Burning Seed 2014 Census data and actions

1. Burning Seed Census
2014
Thanks for the feedback.
We heard you, let’s get to it
Bubbles

2. Purpose of Census
• Profile our community – across years
• Feedback about this years event
• Impact of Seed on participants
• Refining our approach:
– Onsite community crew
– Communications
– Operations

3. Responses this year
• Promotion via Facebook, website and
newsletters post Seed
• 234 responses only
• 10% of Seed attendees
• Respondents self-selected
• Stats and comments – selection presented, all
data on website

4. How your feedback has been used
• Analysed by Bubbles
• Reported to Seed organisers at Summit
November 2014
• Summary presentation & data shared on
website
• All data provided to Key Team leads e.g.
Rangers, Greeters etc
• NB: All comments were provided
anonymously

5. Burning Seed 2014 Community
• 55% had not attended seed before
• 31% had been to Nevada
• 87% no other Regional BM events
• About 50% local BMA events
• 99% aware of 10 principles

6. Who are our community
• 54% male, 44% female, 2% other
• Age
0
16
44
29
8
4 00
<18 19-25 26-35
36-45 46-55 56-65
66-75 75<

7. Where is our community from?
41
5
44
2
20 3 1 4
NSW QLD
VIC WA
SA TAS
ACT NT
Overseas

8. Their community
• 60% came with a theme camp
• 15% brought family
– 48% partner
– 37% children
– 11% parents
– 22% siblings 0
20
40
60
80
100
120 112
28
101
16 16
Theme camp
Family
Friends
Regional community
Other

9. Feedback about Seed
• 86% loved it, 10% liked it, 4% not keen
• Congratulations!
– Much better coordinated
– Growth well handled
“You guys have great gumption!”
86
11
2 2 It was awesome
I had fun
It was okay
I didn't really enjoy it

10. Best moments
“When a new friend pointed out the billion watt
smiles everyone from my crew greeted me with.
I felt the genuineness from everybody around
me already, but it was one of those moments
where you see yourself through someone else's
eyes for a second and realise a new way of
thinking about yourself.”

11. Best moments
• “Seeing a friend I brought find his feet and his
people at his first burn”
• “Watching my son dance on the Coco Poco
Loco while it was moving.”
• “The temple burn.. it gets me every time.. i
thinks its the raw emotions.. the time let
go..to remember and respect..”

12. Impact on participants
• “I learned a bit about myself, and I think it's
because of the openness and the length of
time. I had some fabulous conversations and
then had time to think about them, and have
them again. The connection to other people is
powerful.”
• “The difference is in the doing. I am going to
start stuff.”

13. Impact on participants
• “It was overwhelming at first, I wasn't too sure
what to do with myself. But after a few days, I
centred myself, honored the experience,
celebrated, danced and shared everything I
could.”
• “I'm thinking about how I can foster the kind
of community I experience at Seed in my day
to day life.”

14. Take away messages
• “It's much easier to try out new creative
practices than you think.”
• “That it is possible, even if only for a short
time, to interact & live in harmony as one. “
• “Everything evolves for the better if you work
at it, building powerful and inclusive
community is possible and necessary
everywhere.”

15. Opportunities for improvement
• Toilets – more, servicing, water, paper,
sanitizer
• Noise – encourage other camps, coordinate
party nights, some downtime, temple burn
• Lack of art – and lead time for grants
• Creeps and consent - two issues reported
• Additional education on 10 principles

16. About these issues and how
they’ll be addressed

17. About toilets
• The toilets were shitty this year.
• Seed outsource the delivery, servicing, filling
and pumping of our toilets.
• There was a major miscommunication with
one of the contractors this year and a contract
was unfullfilled.

18. Toilets: refining our approach
• Next year Seed will have one single contractor
managing all services required for toilets.

19. About Art
• What you said:
– “The art to person ratio felt less balanced this
year”
– “The art was disappointing with many pieces half
completed or missing entirely”
– “Need longer lead times for art grants”

20. Art: refining our approach
• We now have a large team coordinating art
grants for 2015
• Expect a lot more promotion of grants and the
opportunity to get involved
• We will encourage both our existing
community and other artists circles to get
involved
• The lead time for grants will be extended

21. About community crew
• 52% volunteered pre-event: 48% at event
• 75% awesome - well organised, fun, rewarding
• 6.5% not great:
– Less Jnr rangers at night
– Delays in shift handovers
– Making good use of peoples time and skills

22. Onsite crewing: refining our approach
• We’ll also have a mentoring system for new
Rangers so those who volunteer onsite can
learn on the job
• A crew wrangler onsite will help us coordinate
shift handovers
• In early 2015 we’ll be calling out for general
onsite volunteers, to be on call if needed

23. About noise
• Sound camps and performances at Burning
Seed are a gift to our community
• While we encourage civic responsibility at
Burning Seed we want to create an
environment where gifting and self-expression
are encouraged
• The site map shows areas for quieter camping

24. About communications
• 74% heard about us through WoM
• Advice to new burners – lots!
• 85% felt like they contributed
• Requests for more comms on:
– Ten principles – before and at event
– Consent – before and at event

25. Comms: refining our approach
• 10 principles survey on ticket sales
• Consent education:
– Videos, Facebook, website, Galah
– Greeters on arrival
– Info desk onsite
• Lead time for maps, survival guide, Facebook
Q&A

26. Creeps and consent
• Unfortunately a few members of our community
have been affected by a creeps.
• In our community consent is not only sexy it is
sacred. If you do not have it - do not touch.
• Each case will be dealt with by Rangers and Security
and if appropriate the police. We evicted a few
creeps this year.
• If you are affected by a creep - call them on it, and
tell others. Ideally a rangers - we are here for you. If
you see someone being harassed by a Creep get
involved. Burning Seed is a community event- we set
the standards.

27. Creeps: refining our approach
• A policy is being developed for how we
manage creeps
• All rangers and gate crew are being trained in
how to handle creeps
• There will be rangers in Pink Hat’s onsite to
support anyone who has observed or
experienced creepy behaviour

28. How you can help – before Seed 2015
• If you are bringing someone along please
educate them about the ten principles and
consent
• Check out and share our sexy videos – they’ll
be available soon

29. How you can help – onsite
• Greeters will talk you through the ten principles
and consent
• Check out the info desk at Centre Camp for some
HOT tips on how to ask for Consent - it’s sexy
• Tell a ranger if you see something weird going on.
• Weird, what’s weird at Burning Seed? Why not
try Ranger training? So you know when to call it,
and how to help.
• Greeters get to hug and meet people - they set
the tone for our event. Get involved.

30. Census also gave us
• Detailed feedback that is being considered by
key teams
• Quotes that we’ll use in communications
• Advice for newbies

31. Thank you – from Bubbles
Thank you to everyone who participated. It’s an
honour and pleasure to read about your
experiences, and share your views at Summit.