Portland Multiverse Excursion

Here’s what’s happening!

Precipitation Northwest is proud to present a socially distanced event to explore and share artwork, creative expression, and positive entertainment in a virtual environment while breaking away from being electronically bound.

This event will “map” out an Excursion of Art around the Portland metro and surrounding area that participants can drive by and view or interact with WITHOUT contacting others or breaking social distance protocols.

The art will be in community spaces such as private yards, commercial lots or spaces, small parks or community spaces. Artists will be asked to ensure that social space and distance protocols can be supported and encouraged around their art.

On Saturday night there will also be a drive through area where performers and art can be setup for participants to experience. Currently there are several locations being reviewed including OMSI, Vancouver Water Front, etc. This event is being organized as a collaborative event with SMART, Seattle Multiverse Augmented Reality Trek.

The plan includes an online Twitch broadcast event presented by Precipitation Northwest with hosts discussing and interacting with the participants and artists in both areas (Portland and Seattle). Think Macy’s Day Parade. The broadcast run 7pm to 10pm Monday, August 31 through Friday September 4th and 7pm to Midnight Saturday and Sunday evenings of Burn weekend September 5 and 6. During these broadcast we will be interviewing Artists from the community, Leaders of Theme Camps and community leaders to hear how these communities have been affected and what they have done to thrive in these crazy times. An alternate Twitch cannel will host nightly DJs and other musicians to provide a central music theme. Artists in more reaching communities such as Bend, Eugene, etc, will be invited to participate by video feed and alternate interactions.

Artist and Map Plan
Artists from the entire area are invited to participate by submitting their Art pieces or activities and locations. As artists commit, we will develop a map that will be placed online. The map will go live Monday of burn week August 31st.

• There will also be a matchmaking program to connect artists who don’t have space to share their art with spaces that do not have art to share.

• Each night of the week the Twitch hosts will feature one or more art projects leading up to the event.

• There is a signature patch being developed for this event that will be a Prize for an online scavenger hunt throughout the art event. There will only be 50 of these patches.

• Details, special events, locations and Art projects will be presented on the Event page as we get close to the event.

• This is also a great opportunity to see the Art in our neighboring communities like Seattle, Bend, Eugene, Boise, and Spokane.

Fundraising
Throughout the hosted event, there will be an option to donate to support you favorite artists and the Precipitation Northwest art programs in general.

Click here for more information!

Contact: Dan "Beacon" Forrester, beacon@burnoutpdx.com

BurnOut 2020 Survey Results and Cancellation

Unfortunately, with saddened hearts, we are cancelling BurnOut 2020 that was originally planned for fall this year. This decision was made by Precipitation Northwest.

Following the success of 2019’s BurnOut event, we started the new year enthusiastic about bringing the event back again in fall of 2020. We were thrilled to share the news of Beacon returning as this year’s Executive Producer at our annual Town Hall in mid-February.  

We began work on this event earlier than ever before, and collectively held our breath as COVID caused us to cancel SOAK*2020. We watched as other art and community groups cancelled events as well. We hoped that Oregon’s state shutdowns would contain the spread, and moved forward with Beacon to plan a fall gathering with cautious optimism, making sure to prioritize safety and civic responsibility throughout the process.  

To make sure we took into consideration the community’s opinions, we collected community feedback through an event survey shared to our website and Facebook page, the Portland Burners facebook group, and the Portland Announce email list maintained by our Regional Contacts. The survey went live on all channels on July 7th. Questions were open ended, designed to help the leadership determine the appetite for a public art gathering and a private decompression party, preferred size and times, interest in volunteering and participating, and how to prepare for and uphold public safety.

In the one week that the survey was open, we received over 120 responses. 20% indicated they would attend, 25% would not. The rest said maybe, depending on details of the safety plan, size/density, and the progression of COVID and personal matters. We appreciate all of the details, suggestions and constructive criticism our community shared. We especially thank all who expressed interest in volunteering as this event could not happen without you. Your feedback was essential for our discussion at the July 14th board meeting.

The survey was closed on July 13th, and discussed at our July 14th board meeting with the whole board and with Beacon. We considered not only the survey results, but also the most recent data regarding the spread of the virus in Oregon. Unfortunately, reported cases in Oregon and Washington are on the rise and state officials have given us an uncertain outlook for the fall flu season. 

We considered the health and safety of our volunteers, participants and our civic obligation to minimize community spread. We also weighed the risk of cancellation by authorities, increased production cost, and community members having limited funds and bandwidth to organize and participate fully as our lives have gotten increasingly complex. 

Ultimately, while we are saddened by the decision, we believe that this is the best for both our community and for the future of our organization. 

We would like to publicly thank Beacon for his hard work and his support through a difficult situation. He worked hard to plan an amazing event for our community, knowing that cancellation was a real possibility from the beginning. We hope to bring BurnOut back in fall of 2021, and we will keep the community updated with event updates via our website and Facebook. 

With your help we will continue to envision how our community can gather and support each other and the arts, both physically and digitally. If you are interested in producing or collaborating an event (in person or digital), please begin the conversation by submitting your ideas for an event or program through our website or by emailing our programming committee directly at programs@precipitationnw.org. 

Feel free to reach out to board@precipitationnw.org with additional questions you may have about this decision.

Burnout 2020 Event Survey (Deadline Monday, 7/13)

Fire spinners in Director’s Park at Burnout 2019.
Photo credit: Dee Brown

In November of last year, Precipitation Northwest hosted BurnOut 2019 in downtown Portland. With the leadership of Executive Producer Beacon (Dan Forrester), the event successfully brought together burners and community members of all kinds for a celebration of art, music, and community. During the day, individuals and camps brought interactive art and music to Director’s Park to share with the public, free of charge. Later that evening, we hosted a ticketed indoor dance party at Pythian Studios featuring interactive art from theme camps and individuals such as a clothing boutique and photo booth. 

Beacon was invited back by the Precipitation Northwest board for a second year as the 2020 Executive Event Producer. Work began in early this year to build on the success of last year’s event to create an even bigger and better event for fall.

Then, the arrival of COVID-19 changed everything. The event team and board have discussed at length how to best serve our community and proceed with this event. How can we host public gatherings responsibly as the pandemic continues its spread? It is more important than ever to listen to our community’s needs.

Therefore, we invite you to take a few minutes to complete the Burnout 2020 Event Survey regarding an in-person event in early October. Your feedback will help determine what sort of event (if any) we can host, who is interested in participating, and how to best uphold public safety for our volunteers and attendees.

Please respond by Monday, July 13th at 11:59pm PT. 

The form will be closed and feedback will be discussed with the event leadership team at the monthly Precipitation Northwest board meeting on Tuesday, July 14th. Stay tuned for updates and next steps here on our website and on our Facebook page in the following weeks. 

Thank you in advance for your time and thoughtful responses!

If you have additional feedback or questions about the event, do not hesitate to contact 2020 Executive Event Producer Beacon at beacon@burnoutpdx.com.

SOAK*2020 cancelled due to COVID-19

SOAK*2018 - Photo credit Preet Gujral

Due to state and national restrictions and mandated measures concerning the unprecedented COVID-19 public health crisis, Precipitation Northwest (PNW) and the SOAK*2020 Producer Team - as responsible stewards of our local burner community and the event - must prioritize the health and safety of our participants and families.

It is with heavy hearts that the board and leadership team have unanimously decided to cancel SOAK*2020.

While heartbroken about this difficult decision, we are looking forward to bringing SOAK back in 2021.

So, now what?

There are many factors in play about what this means for our community. We’ve done our best to be proactive and answer some of the questions you may have now below.

We’re a community, and we will get through this together. We are creative, we are connected, we are quirky, and we are resilient. We can’t wait to burn with you in 2021. Please feel free to reach out to board@precipitationnw.org with additional questions you may have, and we’ll do our best to answer them.

FAQs

Q: Can SOAK be rescheduled over the summer or fall this year instead of waiting until next year?

No. While the team shares an enthusiasm for planning an alternative gathering, planning an event in the short term is not realistic or possible in light of Oregon’s Executive Orders 20-05 (Prohibiting Large Gatherings) and 20-12 (Stay Home, Save Lives) and the CDC’s guidelines on mass gatherings. With the community's help, there may be an opportunity to have another event in 2020, but it would not be SOAK. Currently, BurnOut 2020 is still being planned.

Q: I am a current lead or volunteer for SOAK*2020, and I’ve already logged a bunch of hours. What happens to these hours? Do they still count?

Yes! Any of the hours completed during the SOAK*2020 event season will roll over and will apply to SOAK*2021. Any current volunteers should contact their department lead to make sure that any and all hours completed for SOAK*2020 have been accounted for. Any volunteer tickets that were deferred from 2019 that would have been applied to SOAK*2020 will be rolled forward to SOAK*2021.

Q: I was awarded an Art or Community Provision. What happens to my money? Do I still qualify for it?

All awarded artists will be contacted personally in the next few days by Sepia with additional details and instructions. We will reach out to awarded artists at the beginning of the SOAK*2021 event cycle to check on their availability for attending next year’s event, to see if there have been any changes to their project’s scope, and with further instructions regarding streamlining their application process. Our priority is to ensure artists continue to have the funding they need for years to come. Please know that we are being sensitive to the needs of artists who may have already allocated personal funds to an art project for this year. For questions related to provisions, please contact sepia@precipitationnw.org.

Q: I was awarded a subsidized ticket this year. What happens?

All people interested in receiving subsidized tickets for next year's event will need to reapply. These ticket sales were never opened for 2020, so no subsidized tickets were actually sold.

Q: I am a theme camp - what happens to us?

All theme camps will need to reapply next year.

Q: What about next year’s theme?

We plan to keep the 2020 Theme (Some Assembly Required) to make use of the already constructed art and planned camp infrastructure, as well as this year’s Major Burnable Structure (MBS), “DIYMBS.”

Q: How about an alternative thing that weekend - [local event, campout, expanded burnout, etc] Anything fun in the works?

We’re looking forward to the time when “safer at home”, “social distancing”, and the quarantine are just memories and there is a safe time for us all to get together in community. As plans come together, these will be shared on PNW’s Facebook page and Portland Announce listserv. We are brainstorming what virtual gatherings could look like. If you have ideas for an event and would like Precipitation Northwest’s help to make it happen, please fill out the Event Proposal Form on our website.

Q: I have more questions - who do I talk to?

Please reach out to board@precipitationnw.org with additional questions.

Official Statement on COVID-19 from Precipitation Northwest and SOAK Producers

Precipitation Northwest along with the SOAK*2020 producers want to address the rapidly developing COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation. Our thoughts are with those who have already experienced the impacts. The health of our guests, volunteers, and staff is our first priority.

We are meeting regularly to discuss contingency plans and are closely monitoring new developments at the global level (WHO), national level (CDC) as well as the state of Oregon and Wasco County. In the past couple days Oregon Governor Kate Brown has enacted social distancing guidelines banning gatherings of more than 250 people until at least 4/8 to slow down the spread of infection and closed all K-12 schools through the end of the month. 

As a matter of safety we are limiting the planning of SOAK*2020 for at least 2-4 weeks at which point we can reassess our available options. We will provide additional updates as we learn more over the next couple weeks.

We urge all participants to take precautions as they make their own preparations for SOAK, seek out information from reputable sources, and use their best judgement. Thank you for being a part of our SOAK community. We are all in this together and welcome feedback. To help our event leadership team focus please direct responses and questions to Precipitation Northwest through the contact form or board@precipitationnw.org.

Burning Man Portland Town Hall 2020 Wrap Up

Harry Nedley, PNW President, speaking at Town Hall

Sunday March 1 was the annual Burning Man Portland Town Hall at Taborspace. This  event is organized by our Portland Regional Contacts (RCs) and sponsored by Precipitation Northwest. The event provided a space for the community to gather (or livestream), meet, and share information about all things Burning Man, both in Nevada and on all the various local happenings.

Here is an overview of what was presented this year:

SOAK*2020 Event Updates

This year’s SOAK Producers presented on event updates, changes, new sounds policies, and ticket prices for SOAK*2020. This year’s theme is Some Assembly Required, and will take place May 21-25 in Tygh Valley. Find out more by visiting the SOAK*2020 website or checking the SOAK*2020 Facebook.

The Major Burnable Structure (MBS)  team provided an overview of this year’s MBS design and concept. There was even a 3D model for a hands on experience! This year’s MBS is called DIYMBS, and was designed by Becca Priddy (Shiny). 

BurnOut Event Updates

There was a presentation and update on BurnOut by event producer Dan Forrester (Beacon), that included a wrap up on the success of last year as well as sharing on some plans and new ideas for the 2020 event. No event details have been announced yet (location or date), but more information will be released in the next few months. 

Precipitation Northwest Updates

Precipitation Northwest shared updates about the organization including introduction to new board members, a general overview of the board’s role, a look at board finances, and a review of the organization’s past work and activities in 2019, as well as goals and plans for 2020.

Safety Northwest will be returning in 2020 April 23-25, and will be produced by Tacy Brotherton (HugBoss) and David Barr (Battalion4). More information about the event is available on the Safety Northwest 2020 Facebook event page.

Regional Contact (RC) Updates 

Finally, we heard from our three amazing RCs on updates about the Burning Man 2020 event including ticketing prices, requirements, and timelines. There was great Q&A and conversation on Burning Man, the role of RCs, and the potential for community involvement throughout, as well as updates about a potential new process for recruiting and hiring new RCs in the Portland area. More information about RCs can be found on their website.

The board is happy to sponsor this annual event and looks forward to participating next year. This event is an important opportunity to improve communication, increase transparency, and foster collaboration with our community about the work we do. And we have fun! We welcome and appreciate those who attend, participate, and provide feedback and support to us at these and other events. 

Click here to see the entire 2020 Town Hall presentation slide deck.

Upcoming Event: Town Hall 2020

Join us for the annual Burning Man Town Hall meeting on Sunday, March 1 from 3pm-6pm at Taborspace.

This annual event is sponsored by Precipitation Northwest and organized by Portland's Regional Contacts (RCs) as part of their volunteer work for the national Burning Man Project.

It is also a way for local burners (or the Burner curious) to meet each other, get information about local happenings, learn about updates to the annual regional event SOAK, as well as hear directly from the Precipitation Northwest Board of Directors about the organization’s recent and upcoming activities and work.

The agenda for the day is as follows:

Welcome and Intros: 3:00-3:05
SOAK: 3:05-3:50
Burnout: 3:50-4:05
*Break* 4:05-4:20
Precipitation Northwest: 4:20-5:05
Burning Man: 5:05-5:30
Breakouts and wrap-up: 5:30-6:00

For more details and to RSVP, visit the Facebook page here. 

Please contact the RCs directly for questions or more information about this event by emailing portland@burningman.org.

SOAK*2020 Leads Retreat Weekend

Last week (February 1-3), the SOAK*2020 Producers and Leads met for their annual Leads Retreat. This event happens every year and is considered the official kickoff to the year’s SOAK event. 

The Leads Retreat is a chance for this year’s event Producers and Department Leads to gather and prepare for the upcoming event and plan the weeks of hard work ahead. The Precipitation Northwest Board enjoys having the opportunity to attend this annual event, to meet new and returning leads, and to work alongside the Producers and Leads to kick off the SOAK event year.

The retreat was held for the 2nd time at Mount Hood Kiwanis Camp, and was attended by all 9 Precipitation NW board members, all 5 of the SOAK*2020 Producers, and the majority of the 39 Department Leads.

Friday night was an informal potluck, and Saturday was a full day of presentations and discussion about the upcoming year. 

In addition to discussing things like resources and budgets, the day also included time for each department to review 2018’s After Burn Reports (ABRs), which are reports written by last year’s leads that summarize important learnings and recommendations for how to improve over last year. 

The Precipitation Northwest board once again presented 2 different sessions - one on Saturday morning generally about our organization and activities, and one session on Saturday afternoon all about finances. This session specifically covered how the Producers and Department Leads work together to propose both individual department budgets, as well as an overall event budget request to the board.

A special thanks to KosherBacon who volunteered his time to prepare and organize meals for the team over the entire weekend, and also manages the Burner Barn and keeps SOAK event materials safe and organized. Thank you to Battalion4 who in addition to being a SOAK*2020 Department lead, but who is also taking a lead role in producing Safety Northwest. 

Overall, Precipitation Northwest left the weekend excited about this year, and overwhelmed with gratitude for the hard work and dedication displayed by everyone who help makes SOAK happen each year. 

For more SOAK*2020 event information, visit www.soakpdx.com and join the Facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/954212661616854/