2015 Tickets Announced!

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ticketsDid you get the news? Ticket sales have been announced! Tickets for Mosaic Experiment go on sale on Brown Paper Tickets on Wednesday, June 3 at 12 pm. For adults (age 13 and over), tickets are $75, and child tickets (12 and under) are no cost, as a gift to the community. BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://mosaicexperiment2015.brownpapertickets.com/

This year, your Mosaic organizers are intent on making our burn even more incredible. We’ve got our minds on sustainability of the event, not just for 2015, but for years to come. Since our February planning retreat, we’ve been thinking ahead, making goals, researching possibilities, creating budgets… all in the name of planning a safe, sustainable, well-organized event where creativity and community reign.

Take a look at what’s new and exciting for 2015:

  • A BIG INCREASE IN ART GRANTS! We’ve budgeted $500 for Youth Art Grants, $500 for Medium Art Grants (plus two fundraisers for even more funds, to be held in Cincinnati and Indianapolis this summer), and $2000 for Large Art Grants. A total of $3000 to support more art!
  • MORE FUNDS FOR EFFIGY: We previously announced a budget of $500 for the effigy (as we offered in 2014.) Well, hold on to your hats, y’all, because we’re increasing that budget by $500... for a total $1000.
  • INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE: Let’s face it. We need to safely shelter our fabulous volunteers from the unpredictable Ohio weather in October. firesafetyWe’re making sure that our front Gate has a shade structure that doesn’t fall apart, that our Greeters are sheltered from sun and sleet while hugging your necks, that our Fire Safety team has the gear needed to protect us, and that DPW (Department of Public Works) has the tools and supplies they need to create signage, lighting, and other common use areas. These tools, structures and gear have to be housed somewhere, and a central storage space maintained and inventoried by the organization saves individuals from taking on this financial investment and liability. It’s worth it, don't you think, to be able to reuse these resources year after year?
  • LEGAL FUNDS: We’ve taken an important step this year in garnering legal counsel to help us navigate sensitive situations that impact everyone at an all-ages burn, to further investigate fire safety laws in Ohio, and for general counsel as needed.
  • FIREWOOD INCLUDED FOR ALL: As you might know, our landowner prefers that all firewood be purchased from one approved source, and that no firewood be brought into Reclaim from across state lines (for environmental reasons). 2firepitThis presents a challenge. Last year, we budgeted $600 to provide firewood for everyone at the burn. Sadly, by late Saturday night we were all a little chilly… so this year, we’ve increased the firewood budget to $1000. Firewood will be freely available for pickup onsite to all campers with registered campsites.
  • GIFT TICKETS FOR CHILDREN: No cost for child tickets (12 years and under.)
  • LOW INCOME TICKET PROGRAM: Last but not least, this year we are implementing a low income ticket program. A limited amount of lower cost tickets will be made available, to help some of those who might have difficulty affording the increased ticket price. We love ALL of our Mosaic family, and are sensitive to financial issues. Please read all details & apply by June 17, 2015: Google Doc PDF

LK029_8144As our Experiment grows, we grow along with it. Each step we take towards responsible growth ensures that we burn brightly and safely together for many years to come. Want to get involved in shaping Mosaic Experiment's future? Check out our volunteer lead positions.

Interested in learning more about how planning, organizing and budgeting for a regional burn works? Want to read about last year's burn, and how we made some of these decisions? Check out the Mosaic Experiment 2014 Afterburn Report.

More questions about ticketing? Be sure to read the 2015 Ticket Information for all the details you need, and mark your calendars to buy tickets starting June 3rd at noon.  For questions not answered here, email tickets[at]mosaicexperiment[dot]com.

Mosaic Experiment: A burn for all ages

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everyman's mother

I'm often asked why we fought so hard to make Mosaic an all-ages event, and it only takes remembering my mother to realize how important children are to the sustainability and health of our community. 

Despite it being Mother’s Day, not a day goes by without reflecting all the valuable lessons my mom taught me right up until her passing just over two years ago. I’m forever grateful because she not only allowed me to become who I am right now, but actively encouraged it. She taught me that if I felt strongly enough about something, to stand by it with all my conviction as she did with her own beliefs. Whenever I’m in great need for strength and inspiration, I need to look no further than the beautiful woman who gave me life and raised me.

At Burning Man, the greeters mantra is “Welcome Home!” When I first heard those words, I took it to mean “Welcome Home, misfit!” It was an island of misfits in the middle of the nowhere. My people were there. My weirdos! 

pokes

At Burning Man, everything you can imagine is there, and if it isn’t, it will show up years later. I ran into people in their 70’s and 80’s making art, gifting food, offering water, talking deep philosophy. I also found a village called Kidsville right next to the Alternative Energy Zone. After years of exposure to Burning Man, these children will grow up to be the future artists, greeters, rangers, First Aid workers, city builders, event planners, and event producers.

We’ve heard every argument why underage children shouldn’t attend burns, and addressed them all.

It typically comes down to Radical Inclusion vs. Civic Responsibility, instead of Civically Responsible Radical Inclusion. You can’t cherry pick one principle over another, they’re all supposed to be played in harmony.

Radical inclusion doesn't mean "everyone can go. "It means "non-discriminatory access for everyone, regardless of your skin color, sexual orientation, regional affiliation, religion, race, or age." 

Maggie, Alexa, Miles, Branden, and Trae

Civic Responsibly simply means basic infrastructure is put into place (portable toilets, event insurance, parking plans, emergency response protocols, etc.) Civic Responsibility does not mean “we are protecting everyone from danger!”

There is danger everywhere. It is the right of the parent to choose what they expose their children to, and the parent's responsibility to protect their children if they perceive danger.

Burning Man is a cultural movement, not an event. You can't change culture without breaking the traditionally accepted norms of what you expose your children to. You don't have to bring your children, but we shouldn't exclude parents who wish to.

Children will not be the future greeters, rangers, medics, gate people, and event holders if they are not included.

After last year’s Mosaic event, I saw some online discussion about the gifts we received at the event which “melted our souls.” It got me thinking of the most touching moment I had while attending Mosaic 2014. It was during the Saturday night burn, but wasn't the burn itself....it was this woman standing in front of me holding her baby. 

The woman was facing forward, fascinated by the huge burning effigy, but her baby was held over her shoulder, facing me...fascinated by the little glowing lights I had around my neck. I grabbed my lights and jiggled them which got the baby's attention. The baby looked up at me and smiled. I hit one of my light controller buttons making them blink, and the baby started laughing. Everyone was watching this gigantic beautiful art piece burn to the ground, but to this baby, there was nothing more fascinating than these little glowing lights.

Miles & Maggie (Mosaic 2014)

If that mother couldn't bring her baby, neither would have come, and I never would have had that beautiful simple sensation of entertaining the mind of a child with my little glowy $5 light string, making us both laugh, which made the mother laugh, joining everyone's laughter over the collective joyous experience.

These endlessly curious little versions of ourselves will soon replace us. Curiousness, fascination by everything, wonderment about how so many strange things are possible, how are they done, how can we make more, do more, build more, and BE more? I was moved to tears because I saw myself, asking "what is THAT??"

I mean, really, I want to know, what IS that?

That is a mother, with her child, and they're standing with you at a burn, that's what it is. The burn incinerated the childish, and nourished the childlike. Our community fought hard for that gift. Mosaic Experiment will continue to protect it.

Open Lead Callouts are now live!

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Volunteer at Mosaic! Want to burn all year? VOLUNTEER! Mosaic Experiment, the event, is the result of a lot of year-round work by Mosaic Organizers (also referred to as MORG.)

Some of the MORG work exclusively on site, but others work offsite for most of the year because, like so many of you, they don't want the burn to stop!

The MORG is not just an organization planning Mosaic. The MORG burns all year, resulting in Mosaic.

Burning year-round isn't just desired to create Mosaic, it's required! Mosaic cannot sustain its continued growth without the participants who dedicate their passionate enthusiasm to creating an even more awesome event.

Do you want to burn all year? Are you a wizard wishing to make Mosaic more magical?

We have many opportunties for you!

How will you participate?

Mosaic Experiment's Official 2015 Open Callouts Page

Everyman speaks on bringing Burning Man home

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y67XxbsW5Kw&feature=youtu.be How do we bring Burning Man home? Everyman, Event Lead, speaks about Mosaic Experiment: history, lessons learned, and the future of expanding burner culture on a regional level.

Hear about the humble beginnings in his Cleveland home - the origins of Mosaic Experiment are in the story of Reclaimed Rainbow, the first Ohio burn. From 2007 to Mosaic's first official year in 2013, Everyman explains the failures and success along the way. If you've ever considered how to start your own regional burn: watch this. Learn from our mistakes. Please!

Many thanks to the 2015 Great Lakes Burner Symposium for hosting a full night of incredible presentations about different burn culture sparks that have become works of art and community. You can watch the full night of presentations here. Mosaic Experiment is honored to be included.

Burning Man is not limited to Black Rock City. THIS is Burning Man. This is home.

Want to follow along with the slides from Everyman's presentation? Check out the slideshow here: 2015 Great Lakes Burner Symposium: Mosaic Experiment

2015 THEME: Defying Gravity

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DEFYING GRAVITY: Mosaic Experiment 2015 Decades ago, we began our ascent into the unknown cosmos. While fighting against the very real force of Earth's pull on our new celestial bodies, we were also challenging our notions of the solemn, once sacred Space. An untouched realm was interrupted; this ripple effect shifted status quo to include the impossible, the unhinged. We could now touch our fantasies. The veil had been parted.

There are hints at this weightless existence here on our earthly sphere. Insects defy the laws of gravity: chunky bumblebees fly with inexplicable wings using brute force; ants climb walls, overcoming resistance with their miniscule weight. Plant shoots unfurl and trees stretch towards the sky, aided with the movement of water and nutrients by the phenomena of evaporation.

GRAVITY: The force of attraction by which terrestrial bodies tend to fall toward the center of the earth. Also: of a serious and solemn nature.

DEFY: to challenge the power of; to resist boldly.

Mosaic Experiment continues this year on a reclaimed strip-mine - or is it a portal to a new time space, our temporary home in the cosmos? Here, “reality” is up for debate. We may encounter visions of galaxies, nebulae, and newborn stars that melt in our hands, messages of light transmitted across sound, laughter expressed through prisms of color, knowledge of otherworldly sentience, small doors leading to vast spaces. Beyond the looking glass sphere of Earth, this dimensional shift brings about curiouser and curiouser visages, where anything is possible and even the stars aren't the limit.

How will you leave gravity behind?

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