Interactivity Description

Dr. Carl’s Collection of Departments has recovered from whatever 2022 was. The old tricks are still…old and some new tricks are in the works. The current order of things is as follows.

The Department of Collections, our classic, human-sized, big-board of stuff will return as it is now structural. As per usual we’ll be asking the city to do, find, or be something.  

The Theater Department will open daily with puppets performing (and waiting to be performed with).

The Department of Strategy awaits those who have spent too much time on the care-free playa and yearn for deep thinking challenges of board games ancient and not so ancient.

The Department of Dispute Resolution will be open on an as-needed basis. Matters of dispute will be handled deftly by one or more Velociraptors.

The Department of Talks and Discussions will schedule workshops and talks throughout the week offering low impact participation.

The Department of Boudoir Photography is available to dress you up, accentuating all of your best self. Photos will be taken digitally and provided to the participant.

Scheduled Events

• Sunday
  • N/A
• Monday
  • 1000-1800 Department of Collections open! 
  • Afternoon:
    • Dispute resolution
    • Boudoir Photography
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
• Tuesday
  • 1000-1800 Department of Collections open! 
  • Pilates, PC, & Punk Rock
  • 1100 – Let’s Talk UFOs
  • 1300 – Let’s Talk Collapse
  • Afternoon:
    • Puppet theater
    • Dispute resolution
    • Boudoir Photography
    • Workshop
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
  • 2100: Temporary Anonymous Zone
• Wednesday
  • 1000-1800 Department of Collections open! 
  • 1100 – Let’s Talk UFOs
  • 1300 – Let’s Talk Collapse
  • Afternoon:
    • Scheduled Talk
    • Boudoir Photography
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
  • 2100: Temporary Anonymous Zone
• Thursday
  • 1000-1800 Department of Collections open! 
  • 1100 – Let’s Talk UFOs
  • 1300 – Let’s Talk Collapse
  • Pilates, PC, & Punk Rock
  • Afternoon:
    • Puppet theater
    • Dispute resolution
    • Workshop
    • Boudoir Photography
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
  • 2100: Temporary Anonymous Zone
• Friday
  • 1000-1800 Department of Collections open! 
  • Afternoon:
    • Scheduled Talk
    • Boudoir Photography
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
• Saturday
  • 1000-1700 Department of Collections open! 
  • All Day:
    • Strategy Board Games Available
• Sunday
  • N.A

Physical Description

Our main interactive/hosting space is divided into two areas. There is a comfortable and well shaded front porch that holds the Department of Collections and the Theater. The porch is a 20’x20′ shade structure containing ample couch/futon seating and once luxurious carpeting. You’ll find most of the camp here during the day. Adjacent to the porch is the large tent for hosting talks, workshops, the Department of Strategy, and the Boudoir Photography. This is a 15’x30′ white event tent that contains more seating and more carpets of former glory. 

Immediately behind these two structures are the back of house. A storage container, a 10’x20′ carport kitchen, a 20’x25′ tent shelter (poles and shade cloth), and a modest evap pond and shower. 

Night Lighting

While most of our interactivity takes place during the day we do have some lighting provided by LED string and small lights for the theater. The main frontage of the camp, the boards that host our main interactivity are lit with colorful LED flood lights. This allows us to spontaneously interact with passers-by at all hours. We also place lights around camp so wanderers can avoid tripping hazards, guy wires, etc.

Campers and Interactivity

We are a small camp (approx 15) and all of our campers contribute to our interactivity. Much of what we offer happens as participants stop by and gather but a typical breakdown might be:

Dept. of Collections: 2 campers interacting with folks who have gathered to look at the tiles

Dept. of Strategy: 1 camper playing/teaching a game 

Dept. of Boudoir Photography: 3 campers helping some people look fabulous and take a great pic

Dept. of Dispute Resolution: 2 campers heckling I mean helping a few citizens settle their disputes 

Theater Dept: 2 campers performing with puppets or helping others perform a show

There are a number of other random interactions that we routinely have with the Black Rock City populace but those can be neither quantified or qualified.

Size of Camp

7,500 sq ft (13 to 18 campers)

Acculturation

Acculturation Contact

Ree (email redacted)

10 Principles and Acculturation

Anyone who is invited to camp with Dr. Carl’s is expected to understand the basics of the culture in Black Rock City. We greatly value our city and the principles that guide it. New campers are expected to participate in meetings or gatherings that happen leading up to the playa. This is the best time to help them understand what it is we’re doing out there in the desert. The most important principles we reinforce are decommodification, radical inclusion, radical self reliance, and leave no trace. From these 4 you can easily get to the others.  

10 Principles Challenges

Immediacy can be the most challenging as the default world is not built for it. While we build our city in an effort to create something better than the built world, it can take time and great effort to escape the barriers we have created for ourselves. 

RIDE

While we are a small camp of long time friends we will often meet new people who we know will fit into Black Rock City in all the best ways. Knowing it’s not enough to just be welcoming we do our best to reach out to those who may not initially feel like Burning Man is for them and invite them into our camp.

RIDE Contact

Millie (email redacted)

Environmental Impact

LNT and Sustainability Contact

Perry (email redacted)

Carbon Footprint Calculation

Using: Conservation.org Carbon Footprint Calculator

4 Tons