The 10 Principles of Burning Man

Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community. This means that regardless of your background, beliefs, or identity, you are welcome at Burning Man. The community thrives on diversity and the unique perspectives each participant brings.

Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value. This is not bartering — it is about giving freely without expectation. Gifts can be anything: a cold drink, a piece of art, a performance, a meal, or simply a kind word.

In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. No logos, no brands, no selling — the playa is a commerce-free zone.

Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on their inner resources. The desert is an unforgiving environment with extreme heat, dust storms, and no readily available supplies. You must bring everything you need to survive: water, food, shelter, and all essentials for the entire duration.

Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit of respect, the community should be open to all forms of expression, from elaborate costumes to large-scale art.

Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction. Theme camps, art projects, and community events are all born from communal effort.

We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. This includes being aware of local, state, and federal laws, as well as the rules established by the Burning Man organization.

Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them. MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) is the enemy.

Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. There are no spectators at Burning Man.

Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers.