2011 Evolution
List of Local Producers for 2011
Not wanting to rest on our laurels, FtA plans another revolutionary leap forward in the development of the program in 2011.. both at Burning Man and beyond!!!!
Our success in 2010 has inspired visions of new future horizons for the FtA program to include exciting new elements, like: empowering even more theme camp participation to feed more artists, extending the program into Burn week itself, and promoting more mobile food gifting (bringing the meals to the artists' installations). And maybe even more importantly, THIS is the year that we begin to fulfill our vision of moving FtA beyond the playa by facilitating the spread of FtA throughout the Burning Man Regional network. Our on-playa goals are to simplify the program and the effort needed to produce it so we can:
- facilitate more theme camp participation
- facilitate more FtA meals throughout burn week
- and promote more mobile food gifting.
In order to accomplish this we will need a prominent central location on the playa so that participating theme camps and artist groups will know how to find us instead of us trying to track them down all over the playa. And we need a place where interested theme camps and artists groups can come to learn more about the program, and with our help, possibly decide to participate on the spot. With such a location, for example, we could maintain a playa version of our online reservations system and feature a whiteboard listing of artists groups that would like to be fed and/or Theme camps who would like to feed some artists, and actively match them up throughout burn week.
The idea to expand artist meal service through mobile food gifting came from observations made in 2010. Much as it helps for artists to take a break and go to a hosting theme camp for a meal, some simply can't tear themselves away from their projects and have to remain on-site at their installations. These artists can be best served by having the theme camp bring the meals out to the artists at the installations. We saw some brilliant examples of this last year, and are inspired by the knowledge that many more artists can be fed if they can receive the gift of nourishment on-site. And you can imagine how cool it is to break bread with these folks right in the tangle of their quick-developing art projects! Again,we can accomplish this with a centralized, prominent location, AND the assistance of the DMV in communicating with mutant vehicle owners in the months leading up to the event.
And finally, it's time for FtA to spread its wings to encompass the Regional Burns! We've already heard from the first regional that wants to host their own FtA program, and we know that many others want to follow suit and enrich the Burn experience at their own venues. We're excited to help facilitate this at the Regionals, but such an expansion requires updating and augmenting our Online Reservation System to create the necessary coordination of theme camps and hungry artists beyond the playa.
The keys to accomplishing this will be:
- Raising the funds necessary to modify our online reservations system to accommodate multiple events, (our first Kickstarter campaign of 2011 will begin soon)
- recruiting of volunteers with website design and maintenance skills and print graphics skills so we can modify our website and produce the materials necessary make this transition happen smoothly, and
- making sure all the Regional Event teams are aware of FtA and how they can use it to augment the sense of community that is developed at their events.
We've refined a great system, have a clear plan and vision, and have eager crewmembers that want to make it as easy as possible for theme camps to feed artists. What we need now, in order to reach our goals, is:
- Donations to our website and/or Kickstarter campaign
- Volunteers with graphics & web design/build experience
- Contact with BM Theme Camps who are interested in participating in 2011, and
- Contact with BM Regional Events who would like to host their own FtA programs
Through the support of our friends across the globe, we know that we can continue to take the FtA program from strength to strength, and bring a program that was born and incubated at Burning Man out to the default world! Join us, and help us in our noble quest!
