Contribute Your Skills and Playfulness to Center Camp
Center Camp comes to life each year thanks to the teamwork of many dedicated volunteers who plan, create and install decor, facilitate the performance schedule, and support Black Rock Citizens in bringing their wild gifts and shenanigans.
Black Rock City’s Center Camp is a veritable hive of activity, a cacophony of surprises and adventures. All experiences are gifted by, and created for the wildly inventive humans that inhabit our dusty city. What happens when the center of the center welcomes everyone to frolic in the playa’s living room? Fun and laughter! It’ll be a “festival within a happening!”
We are looking for volunteers to support this vibrant community space.
As a member of the Center Camp crew, you’ll be helping to create the social and cultural heart of Black Rock City. To get involved, read about the various ways you can contribute, then fill out the Volunteer Questionnaire in your Burner Profile; be sure to tell us you’re interested in Center Camp!
How to Join the Teams that Create Center Camp
SWIFT (*new for 2023)
If you enjoy helping Black Rock Citizens bring their weird and wild interactive ideas into the world, SWIFT (aka Shenanigans Wrangling Instigation Facilitation Team) may be your dream team. SWIFT supports pre-planned participant-created activities, walk-up creations and spontaneous experiences that will pop up in Center Camp throughout Burn Week. To volunteer for SWIFT, email swift-CenterCamp@burningman.org. Need support bringing your thing to Center Camp? Fill out this form.
Art and Artists
Calling all sculptors, painters, artists, designers and creative people! Bring your creative self, art, amazing creations and help us transform Center Camp into a living breathing cornucopia of art and joy. If you’ve made something and you want others to see it, we want you to show it off. Find out more about what we are looking for here, then fill out this form to contribute your creativity. To join Center Camp’s art team, email Art-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
Decor
Calling all decor designers, seamstresses, furniture builders, painters, artists and multi-talented creators! Work with the skilled team that will transform Center Camp into a magical shared community space. Bring your on-playa experience and a willingness to work hard and have fun. Most of the work is done during Build Week before the Gate opens and after the event when we pack up Center Camp and leave no trace. To join the decor team, email Decor-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
Producers, Musicians, Speakers, MCs, Ringmasters…
Make sure the show goes on! There are plenty of ways to lend your skills to Center Camp’s Production crew — from building, lighting, and amplifying the Center and Speakeasy stages before the gates open, to booking acts, MCing, mixing sound and stage managing during Burn Week. Learn about bringing your act to Center Camp.
To help out backstage, email ProductionVolunteer-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
To share your on-stage creation, whatever it may be, email Performers-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
To share your stories, poetry and improv, email Speakeasy-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
Center Camp Guardians
During Build Week, Strike and overnight during Burn Week, Guardians wander through the Center Camp enjoying the offerings, chatting with the people there and making sure things are safe and sound. If you have an interest in participating in this role, contact Guardians-CenterCamp@burningman.org.
Come, meet, play, and be inspired in the playa’s living room.
To get in on this amazing experience of Communal Effort, contact Volunteer-CenterCamp@burningman.org, or fill out the Volunteer Questionnaire, accessible via your Burner Profile.
Note: Volunteers get involved in Center Camp because they are committed to a shared collaborative project that ignites the center of Black Rock City. We do not offer free tickets in exchange for volunteering — but if you get involved soon, you may gain access to future tickets or opportunities to contribute to Center Camp in 2024 or beyond.