Watch presentations from seven Colorado representatives who attended the Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in San Francisco, April, 2015. They presented key lessons at the Fusion Factory in Denver on Nov. 11, 2015. Each presentation is about five minutes long.
Life is Art- Steve Maruska
The GLC [Global Leadership Conferences] is a wonderful opportunity to meet artists of all kinds.
“You should consider yourself an artist; and if you don’t, you should reconsider,” said Steve Maruska, Colorado Decompression Coordinator and Assistant Lead for IT for Apogaea. (By the way, he’s looking to start up another regional event here.)
“If you build it they will come, but if they build it they will come back and stay,” he said.
Burning Man Gives Money to Artists
So Rachel Cain, professional art administrator and robot enthusiast, wants the artist in you to hear a simple message: Time is running out for anyone looking to submit an initial application for grants. Get to it!
Honorarium grants are for installations at Burning Man a.k.a. Black Rock City. The deadline for a letter of intent (inquiry or interest) these is Nov. 30, 2015.
Global Grant letters of intent are due Dec. 1, 2015 and are intended for projects of many kinds throughout the world – they allow artists to bring the spirit of Burning Man home. (See “How a Temple Changed a Community below.)
Read more about Global Grants here and Honorariam grants here.
So, Rachel said that in both cases, when you submit a letter of intent to Burning Man, show how participation completes the art. (That’s your in, people!) No one in Colorado has received a Global Grant in the last three years, and she gave encouragement to anyone who sought one – just be sure that your proposal engages the community.
Burners Without Borders
Hurricane Katrina sparked the very first Burners Without Borders disaster response and from then on the group shows up when it’s needed most. A contingent came to Colorado in September, 2013 to help survivors of massive floods. But the non-profit group isn’t just about helping victims of catastrophe, said Mariah Rossel, Burners Without Borders (and Apogaea board of directors) member.
“It goes much further – there’s a lot more that we can do with Burners Without Borders,” she said. “How do we take the art, skills and abilities of the Burning Man community to help our local community thrive?”
She answers that question in the video, and if you’re interested in joining, here’s a meeting invite.
How a Temple Changed a Neighborhood
Nolan Puryear told a story about how Global Grant recipient David Best used his grant money to not only engage the community of Londonderry, but to bring partnership and peace to a city ravaged by religious separation. Read about the David Best-Artichoke Project Temple here.
Consent Issues in the Burnerverse
Consent and the dialogue around it is getting more and more attention – she talked about ways she and people involved in other Regional Burns are making strides to support people’s understanding of consent as a philosophy. The initiative is coming from a variety of places, and she said it’s not an official program of Black Rock City Rangers.
“We want to give everyone a chance to show them how to engage with people in a respectful way,” she said.
Event Production Through the Eyes of the GLC
“We’re not just sexy people in fabulous costumes,” said Michael Moss, Apogaea board member. “Now we are the change makers we are the next wave of consciousness in our community and it doesn’t work when you are underground.”
Placement & City Planning
Luke T talks sound policy, real estate and giving back to the community.