Introduction

In 2011, the greater Boston Burning Man community continued to grow. After producing two post Burning Man events in 2009 and 2010, the core group produced an officially recognized Decompression.

Our hope is this report with help provide a context for understanding the organization and people behind the event. We are a small group of unpaid volunteers that form the planning committee and several volunteers, contributors and participants who took responsibility for making this year’s decompression happen. Working with and having a Burning Man regional representative involved and adherence to the ten principles allowed us to be an official event this year.

This report will explain what our group does, why they did it, what changes occur year to year, the financials of this year’s event, our successes and failures, and our vision for the future.

Theme

Boston Decom's 2011 art theme of "Souled Out" asked participants to examine not only the breadth and depth that is the human soul, but the cost of the loss of said soul. This theme revolved around not only the turbulent political and economic times we as a society find ourselves, but the effects that surround the first year the Burning Man Project has reached capacity for it's ticket sales, as well as the effect the evolution of the Burning Man project in it's transformation from a for-profit corporation to a non-profit organization.

History

The Boston Burning Man community for many years has had a strong presence at Black Rock City during the Burning Man Festival as well as inside the local art scene in Boston. In 2009 a group formed with the goal of hosting a post Burning Man event for the community that would allow more to attend than in the past. Prior to 2009 there had been several smaller post Burning Man celebrations, however these were often held at smaller venues with limited capacity.

In 2009 and 2010 the post Burning Man events were held at Club Therapy in Providence, RI. These events were very successful in the context of beginning the process of holding an annual post-Burning Man event that looked to follow the 10 Principles and were open to higher attendance than in the past. Each year the organization was able to use the proceeds to help finance the next year’s event.

Organization

The events have been conceived, planned, set-up, run, and evaluated by self-forming planning committee. This committee was started in 2009 with invitations sent out on the Boston Burners email list and spread through various artist groups throughout the Boston area. It is an entirely volunteer organization with no compensation given to any member for participation. No members of the planning committee are given admittance to the event without the purchase of a ticket. Since its inception, members have been invited back to the next year’s planning committee as well as a call for new organizers. Meetings are run by the democratic process, following an agenda, and notes are published after each meeting.

Venue

In 2011, the planning committee faced an enormous challenge in finding a venue for the event. When we first met at the end of September (9/22/11) we were informed that Club Therapy would not be available this year. In keeping with the prior years’ successes we wanted a venue that could hold 500+ people as well as serve our art and community needs. While many possibilities were discussed, with approximately 6 weeks to plan and hold the event, there were very few options that were both realistic and financially viable.

The Wonderland Entertainment Complex in Revere, MA was the successful choice for many factors. It provided a large space that could accommodate both our capacity needs as well as provide ample room for interactive art, performance art and multiple areas for music. It was convenient to mass transit (The 'T') and would allow us to bring the event into the Boston area. Financially it supplied security, parking, and insurance at an affordable cost. The ability to access the venue a day prior to and after the event was also favorable.

The time constraints of ending the event by 1-2am were insurmountable in any venue options given the MA legal landscape.

Art

The Boston Decompression was host to a variety of well known, interactive and thought provoking art. Our thanks go out to all of the contributors who were able to share their visions with us.

- Tensor /Frostbyte et al.
- Seizuredome/Abe S.
- Disorient sign/Ky N. Nguyen
- Avocamentum Galactica/Douglas Ruuska
- Collectivescope/Jenn Z.
- Glofa/Carl Gruesz
- Glowbox/Katie Morrissey
- Photo Booth/Jason Turgeon
- Coherence Portal/Phil Servita
- Scukputure/Liz Schraffenberger
- Murals/Liz Manicatide
- Zoetrope of Sphere Eversion/Blake Courter
- Ginorme/Michael Dewberry
- Sandtrap/ Nathan Lachenmyer
- Chromodynamic Playground/Rachel Boyce and Nathan Lachenmyer
- Burning Man Slideshow/Sharon Kubo
- Electro Tubes/Danny Coombes
- Butch the Dinosaur/Peter Dilworth
- Totenkitten Propaganda/Liz Schraffenberger
- The Photobot/Jason Turgeon
- Ultraviolet Tulips/Courtney Brown
- Cnidaria Hallucigenia/Abe S.

Music

At any event, especially a Decompression, the music is the rhythm that keeps the mood rolling. The following artists played at the Boston Decompression with the help of sound equipment from Sonic Beating.

- Psylab
- Alex Russo
- FiG
- Jeff Mission
- Professorpious
- ParanoidZen
- Ammon EP
- Friar Tuck
- Four Elements
- Faebotica
- Big Blue Octopus
- PrOn

Ticketing

2011 introduced many changes to our ticketing system. We switched from ticketing agent Brown Paper Tickets which was used in 2010 to Groove tickets. For the event we also moved from a tiered ticketing system ($15/20/25) that was used in 2009 & 2010 to a flat fee system of $20 per ticket in advance and $25 at the door. In addition to the sale of tickets at the door, we were able to provide credit card sales at the door for the first time. Three hundred and four tickets in were sold in advance and one hundred eighty four tickets were sold at the door. Of the door sales 20 utilized the credit card option.

Financial

Boston Decompression 2011 Revenue and Expenses

Revenue:
Ticket sales: $9,954.48 (less fees)

Expenses:

Rental fee - Wonderland	$2600.00
Ticketing Equip/Wristbands/Laminates	$311.53
Web Services	$219.45
Deco	$293.49
Art/Transport of Art	$310.21
Sound Equipment Rental	$500.00
Food	$673.65
Printing/Promotional Materials	$399.25

Expenses total: $5,307.58

Net: $4646.90


Vision of the Future

It is fair to say that there are many visions of where we like to take the Boston Decompression. All of them involve a lot of planning, diligent work, good karma, and help from people/volunteers inside the Boston/Northeast community.

The planning committee would like to see Boston Decompression move more toward an event model similar to the San Francisco Decompression. We would like to see an event that is both open to the public and showcases the values of the Burning Man community. This would include:

Indoor & Outdoor Components
Day & Night time Activities
Open to all ages
More Physical Art
More Visual Art
More Performace Art
Fire Art
Mutant Vehicles
Music
Community Involvement
Educational Programs

While there are many logistical impediments to overcome in realizing these our visions; we are only limited by what our imaginations can create and the determination and effort our community can put forth.


Acknowledgment

The planning committee would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who planned, contributed, volunteered, supported and participated in making Decom a success this year. Each individual that participates with-in our community makes Boston Decom the event that it is now and will be in the future.

For more information please feel free to contact us.