Burning Man urges fans to help raise $20 million amidst financial struggles
CEO Marian Goodell has asked fans to help save the festival following fewer sales of higher-priced tickets this year
Burning Man’s CEO Marian Goodell has urged fans to donate to the festival amidst financial struggles.
In a post published to Burning Man’s official website last week, Goodell explained that Burning Man is looking for “extremely urgent” support in order for its 2025 edition to go ahead.
Goodell said that Burning Man is facing “a cash crunch” and must raise $20M this year, which she said needs to happen before the festival’s annual revenue cycle begins in January 2025.
“The big revenue shortfall causing today’s cash crunch is primarily from 2024 Black Rock City higher-priced tickets not selling as planned,” she explained.
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“This $5.7M shortfall, combined with a $3M dip in receipts from main-sale tickets and vehicle passes, means that our year-end charitable donation target has essentially doubled to nearly $20M."
Burning Man, which is a non-profit festival, has seen a record high of “global participation” in recent years, according to Goodell. In 2023, 170,000 people are reported to have “experienced Burning Man events”.
Despite its high turnout, tickets to Burning Man’s 2024 edition were still available a week before the festival was scheduled to go ahead, while tickets to previous editions have been known to sell out in just 30 minutes.
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“We are well past the point where ticket revenues from Black Rock City are able to support our year-round cultural work,” Goodell explained. “We are working behind the scenes to raise money from dedicated major donors, but this moment will work better if we look to the long term and engage everyone.”
Goodell is urging fans to help save the festival through donations, asking those who are able to support Burning Man by donating $20 a month, or give a one-off donation.
Read the full post here.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter