Surrounding the Man were several circus-style tents, forming a Carnival Midway that housed a panoply of strange and enchanting wonders. The Midway featured 33 projects created by Regional groups and artists collectives from 16 countries around the world, and offered interactive and playful experiences to participants. Artists and builders created unorthodox carnival attractions and interactive experiences, including two performance art stages.
Photo Gallery: the Carnival of Mirrors Midway by Ladybee
The Midway Is Calling, to You and to Burning Man by Caveat Magister
Speaking of fire, a record 20,020 gallons of propane were dispensed during the Burning Man event in 2015. Of that, 17,673 gallons were used for fire art including Mutant Vehicles, theme camp flame effects, and placed art projects. Burning Man also finally broke the $1 million mark for our Black Rock City grant program, and gifted approximately $1.2 million in monetary support to more than 100 art projects.
David Best and the Temple Crew built the Temple at Derry~Londonderry
Once completed it measured 72ft high. It's timber frame was clad with intricate panels, some of which had been designed and cut by young people in the Nerve Centre's Fablab. Everyone was invited to leave a memory behind, let go of the past and look to the future. Up to 60,000 people visited over the seven days it was open, covering the inside of the structure and it's pillar with personal messages.On Saturday 21st March it was set alight at 8pm by eight individuals artist David Best had got to know over the course of the build, including Tony Doherty, Rossa O' Dochartaigh, Michelle McClaren, Paula Higgins and her son, Emma Diven, Bronah Mclaughlin and Kevin Strathern. 15,000 people watched Temple burn.
Burning Man 2015 saw a return to the playa of old … gone were the placid, pleasant days and temperate weather we enjoyed in recent years, replaced by the Black Rock Desert’s wrath of high winds, hours-long dust storms, and near-freezing temperatures testing the mettle of 67,564 participants over the course of the week. But hey, we never said this thing was gonna be easy. The Principle of Radical Self-reliance certainly competed with the other nine for primacy this year.
The 60-foot tall Man stood center stage to the proceedings, immediately surrounded by a mind-bending maze and a bustling Midway experience in the spirit of 2015’s Carnival of Mirrors art theme. The Midway’s carnival booths were activated by shuckster participants determined to hoodwink unsuspecting rubes, who risked losing their pants in games of chance — if they were wearing pants in the first place, that is.
Burning Man Arts broke the $1 million mark for the Black Rock City Honorarium grant program in 2015, gifting approximately $1.2 million to more than 100 art projects, in addition to other non-financial support offered to honoraria and self-funded artists.
Burning Man released the new redesigned blog at journal.burningman.org, providing a better experience to readers and writers alike.
In Black Rock City, new technological challenges necessitated new policies. Starting in 2015, handheld lasers are prohibited in Black Rock City. Mounted lasers are only permitted on art pieces, Mutant Vehicles and in theme camps if they comply with specific restrictions. Drone policies in Black Rock City were also updated.