Art Grant Awards 2025

Following are the projects that have been awarded. We look forward to funding a new round of projects next year!

FUNDED ART PROJECTS

Effigy: Sparky Stinkbutt

Born from campfire smoke and chili-fueled legends, Sparky Stinkbutt is a giant skunk who farts fireballs to ward off intruders and tickle the skies.

Temple: Said Well

Said Well is a massive bottle sculpture; a quiet, shared space for holding what’s been said, unsaid and all that falls in between. Inside, you’re invited to release words you’ve been carrying, grieve messages that never made it and record the words you still hope to hear.

Individual Projects

  • ‘Iceland 2015’
    • A light show that recreates the experience of the Aurora Borealis from Iceland 2015
  • ‘Double the Pendulum‘
    • A towering double pendulum swings wildly in the dark, its arms laced with light, drawing chaotic curves across the night sky.
  • ‘Hot Salty Balls: Digging to the Roots Of It All’
    • Nectr-Originated hot salty taters are back and digging deep to the root of it all, branching out to see what other root veg people will fall in love with, brined and boiled in salt, seasoning, and a highly saturated amount of love.
  • ‘North East CT Regional High Speed Rail‘
    • By day, create the scenery for a model train. By night, the train utilizes a bright light to cast the shadows of the scenery on the walls of its enclosure 
  • ‘Singing Crystal Flowers‘
    • We’re going to construct giant flowers with glowing crystal centers as a new addition to Musical Cavern.
  • ‘The Magic Carpet Ride‘
    • A mini art cart on an electric wheelchair base. The body of the cart is a magic carpet on which participants can lounge while riding or being given rides.
  • ‘The Whispering Willow‘
    • The Whispering Willow is an illuminated weeping tree where visitors speak into copper tendrils that carry their words to hidden speakers on the opposite side, letting others hear whispers from strangers past. Each branch records the anonymous messages and gently plays them back to future visitors, creating a living, drifting archive of shared secrets, memories, and experiences.
  • ‘Sparklepony Express‘
    • Physical mail for Burners, by Burners, delivered via Burner
  • ‘OMGWTFog‘
    • If you want bright, juicy, colorful light 360 degrees around you, strobing at a rate that makes you see colors you can’t name and hallucinatory patterns hanging in a densely fogged liminal space, OMGWTFog is your destination.
  • ‘Clown Hole 2: Deeper Down the Hole‘
    • The Clown Hole will have a new giant Jack in the Box companion and Clown Hole sign with base improvements to make a deeper tunnel and support more art inside. 
  • ‘Bee Together‘
    • A friendly swarm of bees
  • ‘Pyronica Rides Again!‘
    • The ever-popular tuned fire organ, now with a third octave and better tuning!
  • ‘Steam Bath Project (SBP)‘
    • SBP has a long history of bringing the community sauna experience to Burning Man and the regional FireFly burn, dating back to SBP’s first Burning Man in 2004. Steam baths bring community building, rest and relaxation, cleanliness, and immaculate vibes to enrich a burn experience for all who entire the steamy sanctum.
  • ‘Fire Drums‘
    • IYKYK OG NECTR 

SMOL Grants

(Tiny tiny grants)

  • Pentagonal Prism of
  • Cognitive Contraband
  • Malbela fortunaj
  • The Small Burn