4  Perspectives on Burning Man

4.1 Burner Identity and the 10 Principles

4.1.1 Do you identify as a Burner?

2016 2017 2018 2019 2022 2023 2024 2025
No 4.1% (3.5%, 4.7%) 3.8% (3.3%, 4.3%) 3.8% (3.4%, 4.3%) 3.7% (3.3%, 4.2%) 3.6% (3.2%, 4.1%) 4.8% (4.3%, 5.4%) 5.1% (4.3%, 6.0%) 4.6% (3.9%, 5.3%)
Sort of 23.4% (22.3%, 24.6%) 22.6% (21.6%, 23.7%) 21.4% (20.5%, 22.4%) 19.3% (18.3%, 20.2%) 18.4% (17.5%, 19.4%) 19.5% (18.5%, 20.6%) 19.6% (18.2%, 21.0%) 19.6% (18.4%, 21.0%)
Yes 72.5% (71.2%, 73.7%) 73.6% (72.5%, 74.7%) 74.7% (73.7%, 75.8%) 77.0% (76.0%, 78.0%) 78.0% (77.0%, 79.0%) 75.7% (74.5%, 76.8%) 75.3% (73.7%, 76.8%) 75.8% (74.4%, 77.2%)

4.1.2 Connectedness to the Burner community

2025
Not at all connected 3.8% (3.2%, 4.5%)
Slightly connected 22.5% (21.2%, 23.9%)
Moderately connected 40.2% (38.5%, 41.8%)
Very connected 23.8% (22.4%, 25.3%)
Extremely connected 9.6% (8.7%, 10.7%)

4.1.3 Importance of the 10 Principles

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2022 2023 2024 2025
Not important 0.7% (0.5%, 1.0%) 1.4% (1.1%, 1.7%) 1.2% (1.0%, 1.5%) 0.9% (0.7%, 1.2%) 0.8% (0.6%, 1.1%) 0.9% (0.7%, 1.1%) 1.1% (0.8%, 1.4%) 1.4% (1.1%, 1.9%) 1.1% (0.8%, 1.6%)
Slightly important 1.9% (1.6%, 2.2%) 3.6% (3.1%, 4.1%) 4.0% (3.6%, 4.5%) 2.6% (2.3%, 3.0%) 2.4% (2.0%, 2.8%) 2.5% (2.2%, 2.9%) 2.9% (2.5%, 3.4%) 3.3% (2.8%, 3.9%) 2.9% (2.4%, 3.5%)
Moderately important 10.2% (9.6%, 10.9%) 15.7% (14.8%, 16.8%) 16.0% (15.1%, 16.9%) 13.7% (12.8%, 14.5%) 10.8% (10.1%, 11.6%) 12.3% (11.6%, 13.1%) 13.0% (12.1%, 13.9%) 14.5% (13.3%, 15.7%) 9.9% (9.0%, 11.0%)
Important 39.7% (38.6%, 40.8%) 44.3% (42.9%, 45.6%) 42.5% (41.3%, 43.7%) 40.9% (39.8%, 42.1%) 38.8% (37.7%, 40.0%) 40.1% (38.9%, 41.2%) 38.9% (37.6%, 40.1%) 39.1% (37.4%, 40.8%) 38.4% (36.8%, 40.0%)
Very important 47.4% (46.3%, 48.5%) 35.1% (33.8%, 36.4%) 36.3% (35.1%, 37.4%) 41.9% (40.7%, 43.0%) 47.2% (46.0%, 48.4%) 44.2% (43.0%, 45.4%) 44.1% (42.8%, 45.5%) 41.3% (39.6%, 43.1%) 47.0% (45.3%, 48.7%)
Don't know < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) < 0.1% (--, --) 0.6% (0.4%, 0.9%)

4.1.4 Incorporation of the 10 Principles in daily life

2025
Yes 76.3% (74.8%, 77.7%)
Sort of 21.5% (20.2%, 23.0%)
No 2.2% (1.7%, 2.8%)

4.2 Playa Names

4.2.1 Playa name used at Burning Man this year

2025
Yes 51.0% (49.2%, 52.8%)
No 49.0% (47.2%, 50.8%)

4.2.2 Playa name origins

2025
I chose it myself 23.1% (21.0%, 25.3%)
It was given to me by a Burning Man participant 63.4% (61.0%, 65.9%)
It was given to me by someone outside the Burning Man community 8.3% (7.0%, 9.8%)
Other 5.2% (4.2%, 6.3%)

4.2.3 Years of use for a playa name

2025
I have used this playa name for multiple years 66.4% (64.0%, 68.8%)
I started using this playa name this year 33.6% (31.2%, 36.0%)

4.2.4 Effect of having a playa name

2025
Enhance the way others perceive you or connect with you (Not at all) 15.6% (13.7%, 17.6%)
Enhance the way others perceive you or connect with you (Slightly) 18.0% (16.2%, 20.1%)
Enhance the way others perceive you or connect with you (Moderately) 27.6% (25.4%, 29.9%)
Enhance the way others perceive you or connect with you (Very much) 28.0% (25.7%, 30.3%)
Enhance the way others perceive you or connect with you (Extremely) 10.8% (9.4%, 12.4%)
Help you be more engaged or present at Burning Man (Not at all) 23.0% (20.8%, 25.2%)
Help you be more engaged or present at Burning Man (Slightly) 19.1% (17.2%, 21.1%)
Help you be more engaged or present at Burning Man (Moderately) 25.8% (23.6%, 28.1%)
Help you be more engaged or present at Burning Man (Very much) 20.6% (18.6%, 22.7%)
Help you be more engaged or present at Burning Man (Extremely) 11.6% (10.1%, 13.4%)
Help you feel free of stigma or marginalization due to your default world identity (Not at all) 54.2% (51.6%, 56.8%)
Help you feel free of stigma or marginalization due to your default world identity (Slightly) 13.4% (11.8%, 15.3%)
Help you feel free of stigma or marginalization due to your default world identity (Moderately) 15.6% (13.8%, 17.6%)
Help you feel free of stigma or marginalization due to your default world identity (Very much) 11.5% (9.9%, 13.3%)
Help you feel free of stigma or marginalization due to your default world identity (Extremely) 5.2% (4.2%, 6.5%)
Help you feel more comfortable or less shy communicating with others at Burning Man (Not at all) 43.8% (41.3%, 46.4%)
Help you feel more comfortable or less shy communicating with others at Burning Man (Slightly) 18.3% (16.4%, 20.4%)
Help you feel more comfortable or less shy communicating with others at Burning Man (Moderately) 18.7% (16.7%, 20.8%)
Help you feel more comfortable or less shy communicating with others at Burning Man (Very much) 12.0% (10.5%, 13.8%)
Help you feel more comfortable or less shy communicating with others at Burning Man (Extremely) 7.1% (5.9%, 8.7%)
Help you maintain your privacy or anonymity at Burning Man (Not at all) 42.8% (40.3%, 45.4%)
Help you maintain your privacy or anonymity at Burning Man (Slightly) 19.6% (17.7%, 21.8%)
Help you maintain your privacy or anonymity at Burning Man (Moderately) 18.4% (16.5%, 20.5%)
Help you maintain your privacy or anonymity at Burning Man (Very much) 12.1% (10.5%, 14.0%)
Help you maintain your privacy or anonymity at Burning Man (Extremely) 7.0% (5.7%, 8.4%)
Reflect an identity that you do not usually express in the default world (Not at all) 37.2% (34.7%, 39.7%)
Reflect an identity that you do not usually express in the default world (Slightly) 24.8% (22.6%, 27.1%)
Reflect an identity that you do not usually express in the default world (Moderately) 22.7% (20.7%, 24.9%)
Reflect an identity that you do not usually express in the default world (Very much) 12.0% (10.4%, 13.8%)
Reflect an identity that you do not usually express in the default world (Extremely) 3.3% (2.6%, 4.3%)
Reflect who you would like to be in your daily life (Not at all) 20.7% (18.6%, 22.9%)
Reflect who you would like to be in your daily life (Slightly) 15.3% (13.5%, 17.2%)
Reflect who you would like to be in your daily life (Moderately) 22.2% (20.2%, 24.4%)
Reflect who you would like to be in your daily life (Very much) 27.2% (25.0%, 29.5%)
Reflect who you would like to be in your daily life (Extremely) 14.6% (12.8%, 16.6%)
Reflect your identity in the default world (Not at all) 14.5% (12.8%, 16.4%)
Reflect your identity in the default world (Slightly) 17.2% (15.3%, 19.2%)
Reflect your identity in the default world (Moderately) 23.7% (21.7%, 25.9%)
Reflect your identity in the default world (Very much) 30.3% (28.0%, 32.7%)
Reflect your identity in the default world (Extremely) 14.2% (12.5%, 16.2%)

4.3 Artmaking

4.3.1 Contributions to artmaking

2025
No, I did not contribute to artmaking 47.3% (45.5%, 49.1%)
Yes, I contributed to another art form 10.2% (9.2%, 11.4%)
Yes, I contributed to making digital art (e.g., photography, videos, recorded music) 10.5% (9.4%, 11.7%)
Yes, I contributed to performative art (e.g., dance, fire spinning, musical instrument, skit) 18.8% (17.5%, 20.3%)
Yes, I contributed to making artistic material objects (e.g., sculpture, painting, jewelry, clothing) 30.9% (29.3%, 32.6%)

4.3.2 Importance of artmaking

2025
Not important 2.0% (1.4%, 3.0%)
Somewhat important 10.0% (8.6%, 11.6%)
Important 17.1% (15.3%, 18.9%)
Very important 48.6% (46.1%, 51.1%)
Most important 22.4% (20.3%, 24.5%)

4.3.3 Burning Man as an artmaking avenue

2025
Yes 32.5% (30.2%, 34.9%)
No 54.1% (51.6%, 56.6%)
I have no artmaking avenue 13.4% (11.7%, 15.2%)

4.3.4 Making friends while artmaking

2025
Yes 73.3% (71.0%, 75.4%)
No 26.7% (24.6%, 29.0%)

4.3.5 Collaborations in artmaking

2025
Yes 39.1% (36.6%, 41.5%)
No 60.9% (58.5%, 63.4%)