Photo of the Effigy at Kiwiburn 2017 courtesy of Tangent.
Kiwiburn is a participatory festival, where we, the participants, bring and make the things that we want to have here. There are no central stages or headline acts, no queues and few crowds, just a series of surprises. Every performance and art piece is there because somebody has decided to bring it and put in the effort to make it happen. If you want to listen to a particular kind of music or create some other kind of fanstastical experience you can get together with friends and set up a Theme Camp. If you have inspiration, you can make art or host an event.
Kiwiburn is a collective experience. Everybody contributes, everybody buys a ticket, even people who have volunteered year-round to make this event happen. As there are no paid performers at the event, there are no spectators, and what is shared are the passions and dreams of those who gift them. You cannot ‘attend’ Kiwiburn, though you can be a part of it. There will be no money exchanged for anything at the event (except ice). We are co-creating a gift economy and a different kind of social reality to go along with it. Feel free to radically express yourself, and please respect other people’s boundaries.
Due to this collective nature we cannot offer you a program or featured artist list. You can check out the list of registered Theme Camps and Art Installations each year, though as to the true nature of what will be at Kiwiburn, we have no idea—and that’s the beauty. There will be various kinds of music, art installations and people in costume, neon lights, fire spinners, drummers, random surprises, dancers, free spirits and healers… but that’s just us, and what we are doing… bring your passion and share with us your dreams.
