In this issue:

• Burning Man projects still need your donations. Help make them happen!
• Celebrate BRAF at Burning Man
• Sunset Piano Opus 3 Upcoming Events
• Save the Date! The Artumnal Gathering is November 22
• Visit Soma in San Francisco
• Artist Update
  • Kate Raudenbush
• Attention Artists! Grant Applications available October 1, 2014
• Grantee Updates
  • Compression Sesquicentennial Peregrinations
  • Jen Lewin’s Super Pool

---

Make a Tax-Deductible Donation to these Playa Projects

The fiscally-sponsored Burning Man-bound projects have reached their fundraising goals! Congratulations to the Return of the Racken, Pulse and Bloom, and Infinite Infant and the Trail of Toys.

However, the rest of our fiscally-sponsored projects are in need of your support, including David Best’s Temple of Grace, which still needs to raise $24,000. Crossroads of Curiosity still needs $30,000, and ePOD still needs $15,000.

Pitch in whatever you can and help these wonderful projects become realities! Browse a complete list of these projects, and donate what you can!

Why is BRAF fiscally sponsoring Burning Man projects? Well, read what the Namaste Foundation has to say about it. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

 

---

Celebrate BRAF at Burning Man

As you’ve probably heard, on July 25, 2014, the Black Rock Arts Foundation joined forces with Black Rock City’s art department, to create the Burning Man Arts program. Come celebrate BRAF’s 140+ funded international projects as well as our bright new future as part of Burning Man Arts!

Visit us at the Everywhere Pavilion! The Everywhere Pavilion houses the various Burning Man affiliated groups (Burners Without Borders, Black Rock Solar, The Regional Network and the new Burning Man Arts program comprised of Burning Man Project and The Black Rock Arts Foundation. Together, we host activities, events, panel discussions and gatherings all geared toward kindling ideas and generating momentum for off-playa, after-Burning Man efforts.

The Everywhere Pavilion is located at 6:15 and Esplanade.

Join us on playa for these events!

• Burning Man Affiliate Groups Q & A, Monday, August 25 – Friday, August 29, 2014. 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Opening Reception of the Everywhere Pavilion. Monday, August 25, 2014. 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• The Annual BRAF Cocktail Party. Thursday, August 28, 2014. 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Come celebrate all BRAF has achieved!
• Art Grant Panel. Friday, August 29, 2014. 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Meet some of your favorite BRAF grantees!

 

---

Sunset Opus 3 Upcoming Events

Don’t miss this cool experiment in public performance! BRAF is pleased to support this ongoing series of musical events. Check them out!

• First, Sunset Piano Opus 3 comes to Los Altos with a piano at Third Street Green in Los Altos, California
  Friday, August 15, 2014, 5:00 p.m.: Mauro ffortissimo and friends
  Saturday, August 23, 2014, 3:00 p.m.: Tom Jonesing
• In September, Sunset Piano Opus 3 comes to the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.
  Thursday, September 4, 2014, 6:00 p.m.: Sunset Piano brings a grand piano, a prepared piano, and a special open piano to the Exploratorium’s After Dark evening. This event is 18 and over.  Benjamin Larsen Strong Gribble and Mauro ffortissimo on the pianos, visuals from the film in progress film Twelve Pianos by Dean Mermell. Tickets and more information about After Dark available at www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark
• And finally, don’t miss Tom Jonesing back in Los Altos!
  Saturday, August 23, 2014, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
  Third Street between State and Plaza North in Los Altos, California

 

---

Save the Date for the Artumnal Gathering!

Keep your eyes on your inboxes for announcements about this year’s Artumnal Gathering, happening on Saturday, November 22! We have so much to celebrate this year, and we have new treats and surprises in store for this year’s Artumnal guests. More details are on the way!

 

---

Soma at Pier 14 in San Francisco

Thanks to all who came out to celebrate this fantastic work and its incredible crew of artists! Also many thanks to the Brass Tax DJ’s who kept the crowd dancing!

Soma, by the Flaming Lotus Girls, is scheduled to be on display for at least a year. Be sure to stop by on your next visit to the Ferry Building and see it! It’s interactive light display is not to be missed at night!

 

---

Artist Update – Kate Raudenbush

Contribute to Kate Raudenbush’s latest project! Kate gives us this exciting update on her new piece, Wishing Tree.

“This year, I had the pleasure of creating an interactive sculpture to tour with the international Dutch-created arts and music festival called MysteryLand. Wishing Tree is a 30-foot tall interactive sculpture of cascading leaves and light, designed to provide visitors with an artistic point of connection for linking themselves to people in other cultures, exploring the common wishes we all share, and fostering empathy for one another and our earth. Wishing Tree draws from ancient cultural traditions when humans turned to nature to honor it, and ask for guidance.

 

I would LOVE IT if BRAF members could share their positive energy with the Wishing Tree as it travels the world with the Mysteryland festival from the United States to Holland, and then to Santiago, Chile. It would be my honor to include your wish that will be part of the artwork, and inspire others across the globe.

 

The deadline to get your wish on the Wishing Tree is coming up very soon: Wednesday, August 20^th! The wish creating process is 100% FREE, takes only five minutes, and will last for the life of the sculpture. Plus, you will get a photo of the artwork e-mailed to you as thanks for sharing the love.”

Learn more about the sculpture and add your wish!

 

---

Attention Artists! Apply for a Grant!

Our grants program funds highly interactive, community-driven works of art that prioritize community involvement in their development, execution and display. We fund art that is accessible to the public, civic in scope, and prompts the viewer to act. We like art that can be experienced in more ways than visually – art that is touched, heard or experienced as well as viewed. We prioritize funding art that involves the audience in its conception, creation and presentation.

Does this sound like your artwork? Apply for a grant!

Read about our grants program at blackrockarts.org/grants and visit this page on October 1 to fill out an online Letter of Interest (LOI.) LOI’s are due December 1, 2014.

Bring your artwork into the world!

 

---

2014 Grantee Update – Compression Sesquicentennial Peregrinations

Erika Wesnousky, who helped set Nevada ablaze, summarizes the project’s pyrotechnics:

“Controlled Burn set the goal of sharing the culture of Burning Man with Nevada communities. We produce our very popular Compression Art & Fire festival each July, and this year we took the event on the road to offer the successful event template to small towns in hopes they would create their own community-driven arts festivals.

 

We have fulfilled the project’s goal, funded in large part by Black Rock Arts Foundation, and achieved our mission of helping sweeten the vibe surrounding Burning Man. Our phenomenal Burn Night videographer, Jeremy Dunn, captures the intent, spirit, and accomplishment with this video documentary, set to air September 4th on KNPB, our local Public Television Station.  We hope you enjoy our Compression Sesquicentennial Peregrinations.”

 

---

2012 Grantee Update – The Pool by Jen Lewin

The Super Pool by Jen Lewin Studio was part of the Aha! Light Festival and the Gay Games in Cleveland. The piece, on exhibit August 7^th to August 10^th, was a spectacular addition to Cleveland and was a huge hit! Read more..

And, if you’re going to the playa this year, don’t miss The Super Pool at Burning Man!