Burning Man is desperate for cash

https://sfstandard.com/2024/10/30/burning-man-is-desperate-for-cash/

Burning Man is urgently calling for millions more in donations amid 
faltering ticket sales and staff layoffs.

The nonprofit’s CEO, Marian Goodell, primarily blamed flagging higher-
priced ticket sales and increased operating costs since the pandemic. 

The festival has sold a tier of higher-priced tickets since at least 
2016. In 2023, a limited number of more expensive advance tickets were 
available between Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, with 1,000 tickets costing $2,750 
each and 3,000 costing $1,500, according to an archived version of 
Burning Man’s 2023 ticket page.

Ticket sales for the annual bacchanal in Black Rock City flopped this 
year after a rain-plagued 2023 and scores of burners later resold their 
tickets, eating huge losses.

As such, the fundraising target for Burning Man has doubled from $10 
million to $20 million, Goodell said in a recent blog post. The funds 
must be raised before 2025 ticket sales begin next year.

“This $5.7M shortfall, combined with a $3M dip in receipts from main-
sale tickets and vehicle passes, means that our year-end charitable 
donation target has essentially doubled to nearly $20M,” she wrote.

To continue running Burning Man without corporate sponsorship, 
organizers said they must seek philanthropic donations.

“While global engagement is at an all time high, revenue from Black Rock 
City ticket sales does not cover our programming. The future of Black 
Rock City and everything we support…is under threat,” said a 
spokesperson from Burning Man Project, the nonprofit which organizes 
Burning Man. “Without philanthropy, everything is at risk and, as we 
look ahead, it is clear that the world needs more mechanisms to bridge 
the gap between people, reduce loneliness, and inspire creativity, and 
this is exactly what Burning Man does. We appreciate support from 
dedicated major donors and from the wider community to keep Burning Man 
accessible to anyone, everywhere.”

This isn’t the first time Burning Man has found itself cash-strapped — 
organizers canceled the event in 2020 due to pandemic restrictions and 
implemented staff layoffs and pay cuts. 

But after canceling, the nonprofit raised $39 million in 2020 and 2021, 
Goodell said in her recent post, and was able to retain some staff to 
return post-pandemic. Burning Man eventually returned in 2022.

Some burners said they supported the call for more donations to fund 
Burning Man.

“I think that every performing artist knows that these organizations 
don’t make their money from ticket sales, and it’s naive to think 
Burning Man would,” said Alameda resident Marisa Lenhardt, who has led 
the Death Guild Thunderdome camp for 20 years.

Inverness resident Jim Pettigrew has run Black Rock Yacht Club with his 
wife and children for two decades. He called Lenhardt’s perspective 
valid but fears “big money” funding Burning Man, citing the influx of 
wealthy glampers across the Playa.

“Having big money can be a contaminant when it comes to having an 
authentic Burning Man experience. But when it brings in big art, it’s a 
benefit,” Pettigrew said. “My worry is that it could increase the 
population of billionaires, and there are already quite a few.”

Because Burning Man operates without corporate sponsorships or 
merchandise revenue, “generous philanthropy” is needed to keep the 
yearly event economically viable, Goodell wrote. She added that Burning 
Man is working “behind the scenes” to get money from “dedicated major 
donors,” whom she did not identify in the blog post, although the event 
is popular with wealthy techies and VCs and counts Sam Altman among past 
attendees.

Goodell said ticket sales can’t fully fund the event, noting that in 
2023, Burning Man cost an estimated $749 per participant, while the main 
ticket price was $575.

“This would price out diverse community participation and is 
inconsistent with our principles,” Goodell said.

The blog post stops short of saying the annual event would be canceled 
if the nonprofit can’t raise $20 million in time but hints at the 
alternative — increasing ticket prices.

“We need your help to keep Burning Man accessible for the next 
generation!” Goodell wrote.

Those interested in donating to the Burning Man Project can do so here.

https://sfstandard.com/2024/10/30/burning-man-is-desperate-for-cash/

-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
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The disease known as Kamala Harris has been effectively treated and 
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Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
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