Showcase of Content and Design for Black Rock City 2022

Our brains are racing with anticipation as we pack our belongings, make our way through the desert, and approach Black Rock City. We’ll disregard caution and take a careful look about our makeshift metropolis. But Burning Man has another aspect that, although acknowledged, is sometimes shrouded in secrecy. I therefore thought it would be nice to explore some of the content and design projects we’ve been creating for all of you this year — a balanced mix of imagination, education, inspiration, whimsy, and of course, just a little bit of snark. As you finalize your packing lists and camp plans for the year.

Let’s Get Slap-happy

We plaster them everywhere—on our clothing, our bodies, our pals, and everything else. But who creates and where do the yearly official BRC stickers originate from? Friends, you’re in luck since I have the solutions.The process is as follows: every year we issue a public call for submissions (for 2022, we had over 120 incredible designs from community members!). I then work some organizational magic (i.e., create a document), and every year-round employee of the Burning Man Project is given the chance to voice their opinions. The submissions are then reduced by a smaller team to roughly 10 or 20 chosen designs, which are printed and given as gifts to BRC residents. Even though the entire procedure takes more than three months, it is totally worth it.What about the fashions from this year, then? Here are a few of the stickers we chose to print, however we won’t show you all of them. On playa, keep an eye out for these and other items because they will be dispersed across the city all week. You won’t find the Gate sticker here, and you’ll have to wait till you go there for that one as well.

What, Where, When, Who, Why, How

What, Where, When, Should, Could, Would Whatever you choose to name it, it’s always a great read. As you enter BRC, greeters provide you this brochure to city-wide activities on the playa. It will be used by many folks to schedule their week, hour by hour. Some people give it a quick glance before throwing it in their tent; they only read it when they are about to return home. Burn your plan, plan your burn, am I right?We’re attempting something different this year. We categorize event listings for the first time ever. We also increased the number of categories from seven to twenty one, allowing you to select events in the following categories: Arts/Crafts/Making, Care/Support, Class/Workshop, Coffee/Tea, Fire/Spectacle, Food, Games, Gathering/Party, Healing/Massage/Spa, Kid-friendly, LGBTQIA2S+, Live Music, Mature Audiences, Meditation/Movement/Yoga, Parade, Performance, Radical To locate an event or activity that speaks to YOU, search within any of the category pages by time and day, or take the guide out of your back pocket when you find yourself in one of Black Rock City’s great but somewhat unknown areas.Furthermore, don’t worry if you don’t finish the WhatWhereWhen book the first night! The Insiders’ Guide is a brand-new collection of pages that we’re making available. It has a carefully chosen list of camps to visit and activities to attend that cover a wide range of subjects and interests. A scavenger hunt, service locations, and tips for living in Black Rock City on a daily basis are also included. Since, why not?In addition to creating the WhatWhereWhen’s cover, I also had the privilege of designing the 2022 Insiders’ Guide. Working with Kirsten, nicknamed kbot, another member of the Communications team, on this project was a blast. After some concepting, we decided on a design aesthetic that honors Burning Man’s underground roots and drew graphic influence from “Rough Draft,” a zine that the Cacophony Society produced from 1987 to 2001. I added a hint of 1980s punk rock posters, and presto! The creation of The Insiders’ Guide Curious? Here is an early look at the cover:

But Wait, There’s More!

Our content is not fully printed. I oversee the Burning Man Project’s social media platforms in addition to design initiatives like those already stated. We’ve been experimenting for over two years with a variety of new content, including informative, comedic, and sentimental pieces. In addition to promoting more mutant cars, camps, and community activities, we’ve even started creating limericks:

Visit Instagram for helpful reminders and a new guide on what it’s like to live in the desert.

Interested in some nostalgia? Visit our Night & Day photo gallery on Facebook to see how critical immediacy is in our lovely yet transitory city:

The Department of Public Arts’ “Mazu Goddess of the Empty Sea,” 2015 (Photos in graphic by Brian Wahlberg; Design by Deets Shay)

2019’s “Mega Cake” (Photos in graphic by Eleanor Preger and Juan P. Zapata; Design by Deets Shay)

Would you want a nice throwback? Watch for our new series, which will include images and details from the 2007 and 2008 Tip Sheets that are still relevant:

That’s all I have to say for now, I guess. I sincerely hope you have appreciated this haphazard collection of current design; I know I have. This year, I can’t WAIT to go to the playa; I’ll be exploring the city for a few weeks as I visit camps, take in the art, and discover even more tales to share. Hello if you see me! Don’t worry, though; I’ll get your permission before snapping your photo. I’ll see you in the ashes.P.S. Do you want your picture to appear on our social media pages? Use the hashtag #thankslarry on Instagram, and I could ask for your consent to do that.