The future of that crucible of US counter-culture, the Burning Man festival, is in doubt after its CEO Marian Goodell called for “urgent” donations to stave off redundancies and possible bankruptcy.
The festival is the nearest thing the States has to a Glastonbury. Located in the Nevada desert, it takes place over a week and emphasises the importance of art, self-expression and creativity. Its finale, as the name suggests, has always involved the burning a whopping great wooden effigy of a man. It also - proudly - has no sponsors.
Now Goodell has posted a plea on the festival’s website about the Burning Man’s financial problems, the reasons behind them and why their “need for philanthropic support is extremely urgent.”
“This $5.7million shortfall, combined with a $3million dip in receipts from main-sale tickets and vehicle passes, means that our year-end charitable donation target has essentially doubled to nearly $20million,” Goodell said. “This needs to happen before 2025 ticket sales and our annual revenue cycle begins in January.”
She explained that the festival has been “examining and restructuring our operations and reducing our expected 2025 (and beyond) costs by several millions of dollars,” and added: “This has already included reductions in payroll and vendor costs. As you may have heard, we had to lay off talented and brilliant people who make Burning Man happen year-round.”
Though she mentioned donations from “dedicated major donors,” Goodell has also called upon the festival’s community to contribute $20 per month as a way to help fundraise for the non-profit fest.
“Your steadfast generosity and ongoing donations are needed to help secure the long-term of Burning Man,” she said, adding that increasing next year’s ticket pricing is an “untenable option” for prospective attendees.
Burning Man’s predicament shows how hard it is in 2024 to keep any festival on the road without resorting to the corporate dollar. If a worldwide (though they’d surely flinch at the word) ‘brand’ such as Burning Man is struggling then times really are tough. Significantly, whilst in the past the festival’s tickets would often as sell out as quickly as Glastonbury’s – ie within hours – this year take-up was slow and for the first time the organisers opened up sales to non-registered punters outside the Burning Man ‘community’.
Those interested in donating to burning man should click here.
