Perspectives on Burning Man
Burning Man Attendance, Self-Identification as a "Burner," Burning Man Year-Round, and Funding Priorities
Burning Man Attendance
Reasons for Going to Black Rock City This Year*
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
* Participants selected up to three options. Question options were changed in 2019 and are not comaprable to previous years.
** The exact wording of the answer option in the online survey was, "To be with friends or like-minded people / feel a sense of belonging."
*** The exact wording of the answer option in the online survey was, "To satisfy my curiosity / check it off my 'bucket list.'"
A Primary Reason | A Secondary Reason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | ||
To Feel a Sense of Belonging** | 35.0 | 1.3 | 60.6 | 1.4 | |
To See/Experience the Art | 23.5 | 1.2 | 21.4 | 1.1 | |
To Play and Experience Freedom | 19.4 | 1.1 | 76.9 | 1.2 | |
To Express Myself | 39.9 | 1.4 | 33.3 | 1.3 | |
To Escape the World for a Time | 21.9 | 1.1 | 70.3 | 1.3 | |
To Experience Gifting and Decommodification | 20.6 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 0.6 | |
To Rely on Myself and Practice Useful Skills | 30.1 | 1.3 | 48.4 | 1.4 | |
To Meet People Who Are Different from Me | 34.8 | 1.3 | 44.8 | 1.4 | |
To Grow or Connect Spiritually | 38.7 | 1.4 | 38.2 | 1.4 | |
To Create/Work on a Project | 37.1 | 1.3 | 36.5 | 1.3 | |
To Perform and Practice Artistic Skills | 22.9 | 1.2 | 13.9 | 1.0 | |
To Satisfy My Curiosity*** | 12.2 | 1.0 | 12.9 | 1.0 | |
To Consume Intoxicants | 28.1 | 1.2 | 38.8 | 1.4 | |
To Satisfy Someone Else’s Wish That I Be There | 8.0 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 0.5 |
Burning Man Attendance
Evaluation of Intent to Return to Black Rock City in the Future
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | |||||||
Absolutely | 76.1 | 0.8 | 78.2 | 1.0 | 75.3 | 1.0 | 76.8 | 1.2 | 75.7 | 1.4 | 78.9 | 1.2 | 77.8 | 1.2 | ||||||
Probably | 17.4 | 0.8 | 15.8 | 0.8 | 18.4 | 1.0 | 17.6 | 1.2 | 17.6 | 1.2 | 17.2 | 1.0 | 16.5 | 1.0 | ||||||
Not Sure | 4.9 | 0.4 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 4.3 | 0.6 | ||||||
Probably Not | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | ||||||
Absolutely Not | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
Self-Identification as a “Burner”
Self-Identification as a “Burner”
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | ||||
No | 4.1 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 0.4 | |||
Sort Of | 23.4 | 1.2 | 22.7 | 1.0 | 21.4 | 1.0 | 19.3 | 1.0 | |||
Yes | 72.5 | 1.2 | 73.5 | 1.2 | 74.7 | 1.0 | 77.0 | 1.0 |
Burning Man Year-Round
Attendance at Regional Events/Mixers/Gatherings
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | |||||||
No | 35.5 | 1.0 | 32.2 | 1.0 | 35.3 | 1.0 | 38.5 | 1.4 | 39.0 | 1.2 | 37.0 | 1.2 | 34.8 | 1.2 | ||||||
Yes, at Least One | 35.3 | 1.0 | 37.0 | 1.0 | 32.9 | 1.0 | 32.3 | 1.2 | 29.8 | 1.0 | 31.5 | 1.0 | 32.1 | 1.2 | ||||||
No, but on Email List | 16.9 | 0.8 | 16.4 | 0.8 | 19.8 | 0.8 | 18.2 | 1.0 | 17.4 | 0.8 | 18.0 | 1.0 | 18.6 | 1.0 | ||||||
Yes, and Volunteered | 12.4 | 0.6 | 14.4 | 0.8 | 12.0 | 0.8 | 11.1 | 0.8 | 13.7 | 0.8 | 13.6 | 0.8 | 14.5 | 0.8 |
Burning Man Year-Round
Regional Burning Man Event Involvement*
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
* Responses reported here are from participants who indicated having volunteered with at least one regional Burning Man event/gathering/mixer. Participants selected all option(s) that applied.
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | |||||
Theme Camp | 6.5 | 0.6 | 5.9 | 0.6 | 7.7 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 8.2 | 0.6 | ||||
Production | 6.1 | 0.6 | 5.6 | 0.6 | 6.9 | 0.6 | 6.5 | 0.6 | 5.4 | 0.6 | ||||
Art Project | 5.1 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 5.3 | 0.4 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 5.2 | 0.6 | ||||
Performance | 2.9 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.4 | ||||
Other | 3.4 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 5.0 | 0.4 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | ||||
Vendor | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
Burning Man Year-Round
Evaluation of Whether the Burning Man Organization Should Be Involved in Facilitating and Producing Year-Round Activities
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | |||||
Yes | 51.6 | 1.2 | 64.4 | 1.4 | 62.0 | 1.2 | 61.3 | 1.2 | 63.3 | 1.2 | ||||
No | 19.3 | 1.0 | 14.8 | 1.0 | 15.9 | 1.0 | 16.6 | 1.0 | 15.9 | 1.0 | ||||
Don’t Care | 29.1 | 1.0 | 20.8 | 1.2 | 22.1 | 1.0 | 22.1 | 1.0 | 20.8 | 1.0 |
Burning Man Year-Round
Familiarity with Programs and Affiliates of the Nonprofit Burning Man Program
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
* "Black Rock Labs" was listed in as "Black Rock Solar" in the 2015-17 online surveys.
** "Fly Ranch Project" was provided as an option in 2018 and 2019. "Burning Man Fellows Program" was an option only in the 2018 online survey.
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | Percent | MoE +/- % | |||||
Burners Without Borders | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | 13.4 | 0.8 | 15.0 | 1.0 | 13.4 | 0.8 | 11.8 | 0.8 | 11.6 | 0.8 | ||||
Heard of It | 37.5 | 1.2 | 38.8 | 1.4 | 32.5 | 1.2 | 35.6 | 1.2 | 32.6 | 1.2 | ||||
Familiar with It | 49.0 | 1.2 | 46.3 | 1.4 | 54.0 | 1.2 | 52.6 | 1.2 | 55.7 | 1.2 | ||||
Burning Man Arts | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | 25.5 | 1.0 | 30.0 | 1.4 | 29.9 | 1.2 | 25.2 | 1.0 | 24.8 | 1.0 | ||||
Heard of It | 33.8 | 1.0 | 33.3 | 1.4 | 32.0 | 1.0 | 33.7 | 1.2 | 31.8 | 1.2 | ||||
Familiar with It | 40.7 | 1.2 | 36.7 | 1.4 | 38.1 | 1.2 | 41.1 | 1.2 | 43.4 | 1.2 | ||||
Burning Man Regional Network | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | 22.7 | 1.0 | 25.5 | 1.2 | 28.3 | 1.0 | 28.5 | 1.2 | 26.2 | 1.0 | ||||
Heard of It | 35.0 | 1.2 | 36.9 | 1.4 | 34.9 | 1.2 | 35.3 | 1.2 | 33.3 | 1.2 | ||||
Familiar with It | 42.4 | 1.2 | 37.6 | 1.4 | 36.8 | 1.2 | 36.2 | 1.2 | 40.5 | 1.2 | ||||
Fly Ranch Project** | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 41.9 | 1.2 | 36.7 | 1.2 | ||||
Heard of It | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 27.0 | 1.0 | 27.1 | 1.0 | ||||
Familiar with It | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 31.1 | 1.0 | 36.2 | 1.2 | ||||
Black Rock Labs* | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | 39.0 | 1.2 | 47.8 | 1.4 | 52.1 | 1.2 | 57.1 | 1.2 | 52.4 | 1.2 | ||||
Heard of It | 26.1 | 1.0 | 24.5 | 1.2 | 21.8 | 1.0 | 23.7 | 1.0 | 25.1 | 1.0 | ||||
Familiar with It | 35.0 | 1.2 | 27.7 | 1.2 | 26.2 | 1.0 | 19.2 | 1.0 | 22.5 | 1.0 | ||||
Burning Man Fellows Program** | ||||||||||||||
Not Familiar | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 81.7 | 1.0 | NA | NA | ||||
Heard of It | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 14.0 | 0.8 | NA | NA | ||||
Familiar with It | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4.3 | 0.4 | NA | NA |
Funding Priorities
If You Were Given $1,000 to Donate to Programs of the Burning Man Project, How Would You Want it to be Distributed*?
Error bars indicate the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals.
* Participants were asked to provide a dollar amount for each option provided, up to $1,000 total across all options.
2019 | 2018 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total (USD) | MoE +/- % | Total (USD) | MoE +/- % | ||
Disaster relief and local community building initiatives | $167.09 | $5.82 | $166.00 | $5.66 | |
BRC art | $164.25 | $5.37 | $159.46 | $5.00 | |
BRC planning and infrastructure | $152.77 | $5.31 | $149.18 | $5.21 | |
BRC low income ticket program | $141.96 | $4.94 | $137.78 | $5.00 | |
Placing large interactive art in public places abroad | $78.25 | $3.47 | $79.91 | $3.53 | |
Supporting the Burning Man regional network in my local community | $67.11 | $3.61 | $64.84 | $3.35 | |
BRC multimedia (audio, photo, video) projects | $61.55 | $3.43 | $59.18 | $3.51 | |
Other | $34.24 | $3.63 | $49.17 | $4.65 |
BRC Census has included similar questions in past years’ online survey, but the question was revised in 2018 so past responses are not directly comparable.
Next: Life in BRC: Experiences in Black Rock City, Community as Family, and Money Handling