If you’d like to be considered for an opportunity to receive a reserved camping spot for your camp in Black Rock City, this page is for you! On here, you’ll learn about the placement process required forms to complete in order to participate, and what we’re looking for when you apply. This process is facilitated by a fabulous set of volunteers on the Placement Team.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Placement Timeline
PLACEMENT FORMS:
• Placed Camp Questionnaire
• Statement of Intent
• Post-playa Report
Camp Placement Criteria
Camp Categories
Camp Standing
Taking a Year Off
Camp Support
Placement Timeline
- Mid-December: Statement of Intent opens for new and returning theme camps in your Burner Profile
- December: Camp Standing announced to placed theme camps
- Mid-January: Statement of Intent due at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 9pm CET
- Mid-February: Stewards Sale ticket allocations provided to camp leads of returning theme camps and notification of conditional placement to new theme camps
- Early March: Form opens in Burner Profiles for camp leads from returning theme camps to distribute Stewards Sale ticket access
- Mid-February: Placed Camp Questionnaire opens for all camps in Burner Profiles
- Last Thursday in March: Placed Camp Questionnaire for ALL theme camps. Deadline includes any support camps in a hub due at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 9pm CET
- Second-to-last Thursday in April: Placed Camp Questionnaire for all support camps NOT in a hub due at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 9pm CET
- March and April: Placement team reviews each questionnaire we receive
- May: Placement team creates the map of Black Rock City and announces whether camps have been selected for placement
- June: Placement announces approximate addresses and dimensions of placed camps
- July: Placement team announces neighbors
- July: Setup Access Passes emailed to placed theme camps
- Mid-September: Post-playa Report opens
- October: Post-playa Report due
Subscribe to the Placement Newsletter and stay up to date regarding due dates and timeline changes.
Placed Camp Questionnaire
All camps desiring placement in Black Rock City must fill out the Placed Camp Questionnaire (PCQ), which goes live typically in February and closes at 12 pm Pacific Time on the last Thursday of March for all new and returning theme camps, this deadline including any support camps that wish to be in a hub. Any art, mutant vehicle, and work support camps NOT in a hub can submit the questionnaire until 12 pm Pacific Time on the second to last Thursday in April. Camp types and categories are described in a couple sections below. See Burner Profiles for exact dates in a specific year. The questionnaire is completed within Burner Profiles.
The PCQ is completed by a single lead for a camp who acts as the primary point of contact for the camp with the Placement team. The PCQ asks for descriptions about camp size, interactivity, infrastructure, fire safety, acculturation, leave no trace, and other important aspects of the camp.
Additionally, a Statement of Intent is also required for new and returning theme camps seeking access to the Stewards Sale. Submission is due in mid-January.
You can find a sample of the Placed Camp Questionnaire for theme camps here and a sample for support camps (art, work, mutant vehicle) here. These are updated annually in February.
Statement of Intent (SOI)
Placement requires returning theme camps that are in good standing to submit a Statement of Intent (SOI) in order to receive Stewards Sale ticket allocations for the upcoming year. Theme camps are not guaranteed tickets each year and allocation quantities may vary year-to-year. The SOI gives camps a chance to tell us their preliminary plans for size and interactivity.
New theme camps seeking placement are also encouraged to complete a SOI, and are eligible for ticket access. New theme camps issued tickets must also complete a Placed Camp Questionnaire to access awarded tickets and bring their camps to Black Rock City.
Theme camps who have not been placed within the last 3 event cycles or are not in good standing should not complete the SOI. Support camps including art support, mutant vehicle support, and work support camps must contact their respective departments to inquire about Stewards Sale allocations for their groups. We’ve prepared this nifty FAQ if you have more questions about the SOI.
You can find a sample of the Statement of Intent here, updated annually in November.
Post-playa Report (PPR)
The Post-playa Report is the final step in the Placement process for camps – a way for them to tell Placement about how the burn went for their camp. The report to Placement is critical in improving our understanding of what happens on the ground and helping make Black Rock City even more vibrant in following years. Data collected from the Post-playa Report is also shared with camps for their use in self-improvement.
Pro-Tip: Photos of a camp’s daytime and nighttime frontage and interactivity is one of the most helpful elements we’ll request, so make sure to document your camp!
Completing this report is required to remain in good standing with Placement and to be eligible for future placement in Black Rock City.
You can find a sample of the Post-playa Report here, updated annually in September.
Camp Placement Criteria
Camps are offered reserved placement after meeting a set of criteria that we expect as valued citizens of Black Rock City. Camps receiving placement are expected to be good neighbors, reflect the culture and values that stem from Burning Man’s 10 Principles, operate safely, respect the land and leave no trace, and be self-reliant. Please review the Camp Placement Criteria in its entirety to understand the full set of expectations of all placed camps. Each criterion includes a detailed explanation of what we encourage your camp to strive for (Here’s What We Hope To See), as well as the things we consider when determining your camp standing (Here’s What We’ll Look For).
Camp Categories
Most placed camps in Black Rock City are theme camps, but there are other types of placed camps, too. When you fill out the Placed Camp Questionnaire through the BRC Participation Page of Burner Profiles, you will be asked to choose the appropriate category for your camp. Here’s a quick run-down of camp categories, and please see the Placed Camp Categories page for more details about expectations.
- Theme camps began in 1995 and have become the way the majority of people camp and participate in Black Rock City offering interactivity, visual impact, and unique offerings that make Burning Man special.
- Art support camps are where artists and the crews that build registered art installations reside on the playa.
- Mutant vehicle camps are where mutant vehicle crews that build registered mutant vehicles reside on playa.
There are also Burning Man Project Department and work support camps for staff helping to keep BRC city safe and running.
Camp Standing
After Black Rock City has become dust once again, the Placement Team collects feedback about all camps (including mutant vehicle camps and art support camps) and determines their standing. Camps are either in good standing, limited standing, or not in good standing each year.
Your camp standing will impact things like Stewards Sale ticket allocations as well as your ability to be placed in the following year. Placed theme camps must be in good standing and complete a Statement of Intent (see below) in order to receive access to Stewards Sale tickets the following year. If a camp is not in good standing, they will not be invited to the Stewards ticket sale and may not receive future placement. If a camp is in limited standing, they may receive between 25-75% of their otherwise allotted Stewards tickets.
If a mutant vehicle camp or art support camp is in limited or not in good standing with the Placement Team based on the criteria to be in good standing, Placement will share the camp’s standing and their Stewards recommendation (if eligible) with the DMV or Art Department.
For detailed information about how Standings are determined, please review this page.
Taking a Year Off
As interest in the Burning Man event in BRC continues to grow, more camps continue to seek placement as a way to offer their gifts of interactivity, and also to secure tickets. We highly encourage camps to take a year or two off to make room for new camps to join BRC. Taking the year off comes with benefits, including time to rejuvenate and lighten the stress that comes with planning for the Burn. It also allows you to focus on other ways to bring Burning Man and your theme camp to the world, including visiting one of the many Official Regional Events around the world.
Any theme camp in good standing that has been placed within the last three events is considered a returning camp and eligible for Stewards Sale ticket allocations. For camps who also have been placed a minimum of three years, they may take up to two years off and Placement will guarantee at least the same number of Stewards tickets as their most recently placed year.
Click to read more about how we are Adapting to Growth and Limits in Black Rock City.
Camp Support
If you have questions regarding camp placement, first read through the Camps and Placement section of the website, check the FAQ, and you can always email placement@burningman.org.
If you have questions on how to make your camp amazing or handle a challenge within your camp, check out the offerings of the Camp Support Team and read the Camp Resource Guide.
Thank you for creating a theme camp for Black Rock City!