BRC in 2014 for his maiden voyage, striking that tuning fork in the key of weeeee! He joined Placement to deepen connection to and awe of this community and culture collaboratively brought to be. He’s thrilled to serve the city alongside the dedicated and talented Placement team, hustling to connect and assist camps to lay the framework for arriving on playa to swim the dusty seas of the city that isn’t until it is, and after a while, ain’t, until it is again!
My first year on playa was 2013, I quickly found myself engulfed in a dust storm and completely at home being lost in the city. I have been slowly exploring the many faces and facets of this city and in turn how I view myself and the world. I’ve always been drawn to the collective creative experience and have sought out more avenues to participate. I couldn't be more ecstatic to have finally found it, blue flags n' all! I joined the placement team in 2019 and have since nurtured a deep love affair with spreadsheets and the tetris of our streets. Being slightly addicted to volunteering, I also volunteer with Camp Support helping with Campfire Talks and have volunteered with the SOAK Placement team in the past. Personally, I love riddles and quests, and am always looking for doorways to the Fae world. In Defaultia, I am full timea leather artisan, clothing designer and part time goblin.
Year one for me was 2003. And I quickly realized that this was a place to be and experience things in life that I never had before. The next year, I decided I wanted to do more than just experience it. So for the next 8 years I was involved in running theme camps. In 2012 I decided to volunteer with Placement. I began my journey in 3:00. Since then I have been a placer for 3:00, 4:30, and 7:30. I believe my time running a theme camp helps me to better serve and understand what our city needs.
Since her first magical year on playa in 2022, Compass has dabbled in different facets of the Burner community as a theme camp member, Arctica ice-slinger, and dust-kicker-upper on the lanes at Gate. She’s beyond thrilled to have found her niche in Placement where she can contribute her default-world skills in planning for sustainable communities. Despite being a rookie burner, Compass is dedicated to participating in the alchemy that brings our fantastical, ephemeral City to life each year. In addition to her adoration for this wonderful experiment we call home, she is a lover of side quests, slapstick, and slides.
DhammaSeeker first came to Black Rock City in 2010 as a solo open camper. He co-founded Pretty Pickle Camp in 2011 and continues as camp lead today. A quest to do it better each year keeps him returning to Black Rock City. After getting a taste of pretending to organize chaos at the 2021 playa gathering, he applied for a spot on Placement until they relented and let him volunteer in mapping support starting in 2023. He gets to review the layouts of hundreds of camps and help us all do it better!
Dreamer first got sucked into "That Thing in the Desert" in 2017 by way of the Lamplighters. After having a profound first year, a small theme camp called HYPERSPACE popped up in the 9 o'clock sector in 2018 with a mission to share UFO lounge pods and blacklight minigolf with the citizens of Black Rock City. Organizing a Theme Camp each year wasn't enough for Dreamer though as it became a yearly ritual to volunteer with The Lamplighters on Wednesday, greet during the yearly nude greeter shift, and deliver mail dressed as a kooky mailman with The BRC Post Offices. His love for Theme Camps and volunteering found him helping to place the 7:30 sector in 2023. Animalia was the most challenging year and the most rewarding year for Dreamer yet, and he looks forward to helping place the 4:30 sector in 2024. If you're trying to find Dreamer out there in the dust, be on the lookout for a big yellow haired clown in a yellow suit, chances are that's him!
I attended my first burn in 2006 and swore I would never return! Since then, I've returned many times and joined the Black Rock Rangers in 2014. In my off-playa time I work with an incredible team of folks who produce unSCruz (Santa Cruz Regional Burn), which I’ve been a part of for the past 10 years. My experience and love of planning with that event, led me to the Burning Man Placement team which I joined in 2023 as a volunteer placer. I love being a part of creating this amazing urban wonderland we all get to enjoy for a whisper in time each year.
My first year was 2009. The artwork, the people, and the generosity were amazing. After a few years looking for a way to volunteer, I landed on the placement team in 2014. It was a way to give back while indulging my love of Legos and Sim City and Tetris and data and Burning Man all at the same time! I love seeing all the amazing things you do and helping to make it all happen.
I've been attending Burning Man since 2005 and volunteering for the Placement Team and Gate Perimeter & Exodus since 2006. I’ve been a member of, or a lead, of various theme camps since 2005. In 2006, an email was sent out to ask for volunteers to work in the office for two weeks. I was available & applied (& won) the internship for the Placement Team. In 2007 I was asked to return as a full-fledged placer. I have been fortunate to be the placer for the 4:30, 6:00, 7:30, and 3:00 sectors over the years.
Hot Water first came to the playa in 2012, where she spent most of the week with her jaw on the floor. From 2012-2014 she was a core member of camp Barberella Shop in the 9:00 Plaza, a grand adventure of spreadsheets and clippers and barbicide and pink wigs. But much like the little mermaid, she wanted more. So in 2016 she joined Placement and never looked back. It has been her utmost privilege to serve the 7:30 sector for three years running, and she is thrilled to get to play a small role in helping camps bring their incredible visions to life.
Shamed into attendance in 2012, Huntress now returns annually on her sNarkle pony. Through theme camp organizing, grey water ‘diving’, GPE cone-wrangling, and Placement paper-shuffling, she has learned about the omnipotence of spreadsheets, the fiery effects of industrial bleach on skin, and Burners’ incredible generosity of labor. When not contributing to chaos, you can find her on a perennial quest for funky beats, irreverent whimsy, and extra bubbly seltzer. She's thrilled to help create BRC on the unceded land of the Numu (Northern Paiute). As a geographer, she's stoked to tell people that, yes… she finally makes maps.
I earned the playa name KGB my first year at Burning Man, 2007, where I helped build an art project and volunteered for Perimeter Death Ray Crew! It was an epic experience, and I’ve been attending and volunteering ever since. In 2015 I moved from GPE to the Placement Team, where I often wear colors other than black and help create fun, diverse, interactive neighborhoods of fabulous theme camps created by amazing people. In 2015-16 I helped place the 2:00 and 10:00 sectors, and in 2017 moved to the 4:30 sector. Can't wait to see you all in BRC!
My first year was 2010 and I went early to build. Within 20 minutes, a storm blew a dome across the playa, and it landed on my car. It completely covered it! I remember wondering WTF should I do? If I could at least get my car to drive off playa then nothing else really mattered. Learning to "let go" was my first of many playa lessons and it’s been schooling me ever since! I have helped build theme camps, art builds, regionals and now with the placement team. I have found my home within my home!
LL
Placement Administrative Coordinator
The great Elvis Presley once said, "Only fools rush in." - and that I did! In 2011, I sold my car for funds and found a ticket locally. Our RV broke down a mile from Gate, a wizard towed us in, got lost, and then found. I was finally Home. Neighbors became campmates and campmates became family; leading Black Hole Literary Society as TCO for 8 years. I previously volunteered with Playa Info and Greeters before joining Placement as an Admin Support Specialist in 2022. It is an absolute honor to contribute to our beautiful Black Rock City now as Placement’s Administrative Coordinator — with the best dang team a lady could ask for. Buy the ticket, take the ride! )’(
Level
Associate Director of City Planning
Level first stepped on the playa in 2009, where he joined the incredible Dilated People’s Eye Spa, an oasis of rejuvenation for dusty burners. After leading the camp for 5 years, he joined the Placement team to exercise his expertise in playing Sim City, formal training as an urban planner, and love for people and place. He has led the team since 2019 and is honored to be in the seat to help build the greatest temporary city on earth.
machine
Flagging Manager
L2K... a Gift Ticket... Early Arrival and the promise to help with whatever it takes to complete the 'Ring'. 2004 would prove to be the most amazing 'freshman' year; Cave of the Echo People, theme camp; Reflection, art project and my first experience with 'Placement'. machine was born! On playa experience includes...coning those places vehicles shouldn't tread; Ice sales; Placer for 3:00, 4:30 and 6:00; Flagger, then Lead Flagger... finding out being on playa an entire month each year, the best time ever spent! Black Rock City is through the looking glass.
I started burning in 2009 and it changed my entire perspective on life – no judgements, total acceptance and shed the corporate skin for a bit. A few years later, I started my own camp which grew into a family of tight-knit burners. I joined Placement in 2023 and have learned how complex it is to build a city in a few months. The creativity, energy and mind-blowing experiences keep me coming every year. As Einstein said, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
Monday never wanted to go to Burning Man, and had grown tired of his friends trying to drag him out to the desert. But when one gifted him a ticket in 2011, he accepted the challenge, and like so many before and after, it blew his freaking mind. He has made an annual pilgrimage ever since. To him, Black Rock City is his church, its citizens his congregation, its Ten Principles his foundational text. He is grateful every day to be part of something so beautiful.
Muppet
Placement Production Coordinator
Gave fucked-up-haircuts galore as co-lead of theme camp Barberella Shop for 4 years. Put in three years on the ARTery Field Ops team as a glorified excuse to drive a golf cart around at Burning Man. Discovered a stowaway during their only year working the lanes at Gate Actual. Placement Team staff support and BRC map boss since 2014; probably knows the locations of 85% of camps at Burning Man any given year. DPW Playa Restoration Senior Scribe (now retired) & self-identified darklepony.
Papa Bear
Placement Assistant Manager
My first year on playa was 2005. By my second year I was fully on board and involved in a project to bring an art bike, decorate it like a UFO and pour micro-brew off the bike. The following year in 2007 a few friends and I started CarboFuckiNation and were placed in the 9:00 Portal serving IPFuckinA. 2009-2012 I revamped CarboFuckiNation into RevoFuckinLution and we had a good run in the 9:00 Portal continuing to serve IPFuckinA and adding TranscendentAle to the beer board. Desiring a bigger sandbox to play in, I stopped running a theme camp and joined Placement in 2013 where I became the lead Placer for 9:00 from 2014 to 2019. In 2021, I joined the Placement Management team and am honored to be the Placement Assistant Manager supporting the talented volunteer teams under the Placement umbrella and helping to create the ephemeral and experimental city called BRC.
Ratchet first came to Black Rock City in 2016. Without ever meeting his campmates in person, he flew into Reno to help load the trucks and then hit the road for build week. Stereotypically, it changed his life. Over the past five years, he has helped lead theme camps (Mudskippers Urban Decay Cafe), crewed on art cars (ICARUS), and generally done an excellent job of living up to his Playa name. He is often either holding things together, screwing them down, or shaking them up.
Rhyme discovered the magic of Black Rock City in 2010, when her dad (a long time Burner) let her tag along. Now she volunteers with CAMP, leads the CocoDisco camp, and is thrilled to have found her way to Placement. Like most of the Placement team, she loves spreadsheets and tetris, creating something out of nothing, and putting tons of love and energy into creating our collective home.
I experienced my first burn in 2010 as a robot and was unsurprisingly dubbed Robox. Every day I would roll out of camp in a large and boxy costume to greet all of the black rock denizens in my boxy self. By sun down I had hugged and danced myself to exhaustion only to do it again the next day. I experienced my first 3 burns in this fashion until I felt comfortable enough in my own skin to break out of the box. Hello! I am Robox but also not just a robot.
I first set foot on the Black Rock Desert 10/11/91—it was magical! First Burn '92. Since '94 I've built art, planned theme camps, volunteered at Earth Guardians, L2K and with Perimeter Death Ray crew. I joined Placement in '01 to help design the 3 & 9 Portal-Plazas. After managing the plazas for two years I became Placer for 3 (Berlin) sector, and placed 7:30 in '06 when 7:30-4:30 plazas began. I've been in many sectors — 7:30, 4:30, 3, 2 & 10. I love our team, watching BRC ascend from the playa surface and being part of its culture and evolution.
I first went to Burning Man in 2007. I drove onto the playa knowing no one. Quickly my mind was blown by the art, the infectious sense of joy and openness, and I have never been the same since. That year I made a vow to myself that I will continue to come back to Black Rock City. Burning Man has helped me discover a fuller sense of who I am and I will forever be grateful. Off playa you can find me helping indigenous peoples tell their story through film, capturing the wonder of the natural world through photography and film, and traipsing along the Pacific Crest Trail.
My first burn was 2004 and it was so amazing and memorable that I hardly remember any of it. I scribbled a note to remember to come back as quickly as possible and never saw that slip of paper again. The “universe” sent me back to the playa in 2014, and I’ve been unable to stop remembering to go there since -- in fact, I’m always going there, even now as you read this. I’ve been wildly successful at failing harder each year, resulting in the creation of the smallest, largest, and only black metal wine bar in BRC as well as numerous "artistic productions". I like to think of BRC as the place where best laid plans go to die and be reborn, and as your placer I am ever so happy to survey your wreckages and remind you of the great potential for future melee.
Friends have been going to Burning Man since 1993 but I always had a reason not to (mostly because I thought it was a big hippie fest) ;) In 2003, I took up a dare, got myself to BRC and never looked back. I was lucky enough to camp with some placers and fell in love with what they were doing. 2004-2006 was spent trying to find my place as a volunteer: BMIR, Greeters, Rangers - all the while watching my campmates, hoping for a spot in the team. I joined the 9:00 sector in 2007 and in 2008 started placing 2:00 & 10:00. We volunteer hundreds of hours but it’s definitely one of the most rewarding jobs on playa.
I’ve attended Burning Man every year since 2018 and joined Placement in 2022 (where I was in 3:00). Prior to joining, I was an open camper and didn’t know a whole lot about theme camps but was eager to learn and share my unique perspective with the team. What keeps me coming back each year is the seemingly limitless creative possibilities and the unadulterated setting that allows you to be your authentic self and have boatloads of fun with complete strangers.
Trixxie
Data Support
Trixxie’s first burn was in 2016 and has returned every year since. The endless possibilities, the unbridled creativity, and the joy of community had her hooked. In her enthusiastic sophomore year, she co-created Soon To be Infamous, which continues to be her home in the 9:00 sector. Trixxie joined the placement team in 2021 as data support. She crunches numbers, reads and analyzes survey responses, and makes pretty data pictures to help Placers and to provide theme camp leads with insights as they build their camps.
Leaving my ranch in the mountains of Northern California for a few blessed months, I get to work on my other passion - urban planning with Placement. Dusty, dusty urban planning! The strangest, most unique urban planning ever, filled with live music, amazing food, lots of fire, insane workshops and a multitude of bars and coffee, with the strangest, most talented, creative citizens on the planet. Look for me on my Little Green Tractor and tell me what you love most about life on playa. See you in the dust soon!
Wizard
Mapping Support
I first burned in 2014, which was such an eye opening experience that some friends and I started our own camp (Teddies) the following year. Since then I've learned so much about infrastructure, spreadsheets, and creating an effective internal culture that also leads to lasting off-playa friendships. Placement was always one of my favorite departments to work with on the camp side, so in 2020 I joined the team as Mapping Support Volunteer, hoping to bring my love for clearly labeled, to-scale maps to the people.