What is fiscal sponsorship?

Fiscal sponsorship is an activity by which a public charity facilitates tax-deductible donations to a project by providing some oversight of projects that serve a public benefit but do not have their own non-profit status. Fiscal sponsorship allows projects to receive tax deductible contributions that an independent project might not otherwise be able to receive.

What is Burning Man’s History with fiscal sponsorship?

Burning Man Project inherited the program from the Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) in 2015. In 2014, BRAF started offering fiscal sponsorship to projects that had received an Honoraria grant from Black Rock City, LLC to bring art to the Burning Man event. When Burning Man Project merged with BRAF, Burning Man Project continued to support the program. Since 2015, Burning Man Project invested in capacity building around this program. From 2015 – 2018 Burning Man sponsored 71 projects, which raised a combined total of $872k using the program over the four year period. At the end of 2018, after reviewing the national landscape of fiscal sponsors and its own ability to provide an impactful and sustainable service to the community, Burning Man decided to roll back the program in favor of refocusing its capacity in other program areas. We will only offer fiscal sponsorship in a few select cases.

May I apply for Fiscal Sponsorship with Burning Man?

Burning Man Project no longer offers this as a standard program, if you think you may qualify for an exception please email fiscalsponsorship@burningman.org.

Does Burning Man still sponsor project or organizations?

On rare occasions, Burning Man may continue to offer or engage in a new fiscal sponsorship agreement with a mission aligned project or organization.

If you have any outstanding fiscal sponsorship needs, please refer to the two resources linked below and/or send an email to fiscalsponsorship@burningman.org.

More information:

National Network of Fiscal Sponsors

Fiscal Sponsorship Directory

The Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) was founded by several of the partners who founded and produce Burning Man, with the mission to support and promote community, interactive art and civic participation.

The foundation received its 501(c)3 status in November of 2001. In 2014, BRAF joined with Black Rock City’s Art Department to create Burning Man Arts, dedicated to facilitating art everywhere around the world, including Black Rock City.

Black Rock City has created a unique venue for art, and has rekindled one of art’s most valuable functions: connecting community members in creation, curiosity, and wonderment. At Burning Man, we observe how art brings people together, inspires participation and engenders meaningful connections between individuals. The art experienced at Burning Man invites individuals to interact with both the work itself and with their community at large.

BRAF was established to bring this modality of creating and coexisting with art to the rest of the world, with the vision that community-driven, inclusive, and interactive art is vital to a thriving culture. Through its Grants to Artists and Civic Arts Program, BRAF has worked with communities around the world to collaboratively produce innovative, relevant and pioneering works of public art that build community and empower individuals — and it will continue to do so as part of Burning Man Arts.

Black Rock Arts Foundation Founders

Harley K. DuBois
Marian Goodell
Larry Harvey
Will Roger
Crimson Rose

Black Rock Arts Foundation Board Members

Dave Aiazzi
Christopher Bently
Amber Marie Bently
David Best
Tracy Ericson Burton
Rachel Carpenter
Christian ‘Dicky’ Davies
Breanna DeGeere
Harley K. DuBois
Marian Goodell
Terry Gross
Freddy Hahne
Larry Harvey
Mark Higbie
Robin Hyerstay
Drea Lester
Phil Linhares
Nick Morgan
John Mueller
JoAnne Northrup
Joe Olivier
Christina Pettigrew
Rae Richman
Will Roger
Crimson Rose
Alix Rosenthal
Mark Sinclair
Jeremy Sugerman
Warren Trezevant
Mark Van Proyen

Black Rock Arts Foundation Staff

Melissa Alexander
Jessica “Nurse” Bobier
Kristin Hale Chamblee
Joe Meschede
Tomas McCabe
Eli Peterson
Leslie Pritchett
Josie Schimke

Black Rock Arts Foundation Advisory Board Members

Melissa Alexander
Rebecca Anders
Darius Anderson
John Perry Barlow
Melissa Barron
Brian Batsuba
Christopher Bently
Susan Bernosky
David Best
Jessica Bobier
Loren Carpenter
Zachary Coffin
Bill Codding
Jeremy Crandell
David Martin Darst
Erik Davis
Carmel Dunlap
Alan Eyzaguirre
Peter Durand
Linda Gass
Marian Goodell
Justin Gunn
Dana Harrison
Jack Haye
Mark Higbie
Peter Hudson
Dorka Keehn
David Koren
Laura Kimpton
Alexander Lloyd
Phil Linhares
Carmen Mauk
Affinity Mingle
Kay Morrison
Nabiel Musleh
Geoffrey Nelson
Peter Norton
Joe Olivier
Chris Paine
Maria Partridge
Mark Pincus
Bob Pittman
Jennifer Raiser
Kate Raudenbush
Rae Richman
Maureen Ryan
Peter Schurman
David Silverman
Aaron Sosnic
Jane Sullivan
Jack Sylvan
Mark Van Proyen
Leo Villereal
Kurt Wallace Martin
Mike Wilson
Deborah Windham
Ann Wolfe

The application process for our 2024 grant cycle is CLOSED.

Every year Burning Man Arts issues a small number of grants for the purpose of partially funding artworks for installation on the open playa at the Burning Man event in Black Rock City. We look for work that stands on its own as a physical, sculptural installation, independent of performances or activities.

If you’re interested in applying for funding for an art installation bound for the annual Burning Man event in Black Rock City, you must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI).

It’s important to know that making artwork for Burning Man is very challenging, due to the difficulties inherent in creating anything in a harsh wilderness setting with unpredictable weather, high winds, and lots of playa dust. You’re definitely going to want to know what you’re getting into (and for this reason, we recommend that you attend Burning Man once before applying for funding). Read up on what it takes to attend, and make art for Burning Man here:

• Preparation for Burning Man
• Creating Art for the Playa
• Art Installations Archive
• What We Fund and Don’t Fund

Being a Black Rock City Honorarium artist requires a significant time investment, including several mandatory meetings and the ability to adhere to firm deadlines. Please thoroughly read What to Expect before submitting a Letter of Intent.

General Grant Program FAQs

What is the process for applying for a grant?

The first step is to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). Each year, the LOI opens for applications in mid-October and submissions are due mid-November. LOI notifications will be sent before the end of the calendar year and selected applicants will have until mid-January to submit a full proposal. Late submissions, or submissions that have not gone through the LOI process, will not be considered. We will only review one version of a proposal, so make sure it’s your final version. If you have more than one concept you’d like us to consider, you are welcome to submit more than one LOI, and then potentially submit more than one art grant proposal if your LOIs are accepted.

What are your criteria for awarding grants?

Our selection criteria include:

• Interactivity with participants and the environment. Interactive art transforms participants into active contributors to the creative process. A truly interactive piece is completed by participants’ engagement with it. Interaction may be achieved in a variety of ways. The artwork can be activated by people or nature, physically entered, can impart a gift or receive a gift, can act as a social environment or an environment for play. Be prepared for unexpected forms of interaction with your artwork. Occasionally, just encountering an artwork can be interactive if it’s spread out over a field of space to be explored. Some art objects are amazing enough on their own just to be perceived, but we’ve found that almost any artwork can incorporate an interactive aspect with some planning and creativity. 
• Visual appeal. We value visual impact and beauty. The installation must be an artwork in and of itself. If you are proposing to install an interactive concept or activity that will be housed within a larger structure, the structure itself must be visually appealing as well.
• The impact of your art. We want as many participants to see and enjoy your art as possible. This does not mean we only fund large art–in fact, we seek to fund a wide range of scale, complexity, and creative expression. We encourage low-tech solutions and we delight in simple but clever concepts. We select installations that can have a large impact, regardless of their scale, and we prefer to fund installations that allow more than a few people at a time to interact, ideally during both day and night.
  
• Diversity and sustainability. Burning Man Project cares deeply about Radical Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity (R.I.D.E.) and environmental sustainability. We are interested in supporting projects and teams that reflect these values.
• The thoroughness of your proposal. We will not consider incomplete proposals. If you don’t submit detailed information, for example a thorough budget or descriptive images, it is difficult for the grant committee to fully understand or evaluate your project.

Who is eligible to apply to the grant program?

• Individuals, artist collectives or groups, and established 501(c)(3) organizations are all eligible and welcome to apply.
• We fund art installations from artists across the globe; there are no geographic restrictions on who can apply.
• If you’ve applied for or received a Burning Man grant previously, you may apply again.
• We recommend that you attend the Burning Man event at least once before applying, but it’s not required; we do fund some artists who have not yet been to Black Rock City.

What kind of art do you fund?

The following types of art are eligible for an honorarium grant:

• Sculptural 3D artwork
• Art related to the theme, and art not related to the theme
• Mobile art (sculptures that move, do not carry passengers, and will be placed at a designated spot on the open playa when not in use)

What kind of art does not get funded?

The following are not eligible for an honorarium grant:

• Performances, activities or workshops
• DJs and amplified sound
• Domes, tents, teepees, stages or prefabricated commercial structures
• Artwork containing beds or other sleeping spaces
• Murals (that are not part of another sculptural artwork)
• Mutant bikes
• Mutant vehicles
• Theme camps, or art installations placed in theme camps
• Anything illegal in the state of Nevada or prohibited by federal law. While Burning Man is a private event, we are still governed by the laws of the state of Nevada and the event takes place on federal land.

How many grants are awarded?

Approximately 70 projects per year receive an honorarium. Note that Burning Man does not have an art endowment, so nearly all of the art you will witness at Burning Man is entirely paid for by participants themselves. Most proposals submitted to us will not receive funding.

I’d love to have my installation in my camp and get an honorarium for it. Is that possible?

No. We fund art that is placed on the open playa, so as many citizens of Black Rock City as possible can enjoy it.

Who reviews Honoraria applications?

We have an art grant committee that has a long history of being involved with Burning Man’s annual grant cycles and award processes. This committee has extensive personal experience in creating and managing art on playa. We continually diversify our committee membership to better reflect Burning Man Project’s commitment to Radical Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity (R.I.D.E.).

If I don’t submit an LOI, is there any other opportunity for me to receive funding for my BRC art?

No. You must submit an LOI by the deadline to be considered for funding.

Does my art installation have a better chance of being funded if it's related to the theme?

No. We welcome proposals for art installations that are related to the theme or not related to the theme. If your concept isn’t related to the theme, please don’t stretch to find a way to connect it to the theme.

Where can I find a full list of the questions on the LOI and full proposal, to understand what’s required in the application?

All of the questions on the BRC Honoraria LOI form are available in a preview document. The questions on the BRC Honoraria Full Proposal form are also available in a preview document, but only those invited from the LOI stage will be able to submit a full proposal. You can create your own copy of the preview documents to draft your responses before entering them in the online form.

If I am invited to submit a full proposal, how likely is it that I'll be funded?

This is difficult to define. Historically Burning Man has received about 700+ Letters of Intent and has funded about 70 projects per year, so approximately 10% of submissions are selected to receive funding.

How do I send or hand deliver a maquette or small model of my project?

Due to a dispersed workforce and grant committee, we no longer accept maquettes or small models via mail or hand delivery methods. All images and one URL with video or other media must be submitted as part of your grant application form.

Grant Program Timing FAQs

When may I apply for a grant?

You must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) if you’d like to apply for funding for an art installation at BRC. The LOI process opens in the fall for the next year’s event cycle. There is a timeline available on this page.

When will I know if I’ve been awarded a grant?

If you have submitted an LOI and are invited to submit a full proposal and then submit the full proposal, we will notify you by early March. If you are awarded an honorarium, we’ll ask that you not share the news widely until we release a public announcement several days later.

LOI-specific FAQs

Why does the Burning Man Art Department use an LOI process?

Submitting a full grant proposal can be time consuming. The LOI is a much shorter application, which will save everyone time and effort. Before instituting the LOI process, we would receive applications each year that didn’t match our stated criteria. With the LOI process, if your proposed installation isn’t a good fit for the program you won’t have spent the time on a full proposal.

When is the deadline to submit an LOI?

Please review the timeline on the How to Submit a Letter of Intent page for information about deadlines. We strongly recommend submitting before the day of the deadline. If you have technical issues submitting on the day of the deadline, we may not be able to assist you and we aren’t able to make exceptions to the deadline. Note that late LOIs are not accepted.

May I submit more than one Letter of Intent (LOI)?

Yes! Our application system allows you to submit multiple LOIs if you have more than one project you are interested in proposing.

Do I need to have a Burner Profile to submit an LOI?

Yes. Our art grant application portal is accessed through Burner Profiles. If you don’t already have a Burner Profile, from the landing page please click “Login” and you’ll be brought to an option to register for a new account. Please note that we cannot accept grant applications via email; you must first submit an LOI via Burner Profiles. If your LOI is accepted, you would then submit a full proposal via the link provided in your LOI acceptance email.

Will I have a chance to include images with my LOI?

Yes! In fact, we require you to submit at least one image which can be a drawing, sketch, photo, etc. You may also submit one video in addition to any images. Your images can be as simple or complex as you need them to be; the goal is to help the Grant Committee fully understand your proposed concept. If you have a maquette, please submit a photo or video of it. We no longer accept physical maquettes.

Can I start the LOI application and then come back to it later?

Yes. Once you log into your Burner Profile and start an application, after filling out the preliminary info about your project you will have an opportunity to Save & Continue. You’ll get an email with a unique link that will bring you back to your LOI where you left off so you can come back to your draft application anytime before the deadline to continue working on it. Note that incomplete or draft applications will not be accepted; you must submit the application for it to be considered complete.

By submitting an LOI, am I obligated to create a full proposal if invited?

No. We understand that circumstances change, and you are certainly allowed to withdraw your LOI or decline the invitation to submit a full proposal.

What percentage of LOIs will be invited to submit a full proposal?

In the 2023 grant cycle we received 610 LOIs and 390 were invited to submit a full proposal. We aren’t aiming for a certain percentage; our goal is to be able to support artists as best as possible while funding a full range and collection of interactive, engaging artworks.

What can I expect if my LOI is accepted and I'm invited to submit a full proposal?

Once you are notified in December, you will receive access to the online application form. The deadline for full proposals will be January 18, 2024 at 5pm Pacific.

To learn more about the process if you submit a full proposal and your art installation is accepted as an Honorarium, check out What to Expect.

Financial FAQs

If I receive an honorarium, how much will I receive?

This varies with particular projects. However, grants normally pay for only a portion of production costs. Artists should be ready to seek out and show proof of other methods and sources of funding. As a matter of policy, we also prefer that you develop various kinds of non-monetary or in-kind resources to help support your project. We believe that such an effort on your part encourages collaboration and cooperation within our extended community.

How much money should I ask for?

Our annual budget for art grants on playa, including the Temple Grant, is $1.3 million. We typically fund approximately 70 honoraria art projects. Grants over $20,000 are rare. Due to the number of proposals we receive we are not able to negotiate potential changes for each application.

The full proposal form includes a link to an optional Budget Template which will help you articulate and calculate all the possible costs of creating your project, as well as provide you with a clear understanding of which expenses are eligible for Honoraria funding.

We strongly recommend that you request partial funding, since Burning Man typically funds 40-60% of the total proposed budget. You’ll have an opportunity on the application to specify the total budget and the amount requested. For example: tell us that your project will cost $40K and that you’re asking us for $20K, and that you’ll fundraise the balance. Another option is to provide budget tiers on the full proposal, for example, a small, medium, and large version of your project at corresponding prices. Please be clear what each tier would include. If your funding request is $30K or higher, we strongly recommend that you provide budget tier options at a range of levels, including something at a lower threshold if possible.

What expenses are eligible for funding?

The Budget Template we provide explicitly lists which expense categories are eligible and ineligible. For quick reference, here are some general expense categories and their eligibility:

ELIGIBLE:

• Materials and supplies, including tools, consumables, hardware, fuel, and Leave No Trace supplies
• Transportation of your art installation to and from the playa
• Speciality services such as welding, laser cutting, etc.
• Build space rental

INELIGIBLE:

• Burning Man tickets
• Artist and crew flights/transportation
• Crew food
• Camp supplies
• Artist fees
• Ground anchors (we provide these, but you are required to provide hardware and cabling to secure your piece to the ground anchors for stability)
• Post-event expenses such as storage
• Legal expenses such as LLC formation or insurance

My project is easily scalable. I'm not sure what level of funding to request. How should I proceed?

Please estimate the amount it would take for you to realize your vision. If your project is scalable, you’ll have an opportunity to describe various levels of funding using the tier options in the full grant proposal.

Should I include the cost of event tickets in my proposal?

If awarded a grant, we will provide tickets for you and your core crew to attend the event. We’ll work closely with you to identify how many are needed. There is no need for you to include ticket costs in your proposal.

What about including the cost of fuel for my flame effects and generators?

It’s very important that you include the estimated cost of fuel for any flame effects or generators used as a part of your installation, and the estimated number of gallons for these items should be part of your budget. Please use cost estimates for fuel that relate to rates normally experienced in the time of year that Burning Man occurs — for instance, the cost of gasoline typically increases in the month of August.

*Note that there is NOT a power grid available for honoraria artists to use; you must supply your own power source.

Can the expected budget change if/when we submit a full proposal?

We know concepts and budgets can evolve from inception to actual grant proposal, so we understand if there is a small change in funding request from the LOI to the full proposal, however significant budget changes are not acceptable. You will be asked to provide a detailed budget in the full art grant application and we have an optional budget template that can help you fully articulate your expenses.

When and how will I receive money?

This will vary slightly from project to project, based on when each artist submits certain deliverables. You will be asked to sign a contract prior to receiving any funding. In general, artists receive an initial payment of 55% of the total award within 2 weeks of signing the contract, and a second payment of 30% of the grant 30 days after the first payment. We withhold a performance deposit (typically 15%) until after the event to ensure that you comply with Leave No Trace and to serve as a credit account to cover the cost of certain resources you may purchase on playa such as water or decomposed granite. Note that the funds you receive for your honorarium are taxable and require a 1099 tax form that we will provide to you.

Event FAQs

Who is responsible for keeping my installation safe?

Burning Man Project believes strongly in Radical Self-reliance; it’s one of our 10 Principles. Ensuring your artwork does not physically harm anyone is a key responsibility of the artist. Rangers are on playa to help participants, not guard art, so it’s important that the artist creates safeguards for maintaining their art.

I want to burn my art piece at Burning Man. That’s guaranteed, right?

We know it’s Burning Man, but it is not guaranteed that you can burn your artwork at the event. There are a limited number of slots for Level 1 Open Fire (sculptures burned in place on playa) burn events, due to the environmental implications and the resources needed to manage each burn. 

If you are interested in burning your project, you can indicate that on the full proposal and must also share alternate plans if you are not selected to burn the piece, including your plans for disassembly and removal from the playa post-event.

Do I need to buy insurance for my art installation on playa?

Burning Man Project does not require insurance. However, some artists have sought to obtain insurance to cover their work on playa. 

Note that this is different from obtaining insurance to cover your volunteers and/or build space pre-playa; please consult with your insurance agent or broker regarding these types of policies.

Does Burning Man provide heavy machinery I can use?

Although we prefer that you remain completely self-sufficient, our Art Support Services team can assist you with heavy equipment if needed. We work closely with artists to identify what equipment works best and what’s available.

Should I take pictures of my artwork?

Yes! As an Honorarium recipient, you will need to submit at least one hi-res final image of your work on playa. At the event, hundreds of photographers, amateur and professional, may also photograph your work. Burning Man is also covered by an international array of media. The Burning Man Art Department and the staff at Media Mecca may help connect these journalists with artists.

Can I do art sales on playa?

Black Rock City is a fertile meeting ground for artists and patrons of the arts. Although vending is strictly disallowed at the event, artists at Burning Man are free to encounter potential clients for their work in an environment free of agents, dealers or any of the other professional intermediaries who normally interpose themselves in the creative process. Burning Man is a radically unmediated environment and can yield unique opportunities.

How does my art get placed on playa? How do I find my location?

We work with artists to identify where ideally their art installation should be placed on the open playa. We strive to support the artist’s goals and place their artwork where it best serves their artistic vision, while also taking into consideration the landscape and the full experience of participants. Ultimately placement is at the discretion of the Art Department. Once you arrive on playa, our volunteer staff will let you know your placement and take you to its assigned location.

Other FAQs

What other benefits or help can I receive from Burning Man?

Aside from the essential personal satisfaction gained from creating your work, as well as showing it and sharing it with tens of thousands of very enthusiastic people, Burning Man can also furnish you with other opportunities. Installations, funded or not, will be featured on our website and other social media and in our Black Rock City gate handout, the WhatWhereWhen guide. And when you receive an Honorarium, you join a thriving community of artists who share resources, guidance, and advice.

What kind of contract with Burning Man Project will I need to sign if my art installation is funded?

Please read more about What to Expect Upon Receiving a BRC Honorarium.

I have a technical question or problem with the form. Can you help me?

Please use the Contact Us function in Burner Profiles, and select “Art Grant Application Support” from the drop-down menu.

If you’re experiencing an error, it’s helpful to let us know what browser (Safari, Chrome, etc.) and operating system (Mac, Windows) you are using.

Please note that the Burning Man office will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day and we will be unable to respond to inquiries at that time.

What are the technical requirements for submitting a form? Can I submit it from my phone?

We’re not set up for you to be able to submit via a mobile device, such as a phone or a tablet. Please use a computer and a recent version of a major web browser (we have tested the forms on recent versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Internet Explorer). You must have JavaScript enabled in your web browser. Usually, this is on by default.

Who do I contact with further questions?

After fully reading the FAQs and other art materials on this website, you can send any other questions to us via the help desk form. Please note that the Burning Man office will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day and we are unable to respond to inquiries during that time.

If you are interested in applying for a grant, please see our Letter of Intent submission guidelines.

The Civic Arts Program is Burning Man Project’s engine for generating more engaged citizenship, more livable communities, and more participatory art in public spaces around the world. It’s the way we share a crucial idea we first learned in Black Rock City: There is no line between artistry and citizenship.

Civic Arts takes the metaphor of Black Rock City — a temporary, experimental redesign of city life that inspires us and gives us practice sharing tools, lessons and possibilities — and applies it to stimulate new projects and partnerships to try to make more places like that.

We work to generate opportunities for people to connect with the spirit of their aspirations for the places where they live, cultivating there the same sense in which we refer to Black Rock City as “home”.

This section contains detailed information on all Burning Man Civic Arts projects.

Current and Recent Projects

• Smithsonian American Art Museum
  • Exhibition web page
  • Burning Man Journal series
• San Jose City “Playa to Paseo”
  • Press release
  • Burning Man Journal story
• Washoe County, Nevada
  • Press release
  • Burning Man Journal story
• Norfolk Hermitage Museum
  • Exhibition web page
  • Burning Man Journal story
• Las Fallas, Valencia, Spain
  • Video documentary
  • Burning Man Journal series
• Les Machines de l’île, Nantes, France
  • Burning Man Journal series

More About the Program

Burning Man Project, a nonprofit organization, is best known for its annual event in Black Rock City, where over 30 years of community-engaged experience has led to remarkable capabilities in collective art processes, increased connectivity through creative interventions in public space, and a self-reliant and ingenuity-based culture. That work, incubated in Black Rock City, is spreading worldwide, suggesting many possibilities for creating inviting civic spaces that enhance livability.

In 2005, the Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) initiated the Civic Arts Program as new model for public art placement. It was born when Mayor Gavin Newsom and the San Francisco Arts Commission encouraged BRAF to collaborate with the San Francisco’s Hayes Valley community and artist David Best to create an interactive Temple in the mode of the ones Best created at Burning Man. The Hayes Valley Temple quickly became a cherished focal point for the community, providing a beautiful space that inspired connection, dialog and civic pride. The Temple became our model of how artists, city officials and community members can collaborate to create meaningful public art work — art that addresses the specific needs of, reflects the unique character of, and serves a connective function for the community. BRAF became a program of Burning Man Project in 2014.

Since then, Burning Man Civic Arts projects and collaborations have blossomed into the many projects you’ll find in this section, and there are exciting new projects in the works.