Musicians, Magicians, and Marching Bands. Speakers, Singers and Side-Show Acts. Film Makers, Freestylists, and Free Spirits. These are just some of the participants within Black Rock City who fill Center Camp with their pulsating, pervasive, and poignant performance power. In addition to the free-form entertainment that abounds, Center Camp hosts special events, and has two stages for scheduled community performances.
The two stages: Center Stage and the Speak Easy Stage are a fun and high-profile way for participants to share their talents at Burning Man.
By day on the Center Stage, an eclectic mix of café-style musical offerings such as instrumental, jazz, and world performances encourages community gathering, relaxation, and social interaction. We also host The Speaker Series, comedy shows, and small-scale theatrical productions.
On the Speak Easy Stage, poets, storytellers and open-mic opportunities abound.
In fact, the entirety of Center Camp is a majestic space host to performances as unique as the surroundings; because not all performances happen on the stage. We also host large participatory and performance groups, dancers, orchestras, and jugglers in what we call “the Center of the Center”: the Oculus of Center Camp.
Are you one of those black-clad gaffer’s-tape-and-flashlight types?
The Center Camp Stages are seeking acts that can contribute to Center Camp’s ambiance with…well…. performances. After a killer jam session Sunday night, our stages re-open Monday and we keep on going until Sunday just before Temple Burn. Yes, that’s right, we are open 24/7 for Event Week. Performers interested in performing on our stages should arrange for a pre-scheduled performance time during the event. But HOW?
Start by emailing some basic information to our Center Camp Performance booking volunteers:
- Your name
- The name of your Act
- Featured instruments and musical style
- Brief sound requirements
- Links to any online samples or information, excerpt from one of your poems, sketches, or plays, or a description of the type of performance you’re planning.
- ****Note to Booking Agents – All artists are required to be radically self reliant, which means purchasing their own ticket to the event as well as providing all necessaries to survive the Black Rock City. We do not work with Booking Agents, have your clients contact us directly.
We have a tremendous team of volunteers ready to help get your performance booked. Read more below and email them at:
- Musicians, Theatre Troupes, Marching Bands, and Performers of all types: Performers-CenterCamp@burningman.org
- Formal Talks and Discussions (read more below): SpeakerSeries@burningman.org
- Poets, Storytellers, and Improvers: SpeakEasy-CenterCamp@burningman.org
If you have any style of event that may contribute to the overall Center Camp community experience and require any additional assistance or just have questions, email us at: Performers-CenterCamp@burningman.org
Share your expertise, research, analysis, and experiences with your fellow playa citizens and be a part of the Center Camp Speaker Series!
Every year the Speaker Series has a sub-theme that we ask you to consider. Of course we accept talks that are not specific to the sub-theme, but talks that incorporate either this year’s event theme or Speaker Series sub-theme will be given scheduling priority.
For more information about this year’s sub-theme, contact speakerseries@burningman.org or complete the Center Camp Speaker Series Submission Form.
Structure of Our/Your Talks:
- Talks generally range in length from 10-30 minutes. But longer slots are available.
- There is a moderated Q&A that follows every talk ranging in time from 5-25 minutes depending on the submission, the time slot, and the audience engagement level. This is where the moderator and the audience can question and engage with the presenter on their assumptions and thesis.
- All submissions and topics are welcome, as long as general Burning Man ethos and values are upheld. (i.e. no promotions of products, corporations, political candidates, or rigid partisanship).
- We are looking for speakers and talks, not workshops.
- We are looking for fully structured talks that reveal and explore the nature of the topic submitted. Research, whether academic or experiential, is welcomed and appreciated.
- We are a family friendly venue until dark, and we have no speaker slots after dark this year, though that doesn’t mean that we will not accept talks on ‘racy’ or more ‘adult’ subjects… it’s just something to consider in the framing of your submission and talk.