People to Thank for Otherworld 2011

A well-known San Francisco Burner by the name of Chicken John once told me: "Community is the ancillary result of Art". I'll take that one step further and propose that community is the result of shared goals and shared effort. Art can be one form of that shared action... but for us that shared goal and effort is Otherworld.

There were many new faces at Otherworld this year. I'm sure you came because you heard that it is an amazing party. However, by the end of the weekend I hope that you came to realize that you were tricked.

Because Otherworld isn't a party.

Otherworld is a community celebrating its own formation. Otherworld is months of meetings and planning. Otherworld is weeknights after work, rushing to a workshop to build a giant wooden sculpture, only to burn it down to ashes. Otherworld is hauling a ton of gear out into the forest and setting it up on your own time — days before the event even starts. Otherworld is attending boring training on a sunny weekend, to help the event happen and keep participants safe. Otherworld is shelling out your own money out to bring a theme camp, share food, build art. Otherworld is cleaning it all up and leaving no trace behind, except a little bit more magic in the spaces between the trees.

The party is the work. The work is the party. They both dovetail to create a community... and now you're a part of it.

But every shared effort requires people to help us to reach consensus and focus on those goals. This year, at Otherworld, these were our leaders:

Subsidized Tickets

Sammy, Chair

Rosa

Kym

This team received messages from applicants who were unable to afford full-price tickets. They evaluated the applications and awarded reduced ticket prices to qualifying applicants.

PARTicipation Grants

Miss Bunny Ruffles, Chair

Kym

Clamb

The PARTicipation team evaluated requests for grants to support art and theme camps. Money raised from ticket sales was awarded to these projects to help make Otherworld awesome!

Department of Public Works (DPW)

Setup & Teardown

Shenanigans, Lead

Clamb, Co-lead

They lead the efforts of all the brave souls who set up and tear down the infrastructure of Otherworld. Power, lights, setting up tents, heavy lifting and beer drinking was (and is) their domain!

Greeters

Rosa, Lead

Tim, Co-lead

Every person who attended the event needed to have their registration confirmed and their expectations set! They led schedule shifts, contacted volunteers, created systems, trained staff, and ensured that the gate ran smoothly!

Rangers & Peer Support

Hiltz, Lead

Chelsie, Co-lead

Rangers were the source for non-violent conflict resolution and peer support. Rangers received extensive training prior to Otherworld, and inclusion in this group often requires more commitment than any other participation role. The ranger leads led training, coordinated schedules, and acted as an ongoing resource for the event.

Placement

Kym, Lead

Gail, Co-lead

All theme camp applications were reviewed by this team and given the best possible location. They tried to balance the needs of everyone for benefit maximization!

Activities (Workshops, Events, Performers)

Miss Bunny Ruffles

All activities at Otherworld pass through Miss Bunny Ruffles. her job is to try and make sure the details are covered, and that people who need to be in touch with each other are connected. She gets information for the What Where When, connects performers to stages, and make sure all the details are taken care of.

What Where When Event Guide (WhuWhuWhu)

Sammy, Print

Carolyn, Online

The What Where When was your event guide to Otherworld. Sammy spent countless hours gathering information, laying it out into a document, printing it, and putting the final printed version together! Carolyn used the same information to make an online version!

Leave No Trace (LNT)

Rosa

It is the responsibility of every Otherworld participant to take their trash home and Leave No Trace. Rosa's LNT team makes sure that everyone remembered!

Centre Camp

Miranda Radtastic

Trevz Cuddleslut

They created the amazing chill and movie space called Centre Camp!

Main Stage

Francis Darling

Miss Bunny Ruffles

J-Feud

They rented the equipment, set it up, contacted the performers, coordinated performance times, kept the sound equipment running, and made it all happen!

Fire Performance and Fire Safety Coordinators

Sarah

Mike

They made fire happen. They were responsible for coordinating the Otherworld fire performances and overall fire safety for the event, including managing fire registration and securing fire suppression equipment.

Volunteer Coordinator

Shenanigans

Shenanigans' job was to make sure people who support event infrastructure and event teams have an enjoyable experience and feel appreciated.

Ticketing Coordinator

Nato

The Otherworld ticketing and registration system was built, expanded, operated, maintained, and loved by Nato, who lives in Portland, and couldn't even attend Otherworld. We loves him a lot.

Budgeting

Morgan

Morgan made sure that our expenses were tracked, the Is were crossed and the Ts were dotted. Or something.

Transport

Sammy

Francis Darling

They transported everything needed by DPW and the EffiTree Crew.

EffiTree

Fletcher

The Victoria EffiTree project, Otherworld edition, has too many people involved to thank here! However, Fletcher coordinated the on and off site construction. See the EffiTree page for more information.

Is there something that you particularly loved or appreciated about Otherworld? Did you love a theme camp, a workshop, an art piece, a performance, an event? Send a note to victoria@burningman.com and we'll pass along your thanks to the relevant person.