Q&A
1. Burning Man Netherlands
1.1 How do I know Burning Man Netherlands is official and where is this published?
The founding documents of the foundation verify that it’s official. In addition, the US Burning Man organization has communicated the launch of our Burning Man Netherlands community.
They published this news on their official Burning Man website/blog here.
Multiple articles about the launch of Burning Man Netherlands can be found online, for example in this interview on the Guardian website.
It is indeed quite unique; Burning Man Netherlands is the first official affiliate of Burning Man US.
1.2 How do you create the original ‘Nevada Burning Man’ atmosphere during the WtSS event?
The atmosphere has much to do with the participants input. It’s not only about burning things and partying. Like in the US, it’s to do with the community, where all ages, including children, participate.
By encouraging active theme camps and calling on participants to bring art installations, we guarantee the (audio) visual aspect. We are not a copy of the US version, although we do apply the same principles and equivalent objectives, it must fit within our regional and Dutch culture.
1.3 How would you describe the Burning Man Netherlands vision and mission?
Just as written on the about page, it states the following:
The mission of Burning Man Netherlands (Burning Man NL) is to facilitate and extend the culture that has originated from the Burning Man event into a larger world.
Burning Man Netherlands will bring experiences to people that are inspiring and joyful in ways that lift the human spirit, address social problems and inspire a sense of culture, community and cultural engagement.
1.4 What are your plans for the future?
Just as written on the about page, it states the following:
Burning Man Netherlands provides infrastructural tools and frameworks to support our community in applying the ten principles in four interconnected program areas:
1. Arts
2. Culture
3. Civic Involvement
4. Education
Arts, Culture, Civic Involvement and Education are four of the six program areas developed in 2011 by the six founders of Burning Man USA and their nonprofit and legal advisors. They were crafting the long-term vision for the new nonprofit which became the Burning Man Project. These are not distinct, independently operating programs. They are aspirational, and represent what they have been doing and what they intend to do. Each year they focus on certain areas more than others, but together they paint the larger picture.
They’re thinking big about Burning Man’s potential influence on the world (we often talk about Burning Man’s 100-year plan), and we invite you to think big, too.
2. Media
2.1 Where can I find official publicity material?
You can contact media@burningman.nl for questions about official material.
2.2 Is it possible to visit the event on a professional level to create press or media related work?
Burning Man NL – Where the Sheep Sleep is a private event on private property, and photographers, videographers and documentarians wishing to capture images intended for public distribution are required to submit a proposal and sign user agreements prior to the event.
Approval to shoot images at Where the Sheep Sleep is not approval to exhibit or distribute. Completed projects are reviewed by the Burning Man NL Press Team and receive written permission before they can be distributed publicly. In short, no public use of any image may be made without this written consent.
To apply to cover any Burning Man NL event, you can submit a Media Project Proposal. The deadline to apply for a professional media project is Tuesday July 19, for Where the Sheep Sleep. We limit the number of professional cameras allowed at Where the Sheep Sleep and projects are approved on a rolling basis, so you’ll have a better chance of receiving approval if you apply well before the deadline.
We only grant permission to a small percentage of media projects. By providing the most detailed information possible on your registration form, you can help us make an informed decision about your project.
Thank you! We look forward to hearing from you!
If you have any questions you may contact us at media@burningman.nl.
3. Social media
3.1 Why is the Facebook group Burning Man Netherlands/Dutch Burners private?
We have an official facebook page, Burning Man Netherlands, and an eventpage for every official BM NL event. In the beginning, we only had a private facebook group – it was only a small core group and the group Burning man Netherlands/Dutch Burners was only intended for a ‘chat’ and was put up by the community. Slowly the group became a virtual meeting place for like-minded people from the Netherlands and eventually across the world. We could not foresee, what happened in 2016 in terms of attention and flood for this group. So we decided to use our official Facebookpage as the place to look for official information and updates from Burning Man Netherlands and our events. The private community/group for Dutch Burners is still being mainly run by active community members and is being used for BM NL event members and for those invited by friends.
3.2 Can I get access to the Facebook group?
Requests to join the private Facebook group are manually added by the admins of that group. But you can always like and/or follow our official facebookpage.
3.3 Can I subscribe to the newsletter?
Absolutely! Stay informed on all activities, events and burner need-to-knows from Burning Man Netherlands, by subscribing using this form.
Also, you can subscribe to the official Burning Man USA newsletter ‘Jack the Rabbit speaks’.
5. Ticketing
5.1 Where does the money, earned from the entrance tickets, go to, when people need to bring everything to the event themselves?
Our aim is that 80% goes directly to the event – which is necessary for practical matters related to the organization of an event in the Netherlands, such as security, signage, fencing, licensing, regulating sanitation, first aid, infrastructure and device.
The residual benefits will be used to support our community projects in applying the ten principles in four interconnected program areas: arts, culture, civic involvement and education.
5.2 I do have tickets for the (WtSS) event, but no parking/ campervan ticket – and I need that after all. What do I do now?
We will offer parking- and RV-tickets in the ‘open’ ticketshop untill the amount we can offer runs out or untill shortly before the event. The link for that shop will be shared on the website and facebook (event)page.
5.3 Can I change the name on the tickets after I have bought them? Or transfer it to someone else?
Yes you can, although we are sorry to see that you will not share this experience with us… If you want to sell or gift the ticket to someone else, you can do so. For face value, ofcourse- remember the Ten Principles ;-)?
6. Events
6.1 Are there any other Burning Man Netherlands events?
Yes, besides the Burning Man NL “Where the Sheep Sleep” event, there is the Dutch Decompression, Art Jump, Equinox, and Event Participation and the Burning Man Pub in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Wageningen. They will all be announced on our Facebook page, and of course on our website.
7. Where the Sheep Sleep (WtSS)
7.1 How can I buy a ticket for the event WtSS?
Check out the WtSS page on this website for all info, tickets and if the event is sold out.
7.2 Do I need to sign up as a volunteer to participate?
You are not obligated in the legal sense of the word, no. But Burning Man events are all about participation and is fully run by volunteers. No spectators! You are responsible for your experience and the experience of others. The 10 principles of Burning Man are a guidance to support the participating community.
If you really participate, in any way whatsoever, you gift, and are co-creating the experience for yourself and others. Only together the Burning Man culture will maintain its uniqueness, life blood and value year-round. The gift of everyone’s involvement, input and talent is needed. Participants make the event and grow the culture. . . not the organizers!
7.3 Where does the name Where the Sheep sleep come from?
The event venue of 2016 is called Caitwick, Celtic for ‘ where the sheep sleep’. Once this was the place where sheep graze – and slept. Caitwick is located in a region called de Veluwe, just like the eventsite for 2017 (Bosweide inside Park Berg & Bos, Apeldoorn). This beautiful countryside is located within an hour drive from Amsterdam.
7.4 I found a great location for Where the Sheep sleep! How can I share this?
- Area is for lease for a minimum of 5 consecutive years
- Area size is between 10 to 20 hectares
- Fire and open burns are permitted (duh)
- Camping is allowed
- Camper vans and RV’s are permitted on the area
- Ample parking space in the surrounding area
- Area can be closed of
- Area is isolated enough to be secluded from the ‘default world’
- Permitted sound at DJ area minimal 95Dba
- Amplified sound is permitted at night
- Cost per stay is limited to 20 Euro pp for 4 nights
8. Nature policy
8.1 How does WtSS fit in the rich nature of the Veluwe?
One of the core principles of Burning man is Leave no Trace. That means wherever people held their event, there cannot be any trace left afterwards. It must seem like nothing happened. Not a single glitter, feather or tiniest bit of trash or cigarette butt must be left behind on the location we spent our time. That principle is enforced by a special team of volunteers that help people with taking back home their garbage, and sharing tips about recycling and reducing waste and watch participants clean up after themselves. If there might still be something left behind that wasn’t there when we arrived, the Leave-No-Trace team will make sure it will be taken away so the site is clean and tidy when we leave.
Also we protect any special nature or animals by fencing it off from the eventsite or clearly marking it on-site, so we can respect the fragile nature. Like the Badgers Inn on the event-site of 2017.